Anxiety is something most of us experience from time to time. But when worry, overthinking or fear starts taking up too much space in your life, it can become exhausting.
You might find it difficult to switch off, constantly thinking about what could go wrong or replaying conversations and situations in your mind. Perhaps you avoid certain things because they make you anxious, put a lot of pressure on yourself to get things right, or find that your confidence isn't what it used to be.
Sometimes anxiety has an obvious cause. At other times, you may not really understand why you feel the way you do. You might simply know that you're tired of feeling on edge and want something to change.
Counselling can give you the space to understand what's happening and find ways of responding differently.
Anxiety doesn't look the same for everyone.
For some people, it's persistent worry or overthinking. You might find yourself imagining worst-case scenarios, second-guessing decisions or struggling to concentrate because your mind is always somewhere else.
For others, anxiety is very physical. You may experience tension, a racing heart, difficulty sleeping, feeling restless or a sense that you can't properly relax.
Anxiety can also affect how you live your life. You might avoid situations that make you uncomfortable, worry excessively about what other people think, find it difficult to say no, or put enormous pressure on yourself to perform well at work or in your relationships.
You don't need to have been diagnosed with an anxiety disorder to come to counselling. If anxiety or worry is affecting your life, that's enough reason to talk about it.
Counselling isn't about being told to stop worrying or simply being given a list of techniques to make anxiety disappear.
We'll start by trying to understand your experience of anxiety and what might be contributing to it.
That can mean looking at what's happening in your life now, the situations that trigger anxiety, the thoughts that accompany it and the ways you've learned to cope. Sometimes we may also explore earlier experiences or recurring patterns that help make sense of why certain situations affect you as strongly as they do.
Understanding those connections can help anxiety feel less confusing and give you more choice about how you respond to it.
There can also be a practical side to our work. Where it's helpful, I can draw on CBT techniques to help you recognise unhelpful patterns of thinking, understand the relationship between your thoughts, feelings and behaviour, and develop different ways of responding when anxiety takes hold.
The balance will depend on you. Some people want practical strategies they can use straight away. Others need space to understand where their anxiety comes from. Often, it's a combination of the two.
I'm a BACP registered integrative counsellor. That means I don't believe one therapeutic approach works for everybody.
The foundation of my work is creating a space where you can talk openly without feeling judged. I won't tell you what you should do or push you in a particular direction. We'll work together to understand what's happening and what might help.
Depending on what you need, I can draw on person-centred counselling, psychodynamic therapy, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) and Transactional Analysis.
Most importantly, the counselling is shaped around you rather than expecting you to fit a particular method.
You can read more about how I work and my approach to counselling on my Counselling page.
I offer face-to-face counselling for adults from my private therapy room at 27a Fore Street in Hertford town centre.
The practice is within walking distance of both Hertford East and Hertford North train stations, with public parking available nearby.
I work with people from Hertford as well as surrounding areas including Ware, Hoddesdon, Broxbourne, Cheshunt and Welwyn Garden City.
Sessions last 50 minutes and cost £60.
If travelling to Hertford isn't convenient, I also offer online counselling to adults across the UK.
Online sessions can be particularly useful if travelling feels difficult, you have a busy working day, or you simply feel more comfortable talking from your own space.
Sessions take place using a secure video platform and, just like face-to-face counselling, last 50 minutes and cost £60.
Do I need to have an anxiety diagnosis?
No. You don't need a diagnosis or even to know exactly what's causing your anxiety. You may simply know that you're worrying too much, finding it difficult to switch off or feeling overwhelmed. We can start with whatever you're experiencing.
What happens in the first counselling session?
Before beginning counselling, I offer a free 10-minute introductory phone call. It's an opportunity to tell me briefly what's brought you to counselling, ask any questions and get a sense of whether you feel comfortable working with me.
If you decide to continue, our first full session gives us more time to talk about what's been happening and what you would like to get from counselling.
How many sessions will I need?
There's no fixed answer because people come to counselling with different experiences and needs. Some people find that relatively short-term counselling gives them what they need, while others choose to work for longer so they can explore things in greater depth.
We can talk about what feels appropriate for you and review how the counselling is going as we work together.
Will you give me techniques to manage anxiety?
If practical techniques would be helpful, they can certainly form part of our work. I draw on CBT as one part of my integrative approach, which can help us look at patterns of thinking and behaviour that may be maintaining anxiety.
But counselling with me isn't limited to techniques. We can also explore what lies underneath the anxiety and try to understand why it has developed or why particular situations affect you in the way they do.
If anxiety is getting in the way of your life and you're considering counselling, you're welcome to get in touch.
I offer a free 10-minute introductory phone call so we can talk briefly about what's brought you to counselling, you can ask any questions you have, and we can see whether working together feels right.
There's no obligation to book a counselling session afterwards.
I offer face-to-face counselling in Hertford and online counselling across the UK, and I respond to enquiries within one business day.
Get in touch to arrange your free introductory call.
© Stuart Edwards Counselling in Hertford
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