What is anxiety?

I specialise in helping individuals with all aspects of anxiety and the legacy of developmental trauma. Together we will work on resolving the root cause of your issue.


Anxiety can manifest in many ways. It is associated with habitual ritualistic or addictive patterns of behaviours, designed to keep us safe, soothe unwanted emotions and make us feel in control. Anxiety often leads to withdrawal and avoidance of certain situations. In the long run, this becomes limiting and feeds into the anxiety. It can chip away at your confidence, leaving you feeling lonely isolated and empty, as if trapped inside of yourself while the world outside is bright. 

What causes anxiety?

Our Central Nervous System (CNS) governs our sensations, thoughts, emotions and behaviours. It has evolved to maximise survival and adaptation. Our CNS is shaped by our early experiences. As we grow up, we develop a personal window of tolerance to stress and emotional reactivity. Anxiety can arise when our CNS is overloaded or dis-regulated, either as a result of external conditions, either as a result of internal pressures or both. 


External sources of stress can include enduring stressful conditions, interpersonal stress, times of changes and transition. Internal sources of stress can include perfectionism, inner self-critic, unrealistic expectations, constantly doing or misalignment between our values and likes and the choices we make. 

Interpersonal stress

Our relationships can be impacted by anxiety and/or can feed into it. Feelings and emotions have evolved as a signalling system that provides feedback. Learning to recognise and value and you feel is an important part of healing. Together we can work on your interpersonal difficulties, assertive communication and setting healthy boundaries.

Different types of trauma

There are different kinds of trauma. Acute trauma can arise from a single overwhelming event. Chronic trauma can arise from an ongoing harmful situation such as domestic violence. Complex trauma can result from the accumulation of enduring harmful overwhelming circumstances that may not be related, for example family illness, bullying, family breakdown, hostile neighbourhood. 

Developmental trauma refers to early adverse circumstances that leaves an imprint on the development of our CNS, social engagement and attachment system and implicit memories that are re-enacted in the present long after events have ended. 

Healing trauma

We will explore the type of trauma you have experienced and the specific trauma responses that you have developed. Trauma is an important part of your story and your making. Making sense of what happened is equally important as releasing the trapped emotions. I'll make sure that you don't repeat the same, doing too much, too fast, too soon. I will support while you come to terms with the past, at your own pace and in a safe way.


If you have any questions, please contact me now on +44 (0)207 183 3878.



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