Anxiety

Are you feeling stressed-out, panicky, tense or nervous? The stress and pressure of everyday life can lead to anxiety, and it is normal to feel anxious at some point. However, if you are finding it difficult to control your worries, or anxiety is beginning to interfere with your everyday life, you may need to think about treatment to help you cope.

an anxious man seeing turbulence in the starry night skyAnxiety symptoms can range from mild to severe and can include conditions such as panic disorder and phobias, and other disorders. If you are feeling anxious, you may feel a sense of dread, frequent irritability and restlessness, and you may experience palpitations, dizziness and shortness of breath, as the fight or flight response is triggered in your body.

Whatever your symptoms, the right treatment can help to alleviate your anxiety, as well as give you coping mechanisms to help you address your fears and manage your stress.

Treatments for Anxiety

Psychological Therapy for Anxiety

There are a variety of treatments for anxiety. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) , a psychological treatment, has by far the largest evidence base. CBT helps you understand the nature of your fears and then helps you confront and overcome them in various ways. Other approaches to anxiety treatment include counselling, psychotherapy and hypnotherapy, all of which can be successfully used, but currently have less of an evidence base.

Medication for Anxiety

Other treatments for anxiety include medications such as anti-depressants and beta-blockers, such a propranolol, which can reduce some anxiety symptoms. Benzodiazepines such as diazepam and temazepam are used to treat anxiety and sleep issues, respectively, but such medications can be highly addictive and are usually only prescribed for very short periods of time.

A Flexible Approach to Anxiety Treatment

As a fully-trained and experienced therapist, I’m ready to help you overcome your anxiety, using a range of approaches, from CBT treatment of anxiety and stress management, to hypnotherapy and NLP-based treatments. Any or all of these can be used individually or in combination to provide a carefully-tailored treatment centred around you.

Anxiety Treatment at Achieving Balance

In treating your anxiety, you and I will work together to develop a shared understanding of your fears, including possible causes, triggers, symptoms and what you have been doing to try to manage your anxiety so far, as well as your specific goals. I help you to develop effective coping strategies, teaching you techniques and tools to manage your anxiety in stressful situations.

Throughout the therapy we will monitor progress, identify obstacles and find ways to overcome these in a process that will aim to help you become your own therapist. As different approaches, strategies and techniques work for different clients, your therapeutic treatment will be carefully tailored to you and your unique situation.

If you are interested in a free, 20-minute consultation, please feel free to contact me on 020 7096 8854 or email me at martin@achievingbalance.co.uk. I am available from 8.30am to 6.30pm Monday to Thursday, and Friday mornings.

About Martin

Martin Cox Msc., Qualified Therapist And Counsellor In LondonI am a fully trained and accredited counsellor, psychotherapist, hypnotherapist, and Cognitive Behavioural (CBT) Therapist. I am down-to-earth, easy to talk to and always balance a thoroughly professional approach with a good deal of common sense and humanity. Read more about me or my approach to therapy.

Issues Treated

Generalised Anxiety Disorder
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
Health Anxiety / Hypochondriasis
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
Panic Disorder
Phobias, i.e. Agoraphobia
Bereavement and loss
Depression/low mood
Anger management
Anxiety
Personal development and coaching
Social Anxiety (or Social Phobia)
Relationship issues
Self esteem
Confidence
Habits & Addictions
Smoking Cessation
Coping with Stress
Weight management

Therapies Offered

  • Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)
  • Couple/marital therapy
  • Counselling (Integrative)
  • Family therapy
  • Hypnotherapy
  • Neuro Linguistic Progamming (NLP)
  • Psychotherapy (Integrative)
  • Rational Emotive Behaviour Therapy (REBT)

Anxiety Testimonials

  • I visited Martin just before my final Amatsu exams. I wanted to be as mentally prepared and relaxed as possible so that all my hard work would convert into good exams results! I found Martin to be extremely professional, warm and easy to understand as he explained the hypnotherapy procedure. His use of client headphones meant during the session, all I could hear was his voice – much better than a previous session I’d had with another practitioner when I was distracted by other noise. I came away from the session unbelievably relaxed and prepared for my exams. I was delighted to get a distinction when my results came through!

    An Exam Confidence Client in London
    Hypnotherapy for Exam Anxiety
  • Several years ago I had a sudden panic attack on an aeroplane and was unable to fly at all. The panic attack was due to claustrophobic fears and being shut into a “tube” and having no control of being able to open a door for fresh air. This transferred onto going in lifts and underground trains. This all had a huge impact on my life and restricted me severely. I was not able to visit the theatre in the West End and other London attractions including the London Eye or go on holidays abroad. Friends would go to exhibitions, theatres etc and I felt I could not face the journey or sit in a dark theatre or cinema without being able to see a clear exit sign.

