Anxiety Disorder Treatment in Sydney and Australia-wide

Evidence-based CBT, ACT, and exposure therapy for anxiety

Anxiety disorders are among the most common mental health difficulties, and they are highly treatable with the right approach. I provide evidence-based therapy for a range of anxiety disorders in-person in Surry Hills, Sydney, and Australia-wide via Telehealth, using Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), and exposure therapy.

What are Anxiety Disorders?

Anxiety is a normal human experience, but anxiety disorders occur when anxiety becomes excessive, persistent, and begins to interfere with daily life. They typically involve a cycle of worry or fear, physical symptoms such as tension or a racing heart, and avoidance of situations that feel threatening.

Anxiety disorders I work with include:

Generalised Anxiety Disorder (GAD) — persistent, difficult-to-control worry across multiple areas of life
Social Anxiety Disorder — significant fear of social situations, scrutiny, or embarrassment
Panic Disorder — recurrent, unexpected panic attacks and ongoing worry about future episodes
Agoraphobia — fear and avoidance of situations where escape might be difficult
Specific Phobias — intense fear of a specific object or situation (e.g., heights, needles, animals)
Illness Anxiety Disorder (Health Anxiety) — excessive preoccupation with having or developing a serious illness

Anxiety Disorder Treatment

Exposure Therapy

Graduated exposure involves systematically facing feared situations in a structured, achievable way. Over time, this reduces the anxiety response and breaks the cycle of avoidance. For OCD-related anxiety, Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) is used.

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)

ACT helps you develop a different relationship with anxious thoughts and feelings — one based on acceptance and psychological flexibility rather than struggle. The focus is on building a meaningful life guided by your values, even in the presence of anxiety.

Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT)

CBT helps identify and change the unhelpful thoughts and behaviours that maintain anxiety. It provides practical strategies to challenge catastrophic thinking, reduce avoidance, and build confidence in managing feared situations.

Mindfulness-Based Approaches

Mindfulness skills help build present-moment awareness and reduce the tendency to get caught in cycles of worry or rumination. They are often integrated with CBT and ACT to support long-term anxiety management.

What to Expect From Therapy

Therapy for anxiety is structured and collaborative. Together, we will:

Understand your specific anxiety patterns, triggers, and goals
Learn practical strategies to manage anxious thoughts and physical symptoms
Work through graduated exposure to feared situations at a challenging but achievable pace
Build skills for long-term resilience and relapse prevention

Sessions are 50 minutes and offered in-person in Surry Hills, Sydney, or via Telehealth Australia-wide.

FAQs About Anxiety Treatment

Normal anxiety is temporary and proportionate to the situation. An anxiety disorder involves anxiety that is excessive, persistent, and interferes with daily functioning, such as at work, in relationships, or one’s overall quality of life.
This varies depending on the type and severity. Many people notice meaningful improvement within 8–16 sessions, though some people benefit from longer-term support.
A GP referral under a Mental Health Treatment Plan allows access to Medicare rebates for up to 10 sessions per calendar year. You can also self-refer and attend paying privately.
Yes. Anxiety disorders respond well to evidence-based psychological treatment. Most people experience significant improvement with therapy.
No. Exposure therapy is always conducted in a safe and controlled way, so you are not at risk of physical harm. It is designed to feel uncomfortable and anxiety‑provoking at first, because the goal is to gradually face the situations or thoughts that trigger distress. Over time, repeated exposure helps reduce fear and avoidance, allowing your nervous system to learn that these triggers are not truly dangerous. Trained psychologists carefully guide the process, adjusting the pace to suit your comfort and safety, ensuring that the therapy is challenging but not overwhelming.