Why the Answer Isn’t Just a Quick Fix

Anxiety is something most of us will experience at some point in our lives. It’s a completely normal response to stress, uncertainty, or change. In fact, a certain level of anxiety can be useful—it alerts us to danger, helps us prepare for challenges, and can even motivate us to take action. But when anxiety starts to take over, interfering with daily life, relationships, or your sense of wellbeing, it’s time to pay attention.

As a counsellor and therapeutic