Anxiety

Anxiety can show up in all sorts of ways. You might find yourself overthinking everything, worrying about what could go wrong, second-guessing yourself or struggling to switch off. Perhaps you avoid certain situations, need reassurance that everything is okay, or put a huge amount of pressure on yourself to get things right. These things might help you feel better in the moment, but over time they can keep you caught in the same cycle.

In therapy, we can understand what’s driving your anxiety and what might be keeping it going. We can explore why certain things affect you so strongly, where some of your fears or beliefs about yourself may have come from, and how the ways you respond to anxiety might sometimes keep you stuck. From there, we can work on responding differently – questioning unhelpful thoughts and beliefs, gradually facing things you’ve been avoiding, and learning to sit with difficult feelings without letting them dictate what you do.

This might show up as:

  • General anxiety and persistent worrying

  • Overthinking and rumination

  • Panic attacks

  • Social anxiety

  • Health anxiety

  • Fears and phobias

  • Sleep disturbance or difficulty relaxing

  • Restlessness, irritability or feeling persistently on edge

  • Physical symptoms, such as a rapid heartbeat, dizziness, breathlessness and muscle tension.

Low mood & depression

Low mood can gradually change how you see yourself, other people and the world around you. You might feel flat, disconnected or exhausted, lose interest in things you usually enjoy, or find that even small things take far more effort than they used to. You may start withdrawing from people, become increasingly critical of yourself, or feel stuck in a cycle that’s difficult to find your way out of.

In therapy, we can understand what’s behind how you’re feeling and what might be keeping you stuck. We can explore some of the beliefs and patterns that may be affecting how you see yourself, while also looking at how you tend to respond when you feel low. From there, we can work on challenging unhelpful beliefs, responding differently to difficult thoughts and feelings, and gradually reconnecting with yourself, other people and the things that matter to you.

Do any of these symptoms feel familiar?

  • Feeling low, flat or emotionally numb

  • Losing interest or enjoyment in things you usually like

  • Struggling with motivation or energy

  • Withdrawing from friends, family or everyday life

  • Feeling hopeless or stuck

  • Being very critical of yourself or feeling not good enough

  • Feelings of guilt or worthlessness

  • Sleep disturbances

  • Issues relating to food, weight, and shape

Burnout can leave you feeling completely exhausted and unlike yourself. Things you used to manage without thinking can suddenly feel overwhelming, and you may find it harder to concentrate, switch off or find the motivation you once had. Perhaps you’ve spent a long time pushing yourself, taking on too much, or feeling as though you always need to be doing more. When your energy has gone into keeping up with everything and everyone else, it can be difficult to know what you actually need or want.

In therapy, we can understand how you reached this point and the patterns that may have contributed to it. Together, we can work on changing some of these patterns, setting healthier boundaries and finding different ways to manage stress and protect your energy – so there’s more room for rest, relationships and the things that matter to you. Where relevant, we can also consider the wider picture of your wellbeing, including sleep, nutrition and exercise.

Burnout may show up as…

  • Feeling exhausted, even after resting

  • Struggling to concentrate or think clearly

  • Feeling overwhelmed by things you would usually manage

  • Difficulty switching off or properly resting

  • Feeling irritable, frustrated or more emotional than usual

  • Losing motivation or finding it harder to get things done

  • Changes in sleep or appetite

  • Withdrawing from other people or feeling emotionally detached

  • Putting your own needs to one side

  • Feeling disconnected from yourself or unsure what you want

Burnout

Expat transitions

Living in another country can be exciting, but it can also be much harder than you expected. You might miss home and the people who know you best, feel lonely, or wonder why you still don’t quite feel settled. Even seemingly small things can take more energy when you’re navigating a different culture, language or way of life, particularly without your usual support network around you.

Perhaps you’re struggling to build a life that feels like your own, feeling caught somewhere between your old life and the one you’re creating, or finding that the reality of living abroad doesn’t quite match what you expected. Over time, you might find yourself questioning where you belong, what you really want, or how this new life fits with the person you were before.

In therapy, we can explore how living abroad may be affecting you, the patterns or beliefs that might be making the adjustment harder, and how you’re responding to some of the challenges you’re facing. We can also think about what matters to you in this new chapter and help you find ways to feel more settled, connected and yourself again.

You might be experiencing…

  • Feeling lonely or isolated

  • Feeling unsettled or like you don’t quite belong

  • Struggling to build new friendships or a support network

  • Adjusting to a new culture or way of life

  • Feeling disconnected from yourself or your old life

  • Changes in your identity, career or sense of purpose

  • Relationship difficulties or different pressures on your relationship

  • Feeling torn between life at home and life abroad

  • Finding it difficult to settle, even when things seem good on paper

There’s often an expectation that your student years should be some of the best years of your life, which can make it even harder when they don’t feel that way. You might be juggling academic pressure, relationships, financial worries, family expectations and a new level of independence, while also trying to figure out who you are and where you fit in.

It can be a time when all sorts of questions and doubts start to creep in – am I doing enough? Am I actually enjoying this? Have I made the right choices? What if I disappoint people? With expectations coming from yourself, your family, university and the people around you, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed or as though everyone else has things figured out except you.

Therapy can give you somewhere to step away from all that pressure and work out what’s going on for you. We can understand what might be making things particularly difficult, recognise the strengths you already have, and find practical ways to manage the challenges you’re facing – so you can feel more confident in yourself and the choices you make, and feel better equipped to handle whatever comes next.

Perhaps some of these feel familiar…

  • Academic pressure and feeling overwhelmed

  • Anxiety, burnout, overthinking or low mood

  • High expectations from yourself, family or society

  • Low confidence or self-doubt

  • Loneliness, homesickness or struggling to fit in

  • Friendship and relationship difficulties

  • Procrastination or struggling with motivation

  • Difficulties around food, weight, and body image

  • Unhelpful or self-destructive ways of coping

  • Financial stress or balancing university with work

  • Feeling lost or unsure of yourself

  • Worrying about the future or what comes after university

Student life

Relationship Challenges

Relationships can bring our deepest fears and insecurities to the surface – often in ways we don’t expect. You might find yourself putting other people’s needs before your own, worrying about where you stand with someone, or finding it difficult to say what you really need. Perhaps you need a lot of reassurance, worry about rejection, struggle to trust or let people in, or notice the same patterns playing out in your relationships again and again.

In therapy, we can understand the patterns that may be shaping your relationships and begin to respond differently – helping you communicate more openly, feel more secure, set healthier boundaries and feel more connected to the people in your life.

Some of this might feel familiar:

  • Worrying about rejection

  • Needing reassurance from your partner

  • Finding it difficult to trust people or let them in

  • People-pleasing or putting other people's needs before your own

  • Struggling to communicate what you need

  • Intimacy issues

  • Difficulty setting or maintaining boundaries

  • Conflict or recurring arguments

  • Feeling insecure, jealous or not good enough

  • Difficulties following a break-up or the end of a relationship

  • Feeling lonely or disconnected within a relationship