Social Anxiety: Not just shyness. It involves fear of negative judgements and ongoing concern about how you are seen by others
Specific Phobias: Intense fears of particular situations or objects (even if you know the fear is excessive) e.g., needles, animals, flying.
Anxiety can take many forms, and it doesn’t always look like panic attacks or constant nervousness. I work with children, teens, and adults experiencing anxiety that interferes with daily life, including generalised anxiety, social anxiety, and specific fears or phobias.
Many people live with anxiety for years before seeking help, often assuming it’s just “how I am.” Therapy can help you understand what’s driving your anxiety and reduce its hold on your life.
What anxiety often looks like
Anxiety isn’t only about feeling scared — it often shows up as persistent tension, mental overload, or avoidance.
Common experiences include:
- Ongoing worry that feels difficult to control
- Overthinking conversations or decisions
- Constant mental “what if” scenarios
- Physical tension, fatigue, or restlessness
- Avoiding situations that feel uncomfortable or risky
- Difficulty relaxing, even when things are going well
Your anxiety doesn’t need to look dramatic to be valid.
How therapy can help with anxiety
- Understand how anxiety is maintained through avoidance and mental habits
- Learn how to respond differently to anxious thoughts and sensations
- Gradually face feared situations at a manageable pace
- Build confidence in your ability to cope with uncertainty and discomfort
The goal isn’t to eliminate anxiety entirely, but to reduce its influence and help you live more freely.
My Approach
Client centred: We focus on what matters most to you
Practical and Grounded: not overly technical or jargon heavy
Collaborative: You are not pushed faster than you are ready to go
Evidence Based: Uses principles of Exposure-Response Prevention (ERP) in a flexible, supportive way
Is therapy right for you?
You might consider support if:
- Worry or fear is taking up significant mental space
- Anxiety is limiting your choices or confidence
- You feel stuck in cycles of avoidance or overthinking
- You’re exhausted from managing things on your own
You don’t need to be in crisis to benefit from therapy.
Therapy details
- Therapy is available for children, teens & adults
- Sessions are offered in person and via telehealth
- Appointments are confidential and paced to your needs
If you’re unsure whether what you’re experiencing is anxiety, we can explore that together.
Taking the next step
If anxiety is affecting your life or someone you care about and you’d like support, you’re welcome to get in touch to discuss whether therapy might be a good fit.
- Contact us to make a confidential enquiry
Frequently asked questions
No, you do not need a referral. You can make an appointment with a psychologist without a referral from your GP or a paediatrician/psychiatrist. If you decide to do this you will need to pay the full amount for your sessions out of your own pocket.
At CAYA Psychology, individual treatment sessions are 50 minutes. Assessment sessions may be longer.
You will need to make an appointment with your GP who will assess whether you are eligible for a Mental Health Treatment Plan. A Mental Health Treatment Plan will enable you to claim a Medicare rebate (rebates vary by type of referral).
Click here to find out more about Fees and Rebates.
To be able to claim the Medicare rebate for your session you will need to bring a copy of your Mental Health Treatment Plan to your first appointment with your psychologist.
Psychologists are health professionals who work in a range of areas including clinical, health, neuropsychology, sports, forensic, organisational and community settings. To become a fully registered psychologist you must undertake an undergraduate degree, an Honours degree and and at least two years of supervised training and further education in the field of psychology (either a Masters or Doctorate degree).
Psychologists assist people with everyday concerns such as stress and relationship difficulties, as well as mental health issues. Psychologists use “talk therapies” to help people to develop skills to cope with difficulties and to prevent on-going issues. There are a large number of research studies supporting the effectiveness of psychological therapy.
Psychiatrists have completed a medical degree and further training and study related to the diagnosis and treatment of mental illness. Psychiatrists specialise in the medical treatment of mental illness and can prescribe medication. Some psychiatrists combine medication with therapy.
The procedure for a first appointment varies from practice to practice, but here is an overview of how things tend to work at CAYA Psychology:
At the beginning of your first session your psychologist will briefly run through important paperwork with you. This will include checking the information you provided in your online-intake documentation (including any medical referrals and service agreements).
We will also discuss issues such as privacy, confidentiality (and limits to this), fees and other important information about sessions.
The remainder of the session is usually spent discussing the issues that have brought you into therapy. As well as developing a thorough understanding of your concerns, your psychologist will explore relevant background history, for example, information about your family, social relationships, work history and any past counselling that you have done. Based on this information we will begin to help you to understand more about what might be causing and maintaining your current issues. If time allows we will also work with you to develop a collaborative and flexible plan for future therapy sessions.
If you are bringing your child for treatment, at their first session, your psychologist will typically start the session with parent/s and child together and discuss (using age-appropriate language) the role of a psychologist, and cover issues such as privacy, confidentiality (and limits to this) as above.
Your psychologist will then discuss the reasons that have brought you and your child into therapy with you all. Your psychologist will then typically spend a portion of the session alone with your child to further discuss issues of concern and to explore your child’s interests, hobbies, likes and dislikes. Your psychologist will then provide some initial feedback to you (the parent). Subsequent consultations will typically follow a similar approach.