Anxiety Group Therapy

What is anxiety?

“Anxiety is an uncomfortable feeling of fear or impending disaster and reflects the thoughts and bodily reactions a person has when they are presented with an event or situation that they cannot manage or undertake successfully. When a person is experiencing anxiety their thoughts are actively assessing the situation, sometimes even automatically and outside of conscious attention, and developing predictions of how well they will cope based on past experiences.

Although some anxiety is a normal response to a stressful situation, when the anxiety level is too high a person may not come up with an effective way of managing the stressful or threatening situation. They might "freeze", avoid the situation, or even fear they may do something that is out of character” – APS

What causes anxiety?

• Hereditary Factors
• Biochemical Factors
• Life Experiences
• Personality Factors
• Thinking Styles
• Behavioural Styles

Symptoms of Anxiety:

Behavioural symptoms of anxiety

• Agitation/ restlessness
• Pacing
• Pressured speech
• Fidgeting with ones hands
• Avoidance of feared situations or objects

Cognitive symptoms of anxiety:

• Confusion
• Inability to concentrate
• Mind going blank
• Recurrent thoughts

Physical symptoms of anxiety:

• Blushing
• Sweating
• Shaking/trembling
• Dizziness
• Rapid heartbeat
• Muscle tension
• Nausea
• Numbness/ tingling in arms, hand or legs
• Diarrhea
• Headaches
• Butterflies in the stomach

How is anxiety treated?

Anxiety can be treated through a multitude of complimentary techniques. The most common treatments include Cognitive Behaviour Therapy, medication and lifestyle changes such as increased exercise.

Drummoyne Counselling Centre offers group sessions on anxiety which are both Psycho-educational and semi-therapeutic in nature. These groups are held in a safe, non-threatening and confidential environment. During these sessions self-disclosure of personal information will be encouraged but not mandatory. A maximum of eight participants can take part in any one session, with the duration of the program lasting a total of six weeks.

We offer sessions for adolescents and adults. To participate, please email admin@drummoynecounselling.com or phone Drummoyne Counselling Centre on 8957 5050.