Therapy for Anxiety
Swindon and Cirencester
Anxiety is a very natural response to pressure, feeling afraid or threatened, which can show up in our day to day lives. It can have physical effects as well as emotional ones and can affect how we behave.
It’s common to describe anxiety as a feeling of stress, fear, overwhelm or dread. It can be mild or very severe.
Anxiety can be a problem if we start worrying a lot about small things or harmless situations. It’s usually when anxiety feels very intense or overwhelming that it starts to interfere with our life or even affect our relationships with others.
We will work together to find the triggers to your anxiety and create ways to overcome them.
Using brain based science and Hypnosis we will reduce the feelings and build coping mechanisms to help you in the future.
Working from my office in North Swindon which is a quiet and calm space or online.
Anxiety is a normal reaction that we all need. But when our minds overthink, anxiety can get out of control. Contact Gary Smith Psychotherapy to help you regain control.
What is Anxiety ?
Anxiety is a natural emotional response to stress, uncertainty, or perceived danger. It’s your body’s way of preparing you to cope with a challenging situation—often described as a feeling of worry, nervousness, or unease about something that may happen in the future.
Symptoms of anxiety:
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Emotional: feelings of fear, dread, or constant worry
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Physical: symptoms such as a racing heart, sweating, shaking, shortness of breath, or muscle tension
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Cognitive: difficulty concentrating, overthinking, or expecting the worst
When is anxiety normal vs. a problem?
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Normal anxiety can be helpful—it can motivate you to prepare for exams, meet deadlines, or stay alert in risky situations.
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Excessive anxiety, however, becomes a concern when it is intense, persistent, or interferes with daily life. This may be part of an anxiety disorder, such as generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), panic disorder, or social anxiety disorder.
In simple terms, anxiety is your mind and body reacting to perceived threats—but sometimes that reaction can become overactive and harder to control.
How anxiety therapy works
Solution-Focused Therapy
Solution-Focused Therapy helps individuals shift their attention away from problems and toward solutions. Instead of asking “Why do I feel anxious?”, it asks “What would life look like if anxiety was more manageable?”
How it works:
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Goal setting: Clients define clear, realistic goals (e.g., feeling calmer in social situations).
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Identifying strengths: Therapy highlights existing skills and past successes to build confidence.
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Exploring exceptions: Clients identify times when anxiety was less intense and what was different in those moments.
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Small steps forward: The focus is on achievable changes that gradually improve wellbeing.
Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP)
NLP explores how thoughts, language, and behaviour patterns are connected. It aims to change unhelpful mental patterns that contribute to anxiety.
How it works:
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Reframing thoughts: Negative or fearful thoughts are reshaped into more balanced and constructive ones.
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Anchoring techniques: Clients learn to associate calm feelings with specific triggers (like a word, gesture, or memory).
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Visualisation: Guided imagery is used to mentally rehearse feeling calm and confident in situations that usually cause anxiety.
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Pattern interruption: Unhelpful thinking cycles (such as overthinking or catastrophising) are disrupted and replaced with healthier responses.