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Understanding Anxiety and When to See a Psychologist

Everyone feels anxious from time to time. It’s part of our brain’s built-in safety system. But when anxiety becomes chronic, overwhelming, or starts to interfere with daily life, it may be time to seek help from a qualified professional.

At Wisemind & Body, we provide evidence-based anxiety treatment for adults and adolescents who are struggling with anxiety, panic, stress, and related conditions. Whether your anxiety is new, long-term, or returning after a stressful period, we’re here to support you.

What Does a Psychologist Do for Anxiety?

Anxiety can affect people in different ways. You might experience:

  • Racing thoughts or intrusive worries
  • Avoidance of certain places or social situations
  • Sleep problems or fatigue
  • Panic attacks or a fear of losing control
  • Physical symptoms like stomach upset, headaches, or tightness in the chest
  • Excessive worry or fear
  • Difficulty sleeping or relaxing
  • Avoidance of tasks or social settings
  • Overthinking or catastrophising
  • Physical tension and ongoing fatigue

You don’t need a formal diagnosis to benefit from therapy.
If your anxiety is interfering with your life, support is available and we can help.

Our psychologists help you understand what’s happening, reduce your symptoms, and build lasting coping strategies.
We do this using evidence-based psychological therapies, customised to your needs.

Personalised Treatment Approaches

At Wisemind & Body, we recognise that anxiety looks different for everyone. Your therapy plan is:

  • Tailored to your goals
  • Grounded in research
  • Flexible to your pace
  • Focused on sustainable change

We work with clients experiencing:

  • Generalised anxiety, panic attacks, and social anxiety
  • Phobias and OCD
  • Perfectionism, burnout, and chronic stress
  • Depression and anxiety together

Our team includes a range of Psychologists with strong training in anxiety treatment. We support adolescents (12+) and adults with anxiety, perfectionism, panic, trauma, and burnout.

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Types of Therapy for Anxiety

Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT)

CBT is one of the most well-researched and effective therapies for anxiety. It helps clients identify the link between their thoughts, emotions, and behaviours. People with anxiety often overestimate threat and underestimate their ability to cope. CBT targets these patterns directly.

In sessions, you’ll learn to challenge anxious thinking, reduce avoidance behaviours, and develop practical tools like thought tracking, behavioural experiments, and exposure strategies. CBT is commonly used for generalised anxiety, social anxiety, panic disorder, health anxiety, OCD, and phobias.

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy helps clients relate differently to their anxious thoughts and feelings. Instead of trying to eliminate anxiety, ACT teaches skills to make space for uncomfortable emotions and focus attention on living a meaningful life guided by personal values.

ACT incorporates mindfulness, acceptance strategies, and committed action. It is especially helpful for individuals who struggle with chronic worry, perfectionism, overthinking, emotional avoidance, or people-pleasing patterns.

Schema Therapy is well suited to people whose anxiety is rooted in long-term patterns of self-doubt, emotional neglect, or early relational difficulties. It focuses on identifying and changing deep underlying beliefs, known as schemas, that shape how we see ourselves and the world.

These schemas may include beliefs such as “I am not safe”, “I am unlovable”, or “I will always fail”. Therapy often includes guided imagery, inner child work, and strengthening of the healthy adult part of the self. Schema Therapy is often used when short-term approaches like CBT have not been sufficient.

Dialectical Behaviour Therapy was originally developed for individuals with emotion regulation difficulties but is now widely used for treating anxiety, especially when symptoms are intense and reactive. DBT helps clients develop skills to regulate emotions, tolerate distress, manage relationships, and stay grounded in the present moment.

DBT is structured around four key skill areas which include mindfulness, distress tolerance, emotion regulation, and interpersonal effectiveness. These skills are helpful for clients who experience anxiety linked to overwhelm, interpersonal conflict, and reactivity under stress.

Emotional Freedom Techniques, or EFT, is a therapeutic approach that combines elements of traditional talk therapy with physical stimulation of acupuncture points. This is done by gently tapping specific points on the face and body while focusing on distressing thoughts or feelings. The goal is to reduce emotional intensity and support nervous system regulation.

EFT is often used to manage anxiety, stress, trauma responses, and phobias. Many people find it helpful for calming the body quickly and addressing emotional blocks that feel stuck despite talk-based interventions. EFT can also assist in reprocessing distressing experiences in a gentle and non-invasive way. It is suitable for both adults and adolescents and can be used as a stand-alone method or integrated with other therapeutic approaches.

Mindfulness-Based Interventions help individuals develop present-moment awareness and reduce emotional reactivity. Mindfulness practices involve observing thoughts, feelings, and bodily sensations without judgement, which can create a sense of distance from distressing internal experiences.

Mindfulness is often integrated into other therapies such as CBT and ACT. It is helpful for individuals who experience chronic stress, racing thoughts, or difficulty grounding themselves during anxious episodes. Over time, mindfulness can increase emotional resilience and support a calmer and more stable nervous system.

FAQs About Seeing a Psychologist for Anxiety at Wisemind & Body

No, you can book directly without a referral. However, if you want to use Medicare rebates, you’ll need a Mental Health Care Plan from your GP prior to your first appointment. If you have any questions, we can guide you through that process.

The first six sessions are automatically approved. After that, your psychologist will submit a report to WorkCover, and if necessary, request further sessions based on your progress.

A psychologist helps you understand how anxiety affects your mind and body, teaches you practical skills to reduce symptoms, and supports you to face challenges in a manageable way. Therapy may involve identifying unhelpful thoughts, learning breathing techniques, and gradually facing fears.

We work with adolescents (12+) and adults. Therapy is always age-appropriate and focused on what’s relevant to each client.

If anxiety is stopping you from doing things you care about, like working, socialising, sleeping, or just feeling okay day-to-day. It’s a good time to reach out. You don’t need to wait until things get worse.

Yes. We offer telehealth sessions Australia-wide, so you can access therapy from the comfort of your home. These are just as effective as in-person sessions for most anxiety concerns.

Absolutely. It’s very common for people to experience both anxiety and depression, and we are experienced in treating them together using evidence-based methods.

We are based in Southport in the Pacific Private Clinic on the Gold Coast. Our psychologists are available for both in-person and telehealth appointments.

You can book online, call us on 07 5638 3250, or email us at admin@wisemindandbody.com.au. We’re happy to help you get started.