Defining Anxiety

At Height Psychology, we specialise in the treatment of anxiety. Owing to both the clinical and therapeutic experience of our team, our approach is highly nuanced. Experiencing anxiety can be, but is not always, in the context of a clinically diagnosed disorder. Currently, these include: Generalised Anxiety Disorder, Panic Disorder, Separation Anxiety Disorder, Selective Mutism, Social Anxiety Disorder, Specific Phobia, Agoraphobia, Substance/Medication-Induced Anxiety Disorder, Anxiety Disorder Due to Another Medical Condition, and Other Specified/Unspecified Anxiety Disorders.

However, owing to the nature of this state, a clinical diagnosis is not necessary to experience anxiety intense enough to benefit a great deal from therapy. Anxiety is characteristically a uniquely individual experience. It's a complicated state with many layers—which is why the experience of it can feel not only debilitating but also incredibly vague. Anxiety differs from fear in that fear is the emotional response to a real or perceived imminent threat, whereas anxiety is the anticipation of a future threat. This anticipation in the case of anxiety reflects a chronic cognitive stance, where pervasive negative thinking patterns about oneself and their environment contribute to a stable disposition towards anxiety across varying contexts.

Therapy for Anxiety with Height Psychology

During our sessions, we will delve into these thought patterns that underpin your anxiety with precision, employing techniques like cognitive restructuring to dissect and reconstruct the complex web of thoughts and beliefs largely responsible for this state.

This process of identifying and challenging the specific thoughts and beliefs which give rise to emotional distress can be therapeutic in and of itself. It creates a gap between what individuals know to be true and the distorted perceptions responsible for their anxious states. This alone may dampen anxiety but will not eliminate it. It's at this point that we will introduce particular behavioural interventions. We will work together to identify the most effective approaches for you. These may include, but are not limited to: exposure therapy (the gradual exposure to feared situations in a controlled manner to relearn responses), dereflection (the deliberate refocusing of one's attention away from themselves and towards other people or goals that they identify as meaningful), or even mindfulness and detachment techniques.

Whether it be an integrative approach, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Logotherapy, or mindfulness-based therapies, the underlying structure used to address anxiety will usually involve two main components. Firstly, together we will turn what was a vague, persistent anxiety into discrete, identifiable fears. Secondly, behavioural techniques will be introduced to help you gradually confront and manage these fears, reducing their impact on your daily life. This structured approach not only alleviates anxiety but also empowers you to build resilience and regain control over your emotional well-being.

If you have any questions or would like to learn more about the process, please visit our contact page and reach out via your preferred method.