Anxiety
Calming Anxiety
Support for Fear, Panic, and Finding Lasting Peace of Mind
Struggling With Anxiety?
Do you find yourself worrying constantly, replaying conversations in your head, or anticipating the worst even when nothing has gone wrong? Anxiety can feel like an endless cycle of fear, tension, and doubt. It may appear as an uneasy background hum that never leaves, or it can escalate into overwhelming panic, leaving you feeling out of control.
Anxiety doesn’t only affect how you think and feel. It can disrupt your sleep, unsettle your body, and make it hard to concentrate at work or be fully present with loved ones. Over time, anxiety can chip away at confidence and self-esteem, leading to avoidance and a sense of being trapped.
At Sommers Psychotherapy, we understand how exhausting this experience can be. Our therapists provide a safe, supportive space to explore the roots of your anxiety, develop effective coping strategies, and rebuild your ability to live with calm, confidence, and freedom.
Anxiety in Its Many Forms
Anxiety shows up differently for everyone. For some, it feels like a constant undercurrent of dread. For others, it comes in sharp bursts of panic that seem to strike out of nowhere. Recognising the different ways anxiety can manifest is the first step toward finding the right support.
Some of the most common presentations include:
Generalised Anxiety Disorder (GAD): persistent worry and restlessness, often without a clear trigger.
Panic Disorder: sudden, intense panic attacks with physical symptoms like chest pain, dizziness, or shortness of breath.
Social Anxiety: overwhelming fear of being judged, criticised, or embarrassed in social situations.
Phobias: intense, specific fears of objects, places, or situations that may lead to avoidance.
Health Anxiety: preoccupation with illness or physical symptoms, often leading to repeated reassurance-seeking.
Anxiety linked to OCD or trauma: intrusive thoughts, compulsive behaviours, or heightened vigilance that keeps the nervous system on edge.
Whatever form anxiety takes, it is not a personal failing. It is a signal that your mind and body are struggling to cope — and therapy can help you respond in healthier, more sustainable ways.
Common Symptoms of Anxiety
Anxiety affects both the mind and body. You may recognise yourself in some of these symptoms:
Emotional signs: ongoing worry, dread, irritability, or difficulty controlling thoughts.
Physical signs: racing heart, sweating, trembling, muscle tension, or gastrointestinal discomfort.
Behavioural signs: avoidance of feared situations, procrastination, difficulty concentrating, or reliance on reassurance.
Existential signs: feelings of emptiness, restlessness, or questioning the meaning or purpose of life.
These symptoms can interfere with daily routines, relationships, and overall well-being. Left unchecked, anxiety often reinforces itself, creating patterns that feel harder and harder to break. The good news is that therapy interrupts these cycles and gives you tools to respond differently.
When Anxiety Feels Existential
For some people, anxiety is not only about everyday worries or specific fears — it is a response to the bigger questions of life. Concerns about mortality, freedom, meaning, or purpose can create a profound sense of unease. This form of existential anxiety may not cause panic attacks or obvious symptoms, but it can leave you feeling restless, detached, or as if life lacks direction.
While existential questions are part of the human experience, they can become overwhelming when left unaddressed. You might find yourself questioning the point of your work, relationships, or even life itself. At times, this can lead to despair, avoidance, or a sense of being “stuck” in uncertainty.
In therapy, we do not aim to eliminate existential anxiety — because these questions cannot be fully resolved. Instead, we create a supportive space where you can face them with curiosity and compassion. Together, we explore how to live more fully and authentically, even in the presence of uncertainty. Many clients find that this work brings a deeper sense of purpose, freedom, and resilience, allowing them to navigate both daily life and the bigger picture with more clarity and calm.
What We Work On in Therapy
While anxiety may feel overwhelming, therapy provides a structured way to reduce symptoms and address the underlying causes. Together, we may focus on:
Easing racing thoughts and intrusive worries through practical strategies and grounding techniques.
Building tolerance for uncertainty so that not knowing what will happen no longer feels unbearable.
Strengthening emotional regulation to reduce the intensity and duration of anxious feelings.
Reconnecting with values and identity beyond anxiety, helping you reclaim a sense of purpose and direction.Restoring confidence in relationships, work, and decision-making so that anxiety doesn’t dictate the choices you make.
Exploring questions of meaning and existence, so that anxiety about life’s bigger uncertainties becomes a source of growth rather than paralysis. For some clients, we use Internal Family Systems (IFS) to gently explore anxious parts of the self, creating more compassion and balance within.
