Anxiety Therapy in London

Therapy for Anxiety

Anxiety is a healthy feeling, and it is a normal response to stressors in our lives. Everybody feels anxious from some time to time.

Excessive worrying or high anxiety occurs when individuals are constantly worried for no apparent reason or when the level of anxiety is inappropriate for the situation. People with high anxiety might expect bad things to happen and might think of the worst-case scenario.

Highly anxious people often worry about social situations, health, family, or money. For example, individuals are constantly worried that they might catch a disease, or fear that they might lose their jobs or might feel not financially secure.

What causes high anxiety?

Anxiety can occur for many different reasons, but it usually results from the combination of more than one stressor. Periods of high anxiety can happen once or might become chronic. Not everybody develops an anxiety disorder after a period of high anxiety. Environmental factors, genetic predispositions, complications due to other diseases, and irregularities in brain chemistry are among the main triggers of anxiety. Problems at school, workplace, family and social environment, relationship problems and traumatic events are the main causes of high anxiety. Having various anxiety disorders in the family might also make people more prone to high anxiety. In addition, anxiety might also occur due to other medical conditions. Conditions such as complex surgeries and long recovery periods might also cause various types of anxiety.

What is Generalized Anxiety Disorder?

It is seen in 5-6 out of every 100 people and it can occur at any stage of life.

Not everybody who is constantly worried or struggling to cope with anxiety has an anxiety disorder. If the high anxiety persists more than a significant amount of time and interferes with the daily activities, it may be a sign of the Generalized Anxiety Disorder.

Symptoms of Generalized Anxiety Disorder and Excessive Worrying

  • High anxiety for no reason
  • Poor concentration
  • Exhaustion
  • Sleeping problems
  • Trembling
  • Restlessness
  • Irritability and nervousness
  • Muscle aches, headaches

Treatment for Anxiety and Excessive Worrying

Generalized anxiety disorder and high anxiety can be treated with talking therapies and medication. Cognitive behavioral therapy is among the most effective treatments for anxiety. Cognitive behavioral therapy aims to help people to cope with the feeling of anxiety and replace these feelings and thoughts with the ones appropriate to the situation,

Some people might need medication to help them with the anxiety. If you feel like you might need medication, it is best to consult the GP. Antidepressants are often used; it is aimed to reduce the feeling of anxiety and fear and to reach a calmer mood. Medications used in the treatment of generalized anxiety disorder do not have any side effects such as addiction.

How does Cognitive Behavioral Therapy help with high anxiety and worrying?

The main purpose of the anxiety treatment is to reduce the level of anxiety experienced and to ensure that people can continue their daily life without interruptions caused by anxiety. Our bodies have an alarm system which warns us against threats so that we can protect ourselves. In case of the anxiety disorders, the alarm system gives an error. The goal is to help clients to see how their anxiety mechanism is alerted by a false alarm. Many people with high anxiety might begin avoiding anxiety inducing situations to reduce anxiety levels. For example, a person with high anxiety might give up exercising to protect oneself against a minor heart palpitation or avoid meeting new people not to feel embarrassed.

One of the most important elements of treatment is psychoeducation, which teaches people the function of anxiety and how to keep it under control. Knowing the causes and consequences of the problem and possible treatment options might help you feel safe.

Can I cope with high anxiety by myself?

To cope with the daily stressors, it might be helpful to build stress management skills, learning relaxation techniques, exercising, and receiving social support. Self-care practices such as walking, exercising, team sports, meditation, breathing exercises, long baths, and yoga can help control anxiety symptoms and alleviate anxiety. Having a social support network where people can share their worries and concerns and receive emotional support or participating in support groups will also be helpful to reduce anxiety.

Social Anxiety Disorder

Social anxiety disorder, also called social phobia refers to the intense feelings of anxiety, fear and shame that arise due to the fear of being evaluated and judged negatively by others in social situations.

It is totally understandable for someone to feel anxious in a novel or more difficult social situations more than the others going on a first date or attending a job interview, but in social anxiety disorder, fear and anxiety would cause the individual to avoid events to a degree that can disrupt their life. Social phobia might affect an individual’s daily routine, work, school, friendships, dating or other activities.

