Anxiety Isn't Always the Problem, Sometimes It Is Information

​When someone feels anxious, the immediate goal can become:
“How do we make the anxiety go away?”

But anxiety can sometimes tell us something important.
​

• A child may be anxious about school because they are being bullied.
• A teenager may feel overwhelmed because academic and social demands have become unsustainable.
• An autistic person may become anxious in an unpredictable or sensory-demanding environment.​
• An adult may feel persistently anxious because of workload, financial pressure, caring responsibilities, relationship difficulties or chronic health concerns.

Someone with ADHD may experience anxiety around tasks that repeatedly place high demands on planning, organisation, memory or time management.

This is why good support doesn't automatically assume that every anxious response is irrational.

An important question is:
“What is this anxiety happening in response to?”

Sometimes support involves developing strategies for managing anxiety.

Sometimes the environment, expectations or circumstances also need to change.
Often, both matter.

What Is Anxiety?

Anxiety is an emotional and physical response involving worry, fear, apprehension or a sense that something difficult or threatening might happen.

It can affect our:

• Thoughts
• Emotions
• Body
• Behaviour
• Attention
• Decision-making

A certain amount of anxiety can be useful.

It can help us recognise potential danger, prepare for important situations and respond when something needs our attention.

The difficulty is usually not that anxiety exists.

It is when anxiety becomes persistent, intense, difficult to manage or significantly interferes with everyday life that additional support may be helpful.

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What Does Anxiety Feel Like?

People experience anxiety differently.

For some people, it is primarily thoughts:
“What if something goes wrong?”
“What if I make a mistake?”
“What if they don't like me?”

For others, anxiety is strongly physical:
“My heart is racing.”
“I feel sick.”
“I can't relax.”

Others notice it through behaviour:
“I keep putting things off.”
“I avoid situations that make me nervous.”
“I constantly check that everything is okay.”

Understanding how anxiety appears for the individual can be an important first step.

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Emotional Signs of Anxiety

Someone experiencing anxiety may feel:

• Worried
• Nervous
• On edge
• Overwhelmed
• Irritable
• Frightened
• Restless
• Uncertain
• Unable to relax
• Easily startled
• Emotionally exhausted

Anxiety can also contribute to frustration and anger.
​
This is particularly important when considering anxiety in children, because distress doesn't always look like fear.

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Physical Signs of Anxiety

Anxiety can involve physical sensations such as:

• Racing heart
• Sweating
• Shaking
• Muscle tension
• Headaches
• Stomach discomfort
• Nausea
• Feeling hot
• Feeling short of breath
• Dizziness
• Fatigue
• Difficulty sleeping
• Changes in appetite
• Needing the toilet more frequently

Physical symptoms should not automatically be assumed to be caused by anxiety.
​
New, persistent, significant or unexplained physical symptoms should be discussed with a GP or another appropriate health professional.

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Thoughts Associated With Anxiety

Anxiety can influence the way we interpret situations.
Thoughts might include:

• “Something bad is going to happen.”
• “I won't be able to cope.”
• “Everyone will judge me.”
• “I'm going to embarrass myself.”
• “What if I get it wrong?”
• “What if they don't like me?”
• “What if I fail?”
• “I need to make sure everything is okay.”
• “I can't handle this.”
• “What if I make the wrong decision?”

Sometimes these concerns are unlikely.

Sometimes there is a genuine problem underneath them.

Understanding the difference matters.

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What Can Cause or Contribute to Anxiety?

There isn't one universal cause of anxiety.
A person's anxiety may be influenced by a combination of:

• Life experiences
• Temperament
• Stress
• Relationships
• Family circumstances
• Health
• Trauma
• Grief
• Major life changes
• Work or school demands
• Bullying
• Social experiences
• Financial pressure
• Caring responsibilities
• Disability
• Neurodivergence
• Environmental demands
• Uncertainty

For some people, there may be no obvious single cause.

Support should therefore be individualised rather than based solely on the label “anxiety.”

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When Does Worry Become a Problem?

Everyone worries.
Worry may become more concerning when it:

• Happens very frequently
• Feels difficult to control
• Causes substantial distress
• Interferes with sleep
• Affects concentration
• Stops someone doing things that matter to them
• Causes significant avoidance
• Affects relationships
• Interferes with school or work
• Contributes to frequent reassurance seeking
• Takes up a large amount of mental energy

The impact on everyday life can be more informative than simply asking:
​
“How anxious are you?”