Therapy is not just about calming the nervous system in the moment — it’s about equipping you with long-term resilience and the ability to navigate life without anxiety, constantly taking the lead.
Why Choose Sommers Psychotherapy?
Every person’s relationship with anxiety is different, and therapy should reflect that. At Sommers Psychotherapy, our approach is:
A Therapy Shaped Around You
We begin by listening carefully to your experiences, symptoms, and life story. By understanding the full picture, we can tailor therapy to your specific needs and goals.
Integrative and Evidence-Informed
Our therapists draw from a range of approaches — including CBT, ACT, psychodynamic therapy, existential, Internal Family Systems (IFS), and mindfulness-based practices. This flexibility means we can address both the immediate challenges of anxiety and the deeper patterns that sustain it.
More Than Symptom Relief
Calming anxious thoughts is only part of the process. We also help you explore the emotions, relationships, and experiences that lie beneath anxiety, creating space for deeper healing and lasting change.
Applying Therapy to Everyday Life
The most meaningful progress happens outside the therapy room. We encourage you to practise new perspectives and coping strategies in real situations, turning insights into sustainable habits.
How Anxiety Therapy Works
1. Comprehensive Initial Consultation
Your journey begins with a detailed assessment where we explore your anxiety symptoms, history, lifestyle, and goals. This ensures your therapy is fully personalised.
2. Evidence-Based Therapy Sessions
In sessions, we use practical tools such as CBT techniques, parts work, grounding exercises, and guided relaxation. You will learn to:
Challenge anxious thoughts and unhelpful beliefs.
Manage panic attacks and physical symptoms.
Build confidence in facing fears.
Develop coping strategies for everyday stressors.
3. Integration and Ongoing Support
Therapy is not just about what happens in session — it’s about building confidence to use these tools in your daily life. We support you in practising relaxation, reframing thoughts, and managing triggers so that anxiety loses its hold over time.
4. Considering Medication
For some clients, especially those with severe symptoms, medication may be a helpful addition. Where appropriate, we collaborate with your GP to ensure you have the support you need.
Beyond the Therapy Room
Therapy is central, but it’s often enhanced by supportive practices you can incorporate into your daily life. These may include:
Movement and exercise, such as walking, yoga, or cycling, can help regulate stress and improve mood.
Mindfulness and grounding techniques, including deep breathing or progressive muscle relaxation, to calm the body and mind.
Healthy routines, such as consistent sleep, balanced nutrition, and limiting caffeine or alcohol, help stabilise your nervous system.
Support networks, whether through trusted friends, family, or peer support groups, can provide encouragement and connection.
These practices are not a replacement for therapy, but they complement the work you do in session, strengthening your ability to maintain calm and resilience long after therapy ends.
Reclaiming Calm and Confidence
Anxiety may feel like it controls your thoughts, choices, and future, but you don’t have to face it alone. Therapy offers more than short-term relief — it gives you the tools to understand yourself, reduce fear, and create a life guided by confidence rather than worry.
At Sommers Psychotherapy, we’re here to support you every step of the way.
Ready to Take the Next Step?
The first step is often the hardest, but it can also be the most important. Take the first step today by booking a consultation. Together, we’ll build the skills, resilience, and peace of mind you need to live with less anxiety and more freedom.
Frequently Asked Questions
We support clients experiencing generalised anxiety, panic disorder, social anxiety, phobias, health anxiety, existential anxiety, and more complex cases where anxiety overlaps with OCD or trauma.
There’s no set timeline — some people feel better within a few months, while others benefit from longer-term support to address deeper roots. We’ll tailor the pace to your individual needs.
Many clients experience significant relief and long-lasting improvement. While some level of anxiety is a natural part of life, therapy helps ensure it no longer feels overwhelming or limiting.
Stress usually has a clear cause and resolves when the situation changes. Anxiety often feels disproportionate, persists even when there’s no obvious trigger, and interferes with daily life. That’s when therapy can make a meaningful difference.
Existential anxiety — concerns about purpose, freedom, or mortality — is a natural part of being human. When it becomes overwhelming, therapy provides a safe space to explore these questions and find ways of living more fully, even with life’s uncertainties.
Not necessarily. Therapy for anxiety often focuses on the present — helping you manage symptoms and develop new coping skills. If exploring past experiences becomes helpful, we’ll do so gently and at a pace that feels safe for you.
FEES - Please contact each practitioner directly.
£110
For in-person sessions
£95
For online sessions