Most of us feel anxious from time to time. It’s part of being human. But when anxiety starts to take over it makes it harder to sleep, concentrate, leave the house or enjoy the things you usually love. This can feel frightening, lonely and exhausting.
I’m an integrative counsellor based in Nether Edge, Sheffield (S7), offering anxiety counselling in Sheffield and online across the UK. On this page I’ve brought together my main blog posts on anxiety, with practical tools, creative ideas and resources you can explore at your own pace. I also explain how counselling can support you if anxiety is affecting your day-to-day life.
What is anxiety?
Anxiety is our body’s alarm system. It can show up as:
- Physical sensations – racing heart, tight chest, churning stomach, shaky hands
- Thoughts – ‘what if?’, worst-case scenarios, self-criticism
- Behaviours – avoiding people or places, over-preparing, seeking lots of reassurance
- Emotions – fear, dread, shame, feeling ‘on edge’.
In small doses, anxiety can be helpful and keep us safe. But when that alarm is constantly switched on, it can become overwhelming and start to restrict your life.
If you’re living in Sheffield or the surrounding areas of South Yorkshire and notice these signs often, it may be a good time to reach out for anxiety therapy and extra support.
Behaviours that quietly keep anxiety going
Many people are surprised to learn that some of the things they do to feel safer in the short term actually feed anxiety in the long term – like avoidance, constant checking, reassurance-seeking or relying on safety objects or habits.
In Behaviours that fuel anxiety: 10 common mistakes to avoid I explore these patterns in more depth, and how changing them, gently and gradually, can help you feel more confident and less trapped by fear.
Practical tools: building your own anxiety toolkit
When anxiety is high, it helps to have simple, repeatable tools you can reach for. This is almost like having a small first-aid kit for your nervous system.
In Anxiety Toolkit I share grounding and calming techniques you can use anywhere, such as:
- colour-spotting and the 5–4–3–2–1 exercise to bring your attention back to the present
- posture and breathing exercises to help your body feel more steady
- “worry time” and journalling to safely offload racing thoughts
- using music, playlists and movement to shift your mood
- keeping a mood journal so you can notice patterns and plan ahead
The idea is not that every tool will work for you, but that you experiment, notice what helps, and build an anxiety toolkit that feels personal and realistic.
Creative ways of coping with anxiety
Some people find words hard when they are anxious. Creative methods can offer another route to express and soothe difficult feelings.
In 4 creative ways of coping with anxiety I share ideas such as:
- Therapeutic writing – 10 minutes of freewriting to clear your head or explore what might be underneath your anxiety
- Art and doodling – using shapes, colours and images when words won’t come
- Music or singing – matching or shifting your mood through sound
- Walking – especially mindful walking, combining movement, fresh air and gentle focus
These are low-cost, accessible activities you can do at home, whether you’re in Sheffield, elsewhere in the UK, or working with me online.
Changing your inner dialogue: positive self-talk
Anxiety can bring a harsh inner critic: “I can’t cope”, “Something bad will happen”, “Everyone thinks I’m useless”. These thoughts are understandable but they’re often distorted and unhelpful.
In Positive self-talk for coping with anxiety I look at how you can:
- prepare for tricky situations with kinder, realistic statements
- support yourself during anxious moments – reminding yourself you’ve coped before
- praise yourself afterwards for the effort you made, not just the outcome
Practising more compassionate self-talk takes time, especially if you are feeling low, but small shifts can make a real difference.
Helping children and teenagers understand anxiety
If your child or teenager is struggling with anxiety, it can be hard to know how to start the conversation.
In Birds have anxiety I review the picture book All Birds Have Anxiety by Kathy Hoopmann. This a gentle, humorous way to help children (and adults) recognise anxiety in themselves and others. The post also lists other books and a video that can support younger children and teens to make sense of what they are feeling.
When anxiety starts to take over
You might consider extra support if:
- anxiety is affecting your sleep, work, study or relationships
- you’re avoiding more and more situations, people or places
- you’re using alcohol, drugs or over-work to cope
- you feel on edge most of the time and can’t switch off
Self-help tools and resources can be a really helpful start. Sometimes, though, it’s easier to work through anxiety alongside someone who is trained, neutral and on your side.
How anxiety counselling can help
Anxiety counselling offers a regular, confidential space to:
- understand what triggers your anxiety and how it shows up in your body, thoughts and behaviour
- explore the roots of your anxiety safely, at your pace
- experiment with new coping strategies that fit you and your life
- reflect on patterns like self-criticism, people-pleasing or perfectionism
- build self-compassion and confidence
I offer anxiety counselling in Sheffield from my practice in Nether Edge, and online anxiety counselling for adults across the UK. Together we can look at how anxiety is affecting you right now and explore ways to help you feel more grounded and free.
Anxiety counselling in Sheffield & online – getting in touch
If you’d like to talk about whether anxiety counselling might be helpful for you, you’re welcome to get in touch. There’s no obligation to continue – our first step is simply to see whether working together feels like a good fit.
Counselling in Sheffield
Online counselling
Email: counselling@inyourcommunity.org.uk
Tel: 07814 363 855
I work with adults in Sheffield, South Yorkshire and online across the UK.