    Two years ago, my son announced he was to be married in Thailand. It absolutely threw my life into turmoil and I was very depressed and angry that he would expect me to make this long journey. Finally, I thought that this was controlling my life and I really needed to do something as I would only ever travel by car which was ridiculous. I made an appointment with Martin and was quite nervous about being hypnotised. Immediately I sat down on a most comfortable chair I felt completely at ease with Martin talking to me with a calm, reassuring and soothing voice.

    Martin took me on a journey that would change my life completely with several sessions on travelling in lifts, the underground and finally flying. I remember after the first session I was able to go in lifts again, even getting stuck in the first one and being in control! At each session of visualisation techniques, positive suggestions and looking for the root cause of my problems, Martin made me feel more positive and pleasantly relaxed. I have a CD of Martin’s which I listen to and it makes me feel relaxed just to hear his soothing calm voice. He is an excellent listener and seems to have all the time in the world for you. Martin will guide you into hypnosis and help you discover your inner resources, so you can resolve for good whatever problems or issues you may have. He has enabled me to become the person I really want to be and to achieve my full potential!

    The effect of the therapy for me was life changing. At first I tried several different flights with my daughter and we had the most amazing time on a Mediterranean fly/cruise and the next year a stunning visit to Rome. I also travelled with her to see several West End Musicals which I really love to do and now go to exhibitions, the cinema and many other places I would not visit. The ultimate experience was to be able to attend my son’s wedding, (six flights, visiting Dubai, Bangkok and Koh Samui) and to see parts of the world I would never have been able to see if it were not for Martin. He has brought the world to me and I cannot thank him enough for opening up my own world again and giving me the confidence to know “I CAN DO IT”. I would and have, highly recommended Martin and would not hesitate to see him again if I ever needed to.

    A Claustrophobic Client in London
    Psychotherapy for Claustrophobia
  • I visited Martin for hypnosis/NLP in October 2010 looking for help with a long standing class room phobia and confidence problems before I took a set of written and practical exams for a course that I was attending at that time. I found Martin very professional and the environment was friendly and comfortable. After just one treatment I had great improvement with my symptoms. Martin also supplied me with an Audio CD to listen to at home which I still use occasionally. I would say that my experience of Martin’s practice was a positive one and that I would recommend him to others that were seeking this type of help.

    A Student
    Hypnotherapy for Exam Phobia
  • I took my daughter (12 years) to see Martin as she was very anxious and prone to panic attacks. She had started a new school and it was a very difficult time for her. She was unsure about going to see Martin as she did not believe anyone could help her. She was very impressed at how relaxed she felt and the techniques that Martin was able to show her to get better control of her anxious behaviour. She only needed 2 sessions and I have to say I was very impressed at what a difference Martin made to her. She came out of the 1st session with a whole new attitude and I am pleased to say she has not needed any more sessions. She is well settled at school and not had any panic attacks since we last saw Martin. He is professional and effective and both my daughter and I would recommend him.

    A Mother’s View on Daughter’s Therapy
    Counselling for Anxiety and Panic Attacks
  • The first time I looked at your website I cried. It made me realise I needed help. Not only was I struggling with weight loss, I was finding life in general quite hard to cope with and felt I was constantly anxious and stressed. I felt like I was not in the right frame of mind to lose weight and in a rut. It took me a long time to build up the courage to come and see you and after my first appointment I felt like a weight had been lifted and so relieved to know that you could help me. It didn’t take too long to get me back on track. All what you said had a massive effect and enabled me to re-focus and sort my life out. My time with you has undoubtedly had a big impact. I am much happier, calmer, confident and over 2 stone lighter! I now have a strengthened relationship with my husband, son, work and food! All of this has given me the push to move house and start my own business which I am thrilled about. I have recommended you to several people for different reasons. I know that whatever the problem, coming to see you will help. My only regret is that I didn’t come a year earlier. I cannot thank you enough for all you done, I hope that I do not need to re-visit, but if i do, I certainly won’t hesitate in booking an appointment.

    A Young Mother in London
    Counselling for Weight Loss
  • I first visited Martin a couple of years ago about a work issue that was causing me anxiety. Having always battled with anxiety and bouts of depression, I’d seen a few therapists in the past but not felt that any of them had made a huge difference. After my very first session with Martin, I already felt able to deal with the work issue and had high hopes for my anxiety. I saw Martin regularly to begin with and by using CBT, he has taught me how to look at things in a completely different way and I feel confident that my depression and anxiety is under control. Martin is very easy to talk to and down to earth, I instantly felt at ease with him and have enjoyed every one of my sessions with him.

    A London Professional
    CBT for Depression & Anxiety