Therapy for Anxiety & Panic

Anxiety is one of the most common mental health conditions in Australia — and among the most responsive to psychological therapy. South Yarra Psychology's clinical and counselling psychologists provide evidence-based therapy for anxiety and panic, in person in South Yarra and via telehealth. Medicare rebates are available with a GP referral, and no referral is needed to book.

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What anxiety can look like

 

Anxiety shows up differently for different people. For some it is mostly felt in the body — tension, restlessness, a churning stomach, poor sleep. For others it includes racing thoughts, dominated by worry, and leading to challenges with concentrating. Both can represent anxiety, and it becomes a problem when it is persistent, out of proportion to the situation, or starts limiting your life. You may identify with some of the following types of anxiety; you may recognise yourself in one, or in parts of several.​​​

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• Generalised anxiety 

 

Sometimes referred to as 'GAD' (Generalised Anxiety Disorder). This shows up as an undercurrent of unease. It often lives in the body — muscle tension, restlessness, tiredness, irritability, trouble concentrating, disturbed sleep. Some people notice constant worry that is hard to switch off; many mainly feel uncomfortable sensations, with only passing thoughts they'd connect to worry, or just a vague sense that something is wrong. In fact, most people with generalised anxiety first notice the physical symptoms rather than the worry itself.

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• Social anxiety

 

This can present as discomfort or dread in relation to social situations — meetings, groups, dating, being watched while you work. Often, though not always, it connects to concerns about being judged, scrutinised or getting it wrong. Frequently the body reacts first — blushing, a racing heart, mind going blank — before any clear thought arrives, and situations start getting avoided or endured with difficulty.

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• Panic and panic attacks

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Not everyone with anxiety has panic attacks — if this isn't your experience, the other sections may fit you better. A panic attack occurs when the body's alarm system becomes strongly activated: a pounding heart, chest tightness, dizziness, breathlessness, trembling, a sense of unreality, or a feeling that you might lose control, faint or die. It typically peaks within minutes, can arrive out of the blue or in feared situations, and afterwards many people begin to fear the next attack — which is itself part of what keeps panic going.

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Many of the physical symptoms of panic — dizziness, tingling, breathlessness, chest tightness, a sense of unreality — can be produced or amplified by breathing too much and too quickly (hyperventilation), which lowers the level of carbon dioxide in your blood. This change in carbon dioxide can underpin many of the symptoms. Understanding this is often a relief in itself: the sensations are uncomfortable, but they themselves are not dangerous. Because panic shares symptoms with heart and lung conditions, new or unexplained chest pain or breathlessness — particularly a first episode — should be checked by a doctor. Once you know it's panic, you can trust that the attack itself is not medically dangerous.

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Slowing your breathing can help settle the body's alarm response — the key is a gentle, extended out-breath, rather than trying to take more air in (which feeds the cycle). In therapy, breathing skills are one tool among several: CBT can also be helpful — which centres on changing how we relate and respond to these sensations — as a first-line psychological treatment for panic.

 

• Phobias

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An intense fear response to a specific situation or thing — flying in an airplane, needles, vomiting, heights, animals such as spiders. The fear often leads to avoidance of situations, which can then gradually shrink what feels possible. Most people know the fear is out of proportion; but knowledge alone rarely changes it.

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• Health anxiety

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Preoccupying worry about illness without actually having an illness — including checking for symptoms, seeking reassurance, scanning the body. When someone has health anxiety, normal sensations can get read as signs of danger, and relief from checking or reassurance typically doesn't help the anxiety for long.

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• Obsessive-compulsive patterns (OCD)

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OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder) sits close to anxiety, though it works a little differently. Unwanted, intrusive thoughts, images or urges arrive. These are often about things that feel unacceptable or frightening — bringing a surge of anxiety or discomfort. Rituals or mental habits then develop to ease this discomfort: checking, washing, counting, seeking reassurance, or going over things again and again in your mind. The relief is real but brief, and each cycle strengthens the loop between the discomfort and the subsequent behaviour used to alleviate it.

 

OCD isn't only about cleanliness or order — obsessions can centre on harm, morality, relationships, health, or things feeling "just right". Because the thoughts can feel shameful, many people keep them private for years.

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How therapy helps 

 

Problematic anxiety usually develops through a combination of temperament and life experience — including experiences we may not immediately connect to how we feel now. Therapy can work at both levels. In the shorter term, it addresses the patterns that keep anxiety going — the avoidance, checking, and body responses that maintain the cycle — reducing the intensity and frequency of symptoms and helping you re-approach what you've been avoiding, at a manageable pace. Where it's useful, therapy also works at the deeper level: understanding and resolving the experiences and patterns your anxiety grew from, rather than only managing it day-to-day.​

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Approaches we use 

 

Our psychologists draw on a range of evidence-based approaches and tailor them to you. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) is recommended in clinical guidelines for anxiety and panic and targets the cycle that keeps anxiety going. At the same time, research trials typically study a single, uncomplicated diagnosis — while in real life anxiety often travels with other difficulties, or has deeper roots. That's why our psychologists also draw on approaches that work with the underlying experiences and patterns — including EMDR, Schema Therapy and Internal Family Systems (IFS) — alongside ACT and mindfulness-based approaches. Your psychologist will discuss what fits your situation, history and preferences.

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Our psychologists who work with anxiety 

 

Anxiety is core work for our whole team — all of our psychologists provide therapy for anxiety and panic. Meet our psychologists, or if you're not sure who to choose, our free 10-minute matching call can help you find the right fit.

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Fees & Medicare rebates

 

With a GP referral and Mental Health Treatment Plan, Medicare rebates of $101.55–$149.05 apply per session. Private health rebates may also be available. You don't need a referral to book. View fees & rebates. 

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Frequently Asked Questions

 

Do I need a referral to see a psychologist for anxiety? No — you can book directly at any time. A GP referral with a Mental Health Treatment Plan is only needed if you want to claim Medicare rebates.

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Which therapy is best for anxiety? There's no single answer. Clinical guidelines highlight CBT for anxiety and panic, though research trials usually study one diagnosis at a time — and real-world anxiety often coexists with other difficulties or has deeper roots, which may call for approaches like EMDR, Schema Therapy or IFS. Our psychologists tailor the approach to you, and the fit between you and your psychologist is itself one of the strongest predictors of a good outcome.

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Can therapy help with panic attacks? Yes. Panic is often responsive to psychological therapy — treatment typically helps you understand the panic cycle, reduce the fear of attacks, and return to situations you've been avoiding.

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Can I do anxiety therapy online? Yes — we offer telehealth appointments Australia-wide, which are Medicare-rebatable if you're eligible. Some clients combine in-person and online sessions.

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Ready to take the first step?

 

Book online any time, or start with a free 10-minute psychologist matching call — you're welcome to book directly without one. Prefer to talk? Call reception on 03 9804 5448 (Mon–Fri, 8.45am–5.15pm)

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If you're unsafe, call 000. If you're in crisis, call Lifeline 13 11 14.

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