What is Anxiety Counselling like? And what happens if I go?

Taking the first step to seek support for anxiety can feel intimidating. Many people worry: “What if I don’t know what to say?”, “Will they judge me?”, or “What if it doesn’t help?”. These feelings are completely normal - and part of what counselling is there to hold safely.

Let me outline a little more about what anxiety counselling is like, because while seeking support can feel daunting, understanding what actually happens in a session can make it feel much less scary. Hopefully when you look at the different stages below, you'll be able to see that nothing is rushed or pressured. It should always feel like a gentle conversation - a collaborative space where you set the pace to explore your experience, understand your situation and feelings, and discover tools and perspectives that help you feel more in control.

So what am I likely to experience in Anxiety Counselling?

Stage 1: Opening and Being Heard

Sessions usually start with your counsellor inviting you to share more about your experiences, worries, and how anxiety shows up in your life. Although it can feel intimidating to speak this out loud - particularly if there are things that you've never shared with anyone before - you might also find it surprisingly relieving. Simply voicing worries that have been swirling in your mind for weeks, months, or even years can itself take a weight off. Often, when we talk out loud, we realise how much we’ve been carrying and for how long, and we can see that our reactions are natural responses to the pressures we’ve been under.

The goal here is to create a clear picture of your experience - and that’s important because anxiety is different for everyone.

Stage 2: Exploring Patterns

You may begin to see how certain patterns emerge. Things like how thoughts escalate particular worries, or about certain behaviours that arise when you feel uncomfortable, or about how your body responds physically when fear kicks in. Recognising all of this can bring wonderful clarity (and self compassion) because at the end of the day, anxiety is an innate human response - and what you’re experiencing is more common than you might think.

Stage 3: Building Awareness and Insight

Counselling can also provide other insights that might not always seem immediately relevant, such as:

• Recognising how perfectionism or self-criticism fuels anxious thoughts

• How avoiding things or overplanning can support initially but ultimately maintains anxiety

• Learning that your body’s stress response is doing its job, even if it feels overwhelming

These insights can shift the way you relate to yourself - not by instantly eliminating anxiety, but by reducing its intensity and easing the internal struggle.

Stage 4: Learning Practical Tools

Counselling often includes strategies to manage anxiety in the moment. These might include:

• Breathing or grounding exercises to calm the body

• Gentle ways to notice and challenge unhelpful thoughts

• Mindfulness or self-compassion practices for stressful situations

• Tips for supporting improved sleep

Anxiety counselling also supports longer-term growth, helping you explore the underlying beliefs or experiences that contribute to anxiety so you can respond differently over time.

Stage 5: Taking Steps Outside the Session

You and your counsellor might set small, achievable goals together. These aren’t about huge life overhauls - they’re about taking steps that feel doable and meaningful. For example:

• Practising a grounding exercise during a stressful moment

• Practising self-compassion in response to self-critical thoughts

• Noticing anxiety triggers and journaling about them

• Gradually facing situations you’ve been avoiding

These steps make anxiety feel less all-consuming and help progress feel real, measurable, and encouraging. They show that counselling is not separate from life - it enhances how you live it.

Stage 6: A Space Just for You

Beyond structure and tools, counselling provides a space to process feelings safely. It’s where you can let down the mask you wear in daily life, release emotions you feel you have to hold in elsewhere, and explore self-discovery and insight.

Often, topics beyond the immediate anxiety arise - questions about relationships, future dreams or hopes, or past heartache. Counselling can weave these into your work, holding space for all of it. When there’s room to carry what you’ve been holding, the intensity of anxiety often reduces over time, while resilience and self-trust grow - helping you move toward the life you hope for.

Bottom Line

Anxiety counselling can be structured and practical, but it’s also incredibly human and relational. As a counsellor, I love weaving the two together. It’s a place where your experiences are acknowledged, your patterns understood, and your strengths cultivated. It doesn’t erase anxiety instantly - but it equips you to navigate it with clarity, tools, and compassion, giving a lasting sense of control and understanding.

If anxiety counselling is something that you would like to explore further, please feel free to reach out for a free initial chat. I support my clients from my private counselling room in the Sutherland Shire, as well as providing online counselling Australia-wide.

It’s completely normal to feel nervous before your first session. New beginnings often come with uncertainty.