Social anxiety manifest itself in different forms and shapes. It might be in the form of performance anxiety such making a presentation, or it can simply result from attending a social event, meeting new people or even eating in public or shopping or going to school or work.

Social anxiety disorder symptoms might begin in childhood or in adulthood.

Symptoms of Social Anxiety

  • Fear of being judged negatively in social situations
  • Worrying about embarrassing yourself
  • Fear of going into new situations or talking to new people
  • Fear of your anxiety being noticeable by other people
  • Avoidance of social situations which would trigger anxiety or attending to such events with high levels of anxiety
  • Feeling anxious in anticipation of the social event
  • Overthinking and analysing your performance and focusing on flaws after a social situation

Causes of Social Anxiety

There are some research outcomes showing that social anxiety disorder is a learned behavior. Some individuals may develop social phobia later in life after an uncomfortable or embarrassing social situation in childhood. There is also a correlation between parents who display anxious behaviors in social situations or who control their children more intensely or who are overprotective tend to develop social anxiety disorder more. It has been observed that children who experience negative experiences such as being rejected or bullied are more prone to social anxiety disorder. Other negative events such as family conflict, trauma or abuse can also be associated with social anxiety disorder.

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for Social Anxiety

The most common form of psychotherapy for Social Anxiety Disorders is Cognitive and Behavioural Therapy. In the first phase of the Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for social anxiety, the focus is on recognizing the feelings of anxiety and bodily reactions, understanding what kind of thoughts, and thinking errors cause anxiety, and developing healthier thinking strategies and coping tools. In behavioural therapy, on the other hand, there are methods that can be structured differently for each client role plays, relaxation training, social skills training and exposure to social situations.

Anxiety Therapist in London

Tennur Katgi

BA Psychology, MA Clinical Psychology
CBT Therapist, Accredited Schema Therapist
Accredited Member of BACP

I am an accredited counsellor, CBT and Schema Therapist. I mostly work with people who had a difficult childhood such as experiencing trauma, being bullied, or lacking emotional support and now experience depression, panic and anxiety, difficulties in relationships, low self-esteem, borderline personality disorder, eating disorders and body image issues.

I help people with a wide range of psychological problems at my private practice in central London and offer online sessions, if you are unable to attend in person.

Anxiety Therapy FAQ

What kind of psychotherapy do you offer for anxiety?

I work with CBT and Schema Therapy for anxiety. I am an anxiety specialist and I support people both with a short-term anxiety as well as people who has suffered with anxiety for a long time and who previously had been to therapy.

How much does each session cost?

Each session fee is between £80-£90 and sessions take place weekly.

Is it possible to turn into a less anxious person?

Yes! I don’t see anxiety as a chronic issue or a part of your personality no matter for how long you have been dealing with it. I believe it is possible to manage your anxiety. However, anxiety is a normal reaction to stressful situations, and we will work together for you to have appropriate anxiety levels.

How many sessions will I need?

People who had a recent onset of high anxiety tend to recover between 12-16 sessions. However, if you have been struggling with anxiety over a period of time, it is best to discuss your needs in the initial consultation session and come up with a treatment plan tailored for your needs.

What Our Clients Have Said Following Cognitive Behavioural Therapy

“I developed social anxiety after the end of the lockdown and received help from Tennur. I recovered from the issue in a short amount of time, and I was able to go back to social events. “

“I used to define myself as an anxious person and didn’t have any hope to recover from it. I was struggling with bodily symptoms such as chronic muscle pain.  Tennur helped me to regain my hope and work towards a life transformation. I can deal with anxiety inducing situations much better and I feel like getting there.”

“I have been dealing with anxiety since my childhood and have been to therapy several times. Schema Therapy helped me to gain control over my anxiety. I now experience less anxiety and cope with it better.”

“I received the diagnosis of GAD from my GP and recommended psychotherapy. I find about the triggers of my worrying and overthinking and developed coping tools to deal with it.”

Anxiety Therapy in Central London

Find CBT treatment in London

My psychotherapy practice is easily accessible from Farringdon Station which is a 5-minute walk. It is within easy travelling distance of many areas of London such as Angel, Hackney, Camden, Euston, Fitzrovia as well as Liverpool Street Station.

Please Get In Touch To Book Psychotherapy

If you would like to book therapy please fill in this form.