Anxiety Therapy

VIVA Counselling & Psychotherapy

Anxiety can be exhausting.

You might feel constantly on edge, overthinking everything you say or do, replaying conversations, struggling to relax, or bracing yourself for things that have not even happened yet.

For many people, anxiety is not just worry – it is a persistent sense of unease that affects sleep, relationships, work, and self-confidence.

At VIVA Counselling & Psychotherapy, we offer online anxiety therapy for adults who want to understand their anxiety better and find ways to live with more calm, clarity, and confidence.

Our approach is warm, person-centred, and neuroaffirmative, offering support that is thoughtful, respectful, and paced around you.

What is anxiety therapy?

Anxiety therapy is not about “getting rid” of anxiety or forcing yourself to think positively. Instead, it is about understanding how anxiety works for you – where it comes from, how it shows up, and what keeps it going.

In therapy, we explore:

• What triggers your anxiety

• How your body and mind respond

• The patterns of thought and behaviour that maintain it

• How anxiety affects your relationships and sense of self

Therapy creates space to slow things down, make sense of your experience, and respond to anxiety in ways that feel more supportive and less overwhelming.

How anxiety can show up

Anxiety looks different for everyone. You might experience:

• Constant worry or overthinking

• Racing thoughts or difficulty concentrating

• Physical symptoms such as tension, tightness, or fatigue

• Avoidance of certain situations or conversations

• Fear of getting things wrong or being judged

• Difficulty relaxing or switching off

For some people, anxiety has been present for as long as they can remember. For others, it develops following stress, burnout, life changes, or difficult experiences.

How anxiety therapy can help

Counselling for anxiety can help you to:

• Understand your anxiety rather than fighting it

• Reduce overwhelm and emotional intensity

• Feel more grounded and regulated

• Build confidence in managing anxious thoughts

• Improve communication and boundaries in relationships

• Develop greater self-compassion and trust in yourself

Therapy is not about quick fixes. It is about developing a steadier relationship with yourself, so anxiety no longer dominates your choices or sense of safety.

Anxiety, neurodivergence, and sensitivity

Anxiety often overlaps with ADHD and other forms of neurodivergence, particularly where emotional regulation, sensitivity, or overwhelm are part of daily life.

You might notice:

• Heightened emotional reactions

• Difficulty switching off or slowing down

• Feeling overstimulated or mentally exhausted

• A strong inner critic

• Anxiety around expectations, deadlines, or social situations

At VIVA, we work from a neuroaffirmative perspective, recognising that anxiety often develops in response to environments that do not meet your needs – rather than something being “wrong” with you.

What to expect in anxiety therapy

Anxiety therapy at VIVA offers a calm, supportive space where you do not need to have everything worked out.

You can expect:

• A non-judgemental, compassionate approach

• Space to explore thoughts, emotions, and bodily responses

• Support to regulate anxiety rather than suppress it

• Gentle challenge where helpful, always at your pace

• A focus on understanding patterns and building resilience

Sessions are collaborative and responsive, shaped around what feels most important for you.

Our approach

Our work is grounded in person-centred therapy, meaning we prioritise empathy, understanding, and your lived experience. We do not impose techniques or solutions, but support you in discovering what helps you feel safer and more at ease.

Where helpful, we also draw on psychological understanding of anxiety, emotional regulation, and nervous system responses – always in a way that feels accessible and human.

Meet your anxiety therapists

At VIVA, anxiety therapy is offered by a team of experienced therapists. We take care to match you with the therapist best suited to your needs, preferences, and availability.

Alex Weir

Alex works with anxiety, self-worth, and emotional regulation, offering a reflective and compassionate approach that supports clients in understanding themselves more fully and responding to anxiety with greater care and clarity. Read more here

Holly Ibbs

Holly works with anxiety, emotional overwhelm, and low self-esteem, offering a calm, supportive space where clients can explore what sits beneath their anxiety and develop greater confidence and self-understanding. Read more here

Kelly Lloyd

Kelly supports clients experiencing anxiety, stress, and relational difficulties. She works gently and thoughtfully, helping clients make sense of anxious patterns and feel more grounded in themselves. Read more here

Getting started

If anxiety is taking up more space in your life than you would like, therapy can help.

We offer online anxiety therapy and a free initial consultation, giving you space to ask questions and see whether working together feels right.