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Anxiety & Avoidance

Avoidance can make sense when something feels threatening or overwhelming.

If giving a presentation creates intense anxiety, staying home may immediately reduce that anxiety.

If entering a crowded environment feels overwhelming, leaving may provide relief.

This can create a pattern:
Difficult situation → Anxiety → Avoidance → Immediate relief

When anxiety itself is the primary barrier, repeated avoidance can sometimes make the feared situation feel even more difficult over time.
​
However, there is an important distinction.
Not all avoidance is irrational.
Someone may avoid an environment because it is:

• Unsafe
• Sensory overwhelming
• Inaccessible
• Associated with bullying
• Excessively demanding
• Genuinely harmful

Support should therefore explore why the person is avoiding something, rather than automatically trying to eliminate the avoidance.

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Reassurance Seeking & Anxiety

Anxiety can sometimes lead to repeated reassurance seeking.
Someone might frequently ask:

• “Are you sure everything is okay?”
• “Do you think they're angry with me?”
• “Did I do something wrong?”
• “Are you sure I won't fail?”
• “Do you think this is normal?”
• “What if something happens?”

Reassurance can provide immediate relief.

But sometimes the uncertainty quickly returns and another reassurance is needed.

Counselling may help someone understand this cycle and gradually develop greater tolerance of uncertainty where appropriate.

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Overthinking & Anxiety

People often describe anxiety as overthinking.
This may involve:

• Replaying conversations
• Analysing what someone meant
• Imagining future problems
• Reviewing decisions repeatedly
• Thinking about every possible outcome
• Worrying about things that haven't happened
• Struggling to switch off at night

Trying to think through every possible outcome can create the feeling that more thinking will eventually produce certainty.

Unfortunately, many parts of life don't provide complete certainty.

Support may therefore involve developing a different relationship with uncertainty rather than trying to eliminate it entirely.

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Anxiety in Children

Children can experience anxiety for many reasons.
They may worry about:

• Separating from parents
• School
• Friendships
• Making mistakes
• Tests
• Being judged
• Sleeping alone
• New situations
• Changes in routine
• Particular animals or situations
• Something happening to family members
• Social situations
• Their own health
• Other people's health

Children don't always have the language to say:
“I'm feeling anxious.”

Anxiety may instead appear through behaviour.

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Signs of Anxiety in Children

Parents might notice:

• Frequent reassurance seeking
• Difficulty separating
• Avoiding unfamiliar activities
• Trouble sleeping
• Stomach aches
• Headaches
• Irritability
• Tearfulness
• Emotional escalations
• Perfectionism
• Difficulty making decisions
• Refusing particular activities
• Increased dependence on parents
• School attendance difficulties
• Worrying about mistakes
• Becoming unusually quiet
• Difficulty trying new things

These signs can have many different explanations.

Rather than assuming anxiety is the cause, it can help to investigate what is happening for the individual child.
Explore Child & Teen Counselling

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Anxiety in Teenagers

Teenagers may experience anxiety relating to:

• School performance
• Exams
• Friendships
• Social acceptance
• Appearance
• Relationships
• Family expectations
• Social media
• University
• Work
• Driving
• Independence
• Future decisions
• Identity
• Feeling different
• Making mistakes

Teenagers may not always talk openly about feeling anxious.
Instead, parents might notice:

• Withdrawal
• Irritability
• Sleep changes
• Avoidance
• Reduced school attendance
• Perfectionism
• Procrastination
• Frequent reassurance seeking
• Increased time alone
• Difficulty making decisions
• Physical complaints

Changes in behaviour should be understood in context rather than automatically attributed to adolescence or anxiety.

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School Anxiety & Difficulty Attending School

Anxiety can contribute to school attendance difficulties.
A child or teenager may worry about:

• Separation
• Academic work
• Tests
• Presentations
• Friendships
• Bullying
• Social situations
• Teachers
• Making mistakes
• Sensory environments
• Unstructured times

However, school attendance difficulty should not automatically be labelled school anxiety.

Learning difficulties, Autism, ADHD, sensory overload, communication difficulties, bullying, health and the school environment may also contribute.

The better starting question is:
“What is making school difficult?”

When Anxiety Is Connected to School

Anxiety can sometimes become closely connected with school, including worries about learning, friendships, social situations, separation, sensory experiences, performance or attending school itself. However, school attendance difficulties aren't always caused by anxiety, so understanding the underlying barriers is important.

Related resource: School Anxiety, School Avoidance & Difficulty Attending School

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When Anxiety Is Connected to Friendships

For some children and teenagers, anxiety may be closely connected with friendships, fear of rejection, previous bullying, social exclusion or uncertainty about how other people perceive them. Understanding the social experiences contributing to anxiety can help identify more appropriate support.

Related resource: Friendship, Bullying & Social Difficulties in Children & Teenagers

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Anxiety in Adults

Adult anxiety may involve concerns about:

• Work
• Relationships
• Parenting
• Finances
• Health
• Family
• Performance
• Social situations
• Major decisions
• Caring responsibilities
• Ageing
• Retirement
• Life changes
• The future

Sometimes anxiety develops during a particularly difficult period.

For others, worry has been present for many years and has gradually become part of everyday life.

An adult may appear highly capable externally while experiencing substantial anxiety privately.
Explore Adult Counselling

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Anxiety in Older Adults

Older adults may experience anxiety associated with:

• Changes in health
• Chronic illness
• Pain
• Changes in independence
• Falls
• Caring responsibilities
• Bereavement
• Retirement
• Changes in living arrangements
• Financial concerns
• Social isolation
• Changes within family relationships
• Uncertainty about the future

It is important not to assume that anxiety is simply an inevitable part of ageing.

Emotional wellbeing remains important throughout later life.

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Autism & Anxiety

Autistic children, teenagers and adults may experience anxiety in response to environments or demands that don't adequately support their needs.

Potential contributors can include:

• Uncertainty
• Unexpected changes
• Sensory overload
• Communication misunderstandings
• Social expectations
• Masking
• Bullying
• Transitions
• Unclear expectations
• Executive functioning demands
• Previous negative experiences
• Feeling misunderstood

A neurodiversity-affirming approach shouldn't automatically interpret the person's anxiety as an internal problem requiring them to become more tolerant of an unsuitable environment.

Sometimes support involves:
Helping the person manage anxiety.

Sometimes it involves:
Changing the environment.

Often it involves both.
Explore Autism Support & Resources

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ADHD & Anxiety

People with ADHD may also experience anxiety.

Potential contributors can include repeated difficulties with:

• Organisation
• Time management
• Remembering tasks
• Starting tasks
• Completing tasks
• Planning
• Meeting deadlines
• Managing competing demands
• Emotional regulation
• Keeping track of belongings

Imagine repeatedly experiencing:
“I forgot again.”
“I'm running late again.”
“I haven't started and it's due tomorrow.”
“I know what I need to do, but I can't get started.”

Over time, someone may become anxious about situations in which they expect these difficulties to occur.

Support should distinguish between anxiety itself and the executive functioning demands contributing to it.
Explore ADHD Support & Resources

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Masking, Anxiety & Neurodivergence

Some neurodivergent people consciously or unconsciously monitor and adapt their behaviour to meet social expectations.
This may involve:

• Rehearsing conversations
• Monitoring facial expressions
• Suppressing natural movements
• Forcing eye contact
• Copying social behaviour
• Hiding confusion
• Concealing sensory distress
• Constantly analysing interactions

If someone is continually asking themselves:
“Am I doing this correctly?”
social situations can become highly demanding.

Counselling should not aim to teach someone that appearing neurotypical is the solution to anxiety.

Support may instead involve self-understanding, self-advocacy, communication preferences, boundaries, environmental adjustments and reducing unnecessary pressure to mask.

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Social Anxiety & Fear of Judgement

Some people experience significant anxiety in situations where they feel they may be watched, judged or evaluated.
Examples can include:

• Meeting new people
• Speaking in groups
• Eating around others
• Presentations
• Making phone calls
• Attending events
• Going to unfamiliar places
• Asking questions
• Speaking to authority figures
• Participating in meetings

Thoughts may include:
“What if I say something stupid?”
“Everyone will notice I'm nervous.”
“What if they don't like me?”

It is also important to consider whether previous experiences of bullying, rejection, discrimination or social misunderstanding are influencing these fears.

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Panic & Intense Anxiety

Some people experience sudden episodes of intense fear or anxiety accompanied by strong physical sensations.
These may include:

• Racing heart
• Shaking
• Sweating
• Dizziness
• Feeling short of breath
• Chest discomfort
• Nausea
• Feeling detached or unreal
• Fear of losing control
• Fear that something terrible is happening

Because some medical conditions can cause similar symptoms, new or unexplained symptoms should be medically assessed where appropriate.

Someone experiencing recurrent panic or significant fear of future episodes may also benefit from discussing this with their GP or mental health professional.

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Perfectionism & Anxiety

Perfectionism and anxiety can reinforce each other.
Someone may believe:
“If I do everything perfectly, nothing will go wrong.”

They may:

• Spend excessive time checking work
• Avoid submitting something
• Become highly distressed by mistakes
• Procrastinate
• Set extremely high standards
• Fear criticism
• Find it difficult to delegate
• Feel that achievements are never enough

Interestingly, procrastination isn't always a sign that someone doesn't care.

Sometimes the pressure to do something perfectly makes starting feel overwhelming.

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Procrastination & Anxiety

A task can become more difficult to begin when someone is worried about:

• Getting it wrong
• Failing
• Being judged
• Not knowing where to start
• The amount of work involved
• Making the wrong decision

The person avoids the task.

The deadline gets closer.

Anxiety increases.

The task now feels even harder.

This can create:
Anxiety → Avoidance → Increasing pressure → More anxiety

For some people, executive functioning difficulties may also contribute, particularly with ADHD.

Understanding the reason for procrastination is more useful than simply labelling it poor motivation.

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Anxiety & Sleep

Anxiety can make it difficult to switch off at night.
Someone may:

• Replay conversations
• Think about tomorrow
• Worry about unfinished tasks
• Imagine future problems
• Check things repeatedly
• Struggle to relax

Poor sleep can then make emotional regulation, concentration and coping more difficult the following day.

This can create another cycle:
Anxiety → Poor sleep → Reduced coping capacity → Increased anxiety

Persistent sleep difficulties should be discussed with an appropriate health professional.

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Anxiety, Stress & Feeling Overwhelmed

Anxiety and stress can overlap, but they are not identical.

Stress often develops in response to demands or pressures.

Anxiety can involve apprehension, fear and worry, sometimes even when there is no immediate external threat.
Someone experiencing:

• Excessive workload
• Caring responsibilities
• Financial pressure
• Family demands
• Poor sleep
• Health difficulties

may not simply need to “manage their anxiety better.”

The demands themselves may need attention.

Explore Stress, Feeling Overwhelmed & Burnout Support

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Anxiety & Confidence

Anxiety can influence confidence.

Someone may begin thinking:
“I can't cope.”
“I'm not capable.”
“Everyone else handles this better than me.”

Avoidance can also reduce opportunities to discover:
“That was difficult, but I managed it.”

At the same time, repeated negative experiences can genuinely affect someone's self-esteem.

Support should therefore consider both the anxiety and the experiences that have shaped the person's beliefs about themselves.

Explore Confidence, Self-Esteem & Identity Support

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Anxiety & Emotional Regulation

Anxiety doesn't always look quiet.
For children, teenagers and adults, anxiety may sometimes appear as:

• Irritability
• Anger
• Frustration
• Shutting down
• Withdrawal
• Crying
• Difficulty making decisions
• Emotional escalation
• Avoidance

This is another reason behaviour needs context.
Instead of only asking:
“How do we stop this reaction?”

it can be useful to ask:
“What happened before it?”

Explore Emotional Regulation & Dysregulation

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Anxiety During Major Life Changes

Periods of transition often involve uncertainty.
Anxiety may increase around:

• Starting school
• Changing schools
• Leaving school
• Starting university
• Beginning work
• Moving house
• Becoming a parent
• Relationship changes
• Separation
• Changing careers
• Illness
• Disability
• Retirement
• Bereavement
• Receiving a diagnosis

Feeling uncertain during major change doesn't automatically mean someone has an anxiety disorder.

Sometimes people need support while adapting to circumstances that genuinely are unfamiliar or difficult.
​
When Anxiety Appears During Change

Anxiety can sometimes become more noticeable during periods of uncertainty or significant change. Starting university, beginning a new job, moving, changing relationships or entering a different stage of life can introduce unfamiliar routines, expectations and responsibilities.

Importantly, feeling anxious during a transition doesn't automatically mean you've made the wrong decision.
Read our guide to Life Transitions & Coping With Change

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When Anxiety Is Connected to Family Change

Major changes can create uncertainty for children and teenagers. Separation, moving, changing schools, changes in caregiving arrangements and other family transitions may contribute to worry, reassurance seeking or difficulty coping with uncertainty.

Related resource: Family Changes & Adjustment in Children & Teenagers

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Chronic Illness, Pain & Anxiety

Living with chronic illness or persistent pain can involve uncertainty about:

• Symptoms
• Treatment
• Work
• Independence
• Relationships
• The future
• Daily activities

Anxiety in this context shouldn't simply be dismissed as excessive worrying.

There may be genuine uncertainty and significant adjustment involved.

Counselling may provide space to explore emotional responses to illness, pain and changes in everyday life alongside appropriate medical care.

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Grief & Anxiety

Grief can involve much more than sadness.

Following a loss, someone may worry about:

• Other people dying
• Their own health
• Being alone
• The future
• How the family will cope
• Whether something else bad will happen

Children may also become more worried about separation from caregivers following a death or significant loss.

Where grief is central to what someone is experiencing, support should recognise the loss rather than treating every emotional response as an anxiety problem.

Explore Grief, Loss & Bereavement Support

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How Can Counselling Help With Anxiety?

Counselling doesn't involve simply telling someone:
“Don't worry.”

Depending on the individual, counselling may involve:

• Understanding anxiety
• Identifying triggers
• Exploring thoughts and beliefs
• Recognising patterns
• Developing emotional awareness
• Understanding avoidance
• Developing coping strategies
• Problem solving
• Exploring uncertainty
• Developing self-compassion
• Building confidence
• Exploring boundaries
• Supporting adjustment
• Developing self-advocacy
• Exploring environmental demands
• Identifying what is and isn't within the person's control

The approach should be adapted to the person's age, experiences, communication preferences, goals and support needs.

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CBT-Informed Counselling for Anxiety

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy-informed strategies may be used to explore connections between:
Situation → Thoughts → Emotions → Behaviour

For example:
Situation: I have to speak during tomorrow's meeting.
Thought: “I'm going to say something stupid and everyone will judge me.”
Emotion: Anxiety.
Behaviour: Calling in sick.

Counselling might explore the prediction:
“Everyone will judge me.”
and whether there are other possible outcomes.

However, CBT-informed support shouldn't automatically assume that someone's interpretation is inaccurate.

If someone is experiencing bullying, discrimination, an inaccessible environment or unrealistic demands, those circumstances also need attention.

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ACT-Informed Counselling for Anxiety

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy-informed strategies may also be incorporated where appropriate.

Rather than trying to eliminate every uncomfortable thought or feeling, ACT-informed support may explore:

• Values
• Psychological flexibility
• Awareness of thoughts
• Making space for difficult emotions
• Present-moment awareness
• Self-compassion
• Meaningful action

For example, someone might learn to notice:
“I'm having the thought that I can't cope.”

rather than automatically treating:
“I can't cope.”

as an established fact.

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Does Anxiety Need to Disappear Before I Do Something?

Not necessarily.
People often wait for anxiety to disappear before:

• Applying for a job
• Attending an event
• Making a phone call
• Speaking up
• Returning to school
• Trying something unfamiliar

Sometimes confidence develops through appropriately supported experience.

A person might move from:
“I can't do this.”

to:
“I'll try one small part.”

to:
“That was uncomfortable, but I managed it.”

This should not involve forcing someone into an unsafe, inaccessible or overwhelming situation.

The challenge needs to be appropriate to the person and their circumstances.

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Practical Strategies for Managing Anxiety

Different strategies work for different people.
Depending on the situation, helpful approaches may include:

Break Large Problems Into Smaller Steps
Instead of:
“I have to sort everything out.”
identify:
“What is the next manageable step?”

Identify What Is Within Your Control
Some worries relate to things we can influence.
Others don't.
Separating the two can help direct energy toward actions that are actually possible.

Notice Patterns
Consider:

• When does anxiety increase?
• Where does it happen?
• Who is present?
• What happened beforehand?
• What thoughts appear?
• What helps?

Reduce Unnecessary Uncertainty
For some people, particularly some neurodivergent people, predictability can reduce anxiety.
Clear plans, visual information, routines or knowing what to expect may help.

Consider the Environment
Ask whether the environment itself is contributing.
The solution doesn't always need to be changing the person.

Support Sleep and Routine
Sleep, meals, movement and predictable routines can influence emotional wellbeing.

These aren't substitutes for professional support when anxiety is significant, but they can form part of a broader approach.

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How Parents Can Support an Anxious Child

Parents naturally want to make distress disappear.
Sometimes the most useful first step is understanding it.

Listen Before Reassuring
If your child says:
“Everyone is going to laugh at me.”
instead of immediately saying:
“No they won't.”
you might ask:
“What makes you worried that might happen?”
This gives you more information.

Validate the Feeling Without Confirming the Fear
You can acknowledge:
“I can see that you're really worried about tomorrow.”
without necessarily agreeing:
“Yes, tomorrow is going to be terrible.”

Avoid Labelling the Child
Rather than:
“You're an anxious child.”
consider:
“You're feeling anxious about this.”
Anxiety is an experience. It doesn't need to become someone's entire identity.

Look for the Underlying Barrier
Ask whether there is something genuinely difficult happening.

Support Manageable Steps
Where appropriate, smaller steps can help a child build confidence without overwhelming them.

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When Might Occupational Therapy Help?

Sometimes anxiety is connected with functional or environmental difficulties.
Occupational Therapy may be relevant where concerns involve:

• Sensory processing
• Daily routines
• Executive functioning
• School participation
• Community participation
• Functional independence
• Environmental demands

For example, someone who appears anxious in busy environments may also be experiencing significant sensory demands.
Explore Occupational Therapy

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When Might Speech Pathology Help?

For some children and adults, anxiety may occur alongside communication difficulties.

Someone may feel anxious because they:

• Find it difficult to understand complex language
• Struggle to express themselves
• Frequently experience communication breakdowns
• Find social communication difficult
• Have difficulty asking for help

Where communication is contributing, Speech Pathology may be worth exploring.

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When Might a Psychology Assessment Help?

Counselling and psychological assessment serve different purposes.
A Psychology Assessment may be worth exploring where persistent anxiety occurs alongside questions about:

• Autism
• ADHD
• Learning difficulties
• Intellectual functioning
• Cognitive functioning

Understanding why particular environments or demands are difficult can sometimes provide important context for anxiety.

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When Should I Speak With My GP?

Consider speaking with your GP if anxiety:

• Is persistent
• Is becoming worse
• Causes significant distress
• Interferes with everyday activities
• Significantly affects school or work
• Affects relationships
• Causes substantial avoidance
• Interferes with sleep
• Occurs alongside persistent low mood
• Occurs alongside significant physical symptoms
• Is accompanied by other mental or physical health concerns

A GP can assess overall health and discuss whether additional support, treatment or referral may be appropriate.

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Anxiety Counselling for Children

Belong Health provides counselling for children aged 7+.
Counselling may support children experiencing difficulties involving:

• Worry
• School anxiety
• Separation
• Friendships
• Bullying
• Confidence
• Emotional regulation
• Adjustment
• Stress
• Feeling overwhelmed

Support is adapted to the child's age, developmental needs, communication preferences and goals.
Explore Child & Teen Counselling

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Anxiety Counselling for Teenagers

Teenagers may access counselling for concerns involving:

• Anxiety
• Persistent worry
• School
• Exams
• Friendships
• Relationships
• Social situations
• Confidence
• Identity
• Stress
• Feeling overwhelmed
• Major life changes
• Future decisions

Counselling can provide a space to explore what is contributing to anxiety rather than assuming the teenager simply needs better coping skills.

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Anxiety Counselling for Adults

Adults may access counselling for concerns such as:

• Persistent worry
• Feeling overwhelmed
• Work-related anxiety
• Relationship concerns
• Parenting
• Health-related anxiety
• Social anxiety
• Perfectionism
• Major life changes
• Adjustment
• Neurodivergent experiences
• Confidence
• Stress

Explore Adult Counselling

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Anxiety Counselling for Older Adults

Counselling may also support older adults experiencing anxiety associated with:

• Health
• Changes in independence
• Chronic illness
• Pain
• Bereavement
• Retirement
• Relationships
• Caring responsibilities
• Changes in living circumstances
• Adjustment to major life changes

Support should consider the person's broader health, circumstances, relationships and goals.

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Anxiety Counselling in Falcon & Mandurah

In-clinic counselling is currently available at:
Belong Health
13 Littleton Street
Falcon WA 6211

Our Falcon clinic provides a local counselling option for children aged 7+, teenagers, adults and older adults from Mandurah, Falcon and surrounding Peel areas.

Enquire About Counselling

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Telehealth Anxiety Counselling Across Perth & Western Australia

Where clinically appropriate, counselling may also be available via telehealth across Perth and Western Australia.
Telehealth may be suitable for people who:

• Live elsewhere in Perth
• Live regionally or remotely
• Find travel difficult
• Need greater flexibility
• Prefer accessing counselling from home

Suitability is considered individually.
Explore Telehealth Counselling

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Free 20-Minute Meet & Greet

Where available, Belong Health offers a free 20-minute Meet & Greet with a Counsellor before deciding whether to proceed.
This provides an opportunity to:

• Meet the Counsellor
• Briefly discuss what you're looking for
• Ask questions
• Learn about their approach
• Discuss whether counselling may be appropriate
• Decide whether the Counsellor feels like a suitable fit

There is no obligation to continue after the Meet & Greet.
Book a Free Meet & Greet

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Related Anxiety, Counselling & Support Resources

You may also find these Belong Health pages helpful:
Child & Teen Counselling
Adult Counselling
School Anxiety, School Avoidance & Difficulty Attending School
Stress, Feeling Overwhelmed & Burnout Support
Confidence, Self-Esteem & Identity Support
Emotional Regulation & Dysregulation
Grief, Loss & Bereavement Support
Autism Support & Resources
ADHD Support & Resources
Psychology Assessments
Explore the Belong Health Resource Hub

Frequently Asked Questions About Anxiety

What is anxiety?
Anxiety is an emotional and physical response involving worry, fear, apprehension or a sense that something difficult or threatening might happen. Everyone experiences anxiety at times, but additional support may be helpful when it becomes persistent, intense or significantly interferes with everyday life.

Is anxiety normal?
Yes. Anxiety is a normal human response and can sometimes help us recognise potential danger or prepare for important situations. The concern is generally not the existence of anxiety itself, but its intensity, persistence and impact on everyday life.

What are common signs of anxiety?
Possible signs include persistent worry, feeling on edge, irritability, difficulty relaxing, avoidance, reassurance seeking, sleep difficulties, racing thoughts, muscle tension, headaches, stomach discomfort, nausea and difficulty concentrating.

Can anxiety cause physical symptoms?
Anxiety can be associated with physical symptoms such as a racing heart, sweating, shaking, muscle tension, nausea and stomach discomfort. However, physical symptoms should not automatically be attributed to anxiety, and persistent or unexplained symptoms should be discussed with a GP.

What is overthinking?
People often use “overthinking” to describe repeatedly analysing situations, replaying conversations, worrying about future possibilities or struggling to stop thinking about a problem. This can sometimes occur alongside anxiety.

Why do I keep asking people for reassurance?
Anxiety can lead to repeated reassurance seeking because reassurance may temporarily reduce uncertainty or fear. Sometimes the relief is short-lived and the worry returns, creating a repeated cycle.

Does avoiding things make anxiety worse?
Where anxiety itself is the main barrier, repeated avoidance can sometimes make feared situations feel increasingly difficult. However, avoidance can also occur because an environment is genuinely unsafe, overwhelming, inaccessible or unsuitable, so the underlying reason should be understood.

What does anxiety look like in children?
Children may show anxiety through reassurance seeking, difficulty separating, avoidance, sleep difficulties, physical complaints, irritability, emotional escalations, perfectionism, school attendance difficulties or reluctance to try unfamiliar things.

What does anxiety look like in teenagers?
Teenagers may experience worry, irritability, withdrawal, avoidance, perfectionism, procrastination, sleep changes, school attendance difficulties, physical symptoms or concerns about friendships, school performance, identity and the future.

Can anxiety affect school attendance?
Yes. Anxiety may contribute to school attendance difficulties. However, learning difficulties, Autism, ADHD, sensory overload, bullying, communication difficulties, health and environmental factors should also be considered.

Can adults experience anxiety even if they appear to be coping?
Yes. Someone can appear highly capable at work, within their family or socially while experiencing significant worry or anxiety privately.

Can older adults experience anxiety?
Yes. Older adults may experience anxiety relating to health, independence, chronic illness, pain, bereavement, retirement, caring responsibilities, relationships or changes in living circumstances.

Can Autism and anxiety occur together?
Yes. Autistic people may experience anxiety, including anxiety associated with uncertainty, sensory overload, communication difficulties, social expectations, transitions, masking, bullying or previous negative experiences.

Can ADHD contribute to anxiety?
ADHD-related difficulties with organisation, planning, time management, working memory, task initiation and other executive functioning demands may contribute to anxiety for some people.

What is social anxiety?
Social anxiety can involve significant fear or anxiety in situations where someone feels they may be watched, judged or evaluated, such as meeting people, speaking in groups, making phone calls or attending social events.

What is a panic attack?
A panic attack can involve a sudden period of intense fear or anxiety accompanied by strong physical sensations such as a racing heart, shaking, sweating, dizziness or shortness of breath. New or unexplained physical symptoms should be medically assessed where appropriate.

Can perfectionism be related to anxiety?
Yes. Some people become highly anxious about mistakes, criticism or failing to meet very high standards. Perfectionism can also contribute to checking, procrastination and avoidance.

Can anxiety affect sleep?
Yes. Worry and racing thoughts can make it difficult to relax or fall asleep. Poor sleep can then reduce coping capacity and make anxiety more difficult to manage.

Is anxiety the same as stress?
No. They can overlap, but stress commonly occurs in response to external demands or pressures, while anxiety involves worry, fear or apprehension and may continue even when an immediate stressor isn't present.

Can grief cause anxiety?
Grief may involve anxiety as well as sadness. Someone may become worried about further loss, separation, health, being alone or what the future will look like.

Can counselling help with anxiety?
Counselling may help someone understand their anxiety, recognise patterns and triggers, explore thoughts and beliefs, develop coping strategies, build confidence and identify environmental or situational factors contributing to distress.

Does counselling get rid of anxiety?
Counselling cannot guarantee that anxiety will disappear. Support may instead help someone understand and manage anxiety, respond differently to difficult thoughts and feelings, and participate more effectively in activities that matter to them.

What is CBT for anxiety?
CBT-informed counselling may explore connections between situations, thoughts, emotions and behaviour. It can help someone examine patterns contributing to anxiety and develop different ways of responding.

What is ACT for anxiety?
ACT-informed counselling may help someone develop greater awareness of thoughts and feelings, psychological flexibility, self-compassion and the ability to take meaningful action guided by their values even when uncomfortable emotions are present.

Do I need an anxiety diagnosis to access counselling?
Not necessarily. A formal anxiety diagnosis isn't generally required to access counselling for worry, stress, feeling overwhelmed, adjustment or related emotional wellbeing concerns.

When should I speak with my GP about anxiety?
Consider speaking with your GP if anxiety is persistent, worsening, causing significant distress, interfering with everyday life, substantially affecting school or work, disrupting sleep or occurring alongside significant physical symptoms, persistent low mood or other health concerns.

What age does Belong Health provide counselling from?
Belong Health currently provides counselling for children aged 7+, teenagers, adults and older adults, depending on individual needs and clinician suitability.

Where does Belong Health provide anxiety counselling?
In-clinic counselling is currently available from Belong Health's Falcon clinic near Mandurah. Telehealth counselling may also be available across Perth and Western Australia where clinically appropriate.

Can I meet the Counsellor before starting?
Where available, Belong Health offers a free 20-minute Meet & Greet so you can briefly discuss your needs, ask questions and decide whether the Counsellor may be an appropriate fit.

How do I get started?
Contact Belong Health or complete our online enquiry form. Our admin team can discuss current availability and the next steps.
Enquire With Belong Health

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​Last reviewed: August 2026
This page is reviewed periodically to reflect current evidence, clinical practice and relevant NDIS guidance.