We all have situations that make us anxious and can lead to us needing help with anxiety, whether that’s public speaking, meeting new people, or a big life change. Anxiety is the word we use to describe worry or unease, which is based on your circumstances. Although we find anxiety unpleasant, it is a normal human function that is related to the ‘fight or flight’ response, which is our biological reaction to feeling threatened.
The word ‘anxiety’ has seen increased usage since the 1930s, but there’s been exponential use since 2000; this increase in awareness of mental health has led to the subject being more widely discussed. In 2013, there were 8.3 million cases of anxiety reported in the UK, with 1 in 6 people reportedly experiencing a common mental health problem in any given week in England. Did you know women in England are almost twice as likely to be diagnosed with anxiety disorders as men? Horizon Counselling Services are available for initial consultations with the counsellor that you book with.
Because anxiety is a normal human response, it can be difficult to realise when your feelings of anxiety become a problem, but if your feelings are very strong, last a long time or feel overwhelming, then it may be time to seek help with your anxiety. You may realise that you are worrying all the time, maybe about things that are a regular part of everyday life, or about things that aren’t likely to happen or even worrying about worrying. If anxiety is affecting your ability to live your life, it may be worth asking for help with your anxiety through a service such as Horizon Counselling in Plymouth. The NHS gives clear guidance on the symptoms of anxiety and how to initially help you.
We have multiple therapists who can help with anxiety in Plymouth. One of these therapists is Stacey. Stacey originally trained as a Learning Disability Nurse and has worked with in various mental health services in Plymouth. She uses an Integrative approach, which means she uses different theories to meet her clients’ needs and she has experience working with common mental health problems, including anxiety, relationship breakdowns, bereavement and lack of confidence. As someone who has previously used counselling, Stacey understands how scary it can be to seek support and she can offer a safe space for you to feel heard, valued and understood.
A typical counselling session at Horizon Counselling Services takes 50 to 60 minutes and are ideally weekly. This is because counselling requires consistency in order to reap the best reward and to be able to see your progress. You can contact your counsellor outside of your sessions, however your counsellor will set out when you can contact them. We provide an initial consultation for £25 and then following sessions are £50 for individuals and £70 for couples and we offer a 10% discount to all armed forces and emergency personnel, NHS staff, university staff and students. All our counsellors are trained to listen to you, your thoughts, feelings, and opinions and then will give you some strategic ideas to use in the future. All of our sessions are confidential, unless we believe that you are a risk to either yourself or others. You can book an initial consultation with us here.
We are regularly asked ‘What issues can counselling deal with?’ At Horizon, we have six counsellors who all deal with different areas of counselling. These areas include low mood, confidence, self-esteem, sexual problems, health anxiety, stress, young people, anxiety, bereavement, depression, relationships, family issues, self-harm and domestic abuse. We offer individual, couple and group sessions depending on the issues.