Anxiety and Stress: Finding Balance in a Changing World
Anxiety is a natural response designed to help us navigate danger, but when it fires up in situations where no real threat exists, it can disrupt daily life—especially when living as an expatriate in a new environment. The challenges of adapting to a different culture, managing homesickness, and balancing work and personal life can often trigger or amplify feelings of anxiety. Whether you're feeling overwhelmed by the adjustments of expat life or struggling with general anxiety, it can affect your performance at work, relationships, and overall well-being.
Through approaches like Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), I can help you manage anxiety more effectively. These evidence-based techniques provide practical tools to reduce anxiety's impact, helping you regain control and live more fully, even amidst uncertainty.
Below are some of the anxiety-related difficulties I have helped clients with. You might recognize your own experiences, or perhaps your anxiety manifests differently. Either way, I'm here to support you. Feel free to reach out, and we can discuss how therapy—whether online or face-to-face—might help.
GENERALISED ANXIETY / WORRY
Are you constantly worrying about multiple aspects of your life, feeling like you can’t switch off? If you find yourself trying to control uncertain situations, struggling with frustration, difficulty delegating, or feeling out of control, this ongoing stress may affect your sleep, appetite, and mood. Therapy can help break this cycle and bring a sense of calm.
SOCIAL ANXIETY
If social situations—whether it’s a work presentation or a casual get-together—trigger intense fear or anxiety, you’re not alone. You might avoid these situations or rely on "safe" but unhelpful coping strategies, leading to more isolation. Together, we can work on strategies to ease this anxiety and regain confidence in social settings.
PHOBIAS
Whether it's flying, spiders, or needles, phobias can limit your ability to enjoy life. Avoidance often leads to embarrassment, isolation, or even missing out on important activities. Using proven therapeutic techniques, I can help you confront and manage these fears in a safe and supportive environment.
HEALTH ANXIETY
If you find yourself constantly worrying about illness—whether or not you have a diagnosed condition—this can cause a cycle of obsessive symptom-checking, seeking medical reassurance, and avoiding activities you once enjoyed. Therapy can help you break this cycle and restore balance.
PANIC
Experiencing panic attacks can leave you feeling constantly on edge, fearing the next one will strike at any moment. This can lead to avoiding places or situations you associate with panic, unnecessarily limiting your life. Through therapy, we can work on reducing the frequency and intensity of these attacks, and regaining your confidence.
BODY DYSMORPHIA
If you're obsessively focused on perceived flaws in your appearance, this can lead to avoiding social situations, over-monitoring your appearance, or even pursuing unnecessary cosmetic procedures. Therapy can help you challenge these thoughts and learn to accept yourself as you are.
OBSESSIONS AND COMPULSIONS (OCD)
Intrusive thoughts and compulsive behaviors—whether it's repeated checking, washing, or seeking reassurance—can create exhausting cycles that affect not only your life but those around you. Together, we can work to break these patterns and help you regain a sense of freedom.
STRESS
Life as an expat often brings unique stressors—new jobs, adjusting to a different culture, different languages and balancing relationships across time zones. Whether it's work-related stress, financial concerns, or challenges at home, therapy can help you manage the overload and find healthy ways to cope.
If any of these challenges resonate with you, or if you’re experiencing something not quite reflected here, feel free to get in touch for an initial consultation. We can explore how therapy might help you move forward, whether you're looking for support online or prefer face-to-face sessions. I offer a brief consultation to ensure we’re a good fit and to discuss the best way to support you on this journey.
Help with other difficulties…
Depression / mood problems
Trauma / PTSD
Expat life difficulties
Couple difficulties
Other issues