Psychotherapy for Anxiety in Basingstoke
Understand What Is Behind Your Anxiety, Not Just How to Manage It
Anxiety can feel like constant worry in your mind, a tight chest, or a sense that something is about to go wrong even when nothing is. Many people have tried to manage it with breathing exercises, apps or simply pushing through, and find that it comes back.
Psychotherapy for anxiety in Basingstoke looks at what is behind it: what your anxiety is reacting to, when it started, and why it shows up in the situations where it does.
When Anxiety Starts to Take Over
You may be experiencing:
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Worry that is hard to switch off, about work, family, health or things that might go wrong.
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A racing heart, tight chest, upset stomach or tense shoulders when nothing is wrong.
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Avoiding situations, or only getting through them by preparing for hours.
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Feeling on edge and struggling to sleep or relax, even on a quiet day.
Anxiety is often a signal from your mind and body that something feels unsafe, even when the situation in front of you is not dangerous. Managing the symptoms can bring relief, but if what sets the anxiety off stays the same, it tends to come back. Someone who learned as a child to stay alert to other people’s moods, for example, may still feel anxious in a quiet room, waiting for something to go wrong.
My approach combines psychodynamic psychotherapy, which looks at how your past experiences affect how you handle things today, with somatic awareness, which means paying attention to what happens in your body when you feel anxious. I use somatic tools alongside talking, to work with the physical side of anxiety while we look at what is behind it.
Our work focuses on:
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Looking at what your anxiety is reacting to: a manager’s email, a quiet house, a plan changing, a friend not replying.
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Looking at when it began: the people, situations and rules you grew up with that taught you to stay on guard.
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Noticing what you do to cope: checking things several times, avoiding certain places, over-preparing, asking for reassurance, staying busy so you do not have to feel it.
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Paying attention to your body: where you feel anxiety first, such as a tight chest, clenched jaw or churning stomach, and what helps it settle.
What Happens During a Psychotherapy Session?
Sessions are private and confidential. You do not need to know why you are anxious to start.
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What anxiety looks like for you: we begin with when it happens, how it affects your day, and what you have already tried.
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What is behind it: we look at the situations and beliefs that set it off, such as ‘something will go wrong if I relax’ or ‘I must not let anyone down’, and where they came from.
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What happens in your body: we notice where you feel anxiety, how quickly it builds, and use somatic tools to help your body settle while we talk.
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Trying something different: we work on what you do when anxiety shows up, such as going to the event, replying to a message without rehearsing it, or leaving the house without checking everything twice.
We decide together what to work on, and the pace is set around your circumstances.
How Many Sessions Will I Need?
This depends on what you are dealing with and what you want to change.
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Session length: 50 minutes.
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Frequency: usually weekly.
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Length of therapy: we agree it together and review it as we go.
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Availability: in person in Basingstoke or online.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can psychotherapy help with anxiety?
Yes. Psychotherapy can help you understand what is behind your anxiety, not only how to cope with it day to day. Looking at what sets it off and where it started may reduce how often it comes back and how strongly you feel it.
Why do I feel anxious when nothing is wrong?
Anxiety can be your mind and body reacting to a danger that is not in the room, such as the memory of being criticised or a habit of expecting the worst. Psychotherapy can help you see what you are reacting to.
Can anxiety cause physical symptoms?
Yes. Anxiety can cause a racing heart, tight chest, stomach problems, dizziness and poor sleep. Your GP should check these symptoms to rule out other causes, and psychotherapy can help with the anxiety behind them.
How is this different from breathing exercises or anxiety apps?
These tools can help you cope in the moment, and some of them are useful. Psychotherapy also looks at why the anxiety is there, so that you are not managing it indefinitely.
Do I need to know what is causing my anxiety before I start?
No. Many people cannot say why they feel anxious. We start with what you notice, in your thoughts and in your body, and work back from there.
What Could Change Through Psychotherapy?
You may begin to:
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Notice anxiety building earlier, in your body, before it takes over the day.
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Get through situations you used to avoid or over-prepare for.
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Check, rehearse and ask for reassurance less often.
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Sleep better and wake up without the feeling of dread.
Psychotherapy in Basingstoke and Online
I’m Paula Miles, a psychotherapist based in Basingstoke, Hampshire.
I work with adults who are dealing with work-related stress, anxiety and perfectionism, and who find themselves reacting to work situations the same way again and again.
My approach combines psychodynamic psychotherapy with attention to what happens in your body. You can get to know me more here
Book a Free Initial Consultation
Contact me to talk about your situation, ask how I work and find out whether psychotherapy is right for you.