Anxiety–Focused Treatment
Anxiety disorders are among the most common mental health conditions, with between 25-30% of people expected to experience clinically significant anxiety at some point in their lives. Our clinicians have several years of experience assessing, treating, and supporting individuals who present with anxiety, and have the ability to adapt support to fit your specific needs. While anxiety can feel overwhelming, persistent, and deeply disruptive, it is also important to know that anxiety disorders are collectively some of the most treatable mental health conditions.
At Forward Thinking Psychological Services, anxiety-focused treatment is a core area of clinical interest and experience. With the right support, many people experience meaningful and lasting improvement - not just in reducing symptoms, but in confidence, functioning, and overall quality of life.
Types of Anxiety Disorders Treated
While we don’t always follow a strictly diagnostic approach, the following list is a helpful overview of the various types of anxiety disorders. Our clinicians work primarily with adults experiencing the following anxiety-related presentations:
Generalised Anxiety Disorder (GAD) – persistent and excessive worry, tension, and difficulty switching off
Adjustment Disorders with Anxiety – anxiety responses following significant life stressors or transitions
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) – intrusive thoughts, compulsions, and mental rituals that interfere with daily life
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) – anxiety and distress following traumatic or highly distressing events
Social Anxiety Disorder - anxiety and distress before or during social interactions, conversations and in managing relationships
Health Anxiety - anxiety in relation to a number of potential health topics
In addition to the above, anxiety commonly overlaps with other difficulties such as panic symptoms, workplace stress, sleep disturbance, and mood disorders. These interactions are carefully considered as part of treatment.
Therapeutic Approach
Our approach to treating anxiety is characterised by patience, compassion, and a genuine effort to understand the individual behind the symptoms. Anxiety rarely exists (or gets better) in isolation, and effective treatment requires an appreciation of your personal situation, background, values, health, and current life goals.
Our clinicians draw on a range of evidence-based psychological therapies, including:
Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT)
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR)
Schema Therapy–informed approaches
Metacognitive Therapy
No two people experience anxiety in exactly the same way. Our clinicians have experience across multiple treatment models, which allows support to be tailored to you (rather than being “too textbooky”) and adjusted over time as your needs and goals become clearer.
Monitoring Progress and Outcomes
An important part of effective anxiety treatment is regularly reviewing whether therapy is helping in meaningful ways. This approach saves clients a lot of time, money, energy, and potential emotional suffering.
Where appropriate, our clinicians use validated outcome measures, structured check-ins, and ongoing client feedback to monitor progress. This allows us to:
Identify how improvement is felt (i.e., is it in “feeling less anxious”, or in improved functioning at work, or in social interactions?)
Clarify the key strategies that are driving improvement
Adjust the therapeutic approach if necessary
Address barriers, setbacks, or emerging challenges early
This collaborative and transparent approach helps ensure therapy remains purposeful, responsive, and aligned with your goals.
Referrals and funding options
Online Psychological support for anxiety-related problems may be accessed via:
Medicare Mental Health Care Plans (where eligible)
Workers’ Compensation, CTP, or other insurance schemes (if relevant to the claim)
Private referrals
We offer a reduced session fee for students and young adults (aged 18-25 years old) as part of our current initiative to improve mental health support for individuals studying, or starting their career. This initiative is compatible with our treatment plans for anxiety-related disorders. Availability is is limited - please enquire for more info.
Please see the services overview page of our website for further information about referrals, fees, and rebates.
Summary
Living with anxiety can be exhausting, isolating, and frustrating - particularly when it begins to impact work, relationships, or day-to-day life. Accessing an online psychologist via Forward Thinking Psychological Services is straightforward and affordable. Please feel free to contact us at info@forwardthinkingpsychology.com
The Heart of Therapy Is Human Connection
At the core of effective therapy is a genuine connection. Feeling seen, heard, and understood. That’s why we believe the most important part of your therapeutic journey is finding someone you truly feel comfortable with.
Frequently Asked Questions
Still have questions? Take a look at our FAQ or reach out anytime to info@forwardthinkingpsychology.com
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Most people hope therapy will remove anxiety entirely - which is understandable, but not always realistic. Fear/Anxiety are in-built emotions and features of our nervous system - for better or worse it’s part of being human. The goal of therapy is not to eliminate anxiety, but to reduce its intensity, frequency, and the influence it may have on your decisions and quality of life.
Most clients notice that anxiety becomes easier to predict and manage, and less consuming over time. Even when anxiety shows up, it tends to pass more quickly and feels less overwhelming. In other words, anxiety may still exist - but it no longer defines or limits you in the same way.
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Evidence-based therapy for anxiety may involve gradually facing feared situations - but this is always done collaboratively, at a pace that feels manageable, and with a clear rationale. Nothing is forced, and you remain in control of what you’re willing to try.
Importantly, therapy isn’t just about “pushing through” fear. A large part of therapy focuses on understanding your anxiety, building confidence in your ability to cope, and reducing the need for avoidance or overcontrolling situations. Exposure, when used, is just a tool - not the entire therapy.
Please also be aware that our clinicians have experience with other models for addressing anxiety (e.g., EMDR, Schema Therapy, and Meta-cognitive therapy) that may require less exposure components - if preferred.
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In our work, we focus on understanding what actually maintains your anxiety day-to-day and tailoring strategies to your situation. Ideally, we address multiple layers of anxiety:
Physical: how your body responds and regulates stress
Cognitive: thought patterns that fuel worry or rumination
Behavioural: avoidance or other patterns that maintain anxiety
Emotional: the impact of living with anxiety on mood and quality of life
The goal is to provide meaningful, personalised support that addresses the root of your anxiety, builds lasting skills, and fits with your life - rather than relying on any single technique.
Being honest - if you experience a high amount of physical or somatic anxiety, we would likely prioritise finding practical ways to help regulate your nervous system. There are plenty of options, and this wouldn’t be the only focus of treatment. Breathing exercises, mindfulness, yoga, distraction techniques, exercise or other anxiety tools can help some people, but they’re not a one-size-fits-all solution so it takes experimentation to find the right tool(s).
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This really depends on what you’re seeking support for and how complex your situation is. Some people find a smaller number of sessions (often around 6) helpful for gaining clarity or practical tools, while others prefer longer-term support (15+ sessions). We’ll regularly check in about what’s working, what you need, and whether continuing therapy feels right for you. You’re never “locked in,” and there’s no expectation to attend more sessions than are genuinely helpful.
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Yes - you are always in control of what you choose to share, and you can skip questions if needed. Sessions are guided by what feels most relevant or pressing for you. Our clinicians are trained to work alongside you (not interrogate you). The aim is to create a safe, respectful space, ask thoughtful questions, and offer guidance - never to push you into discussing topics you don’t want to address.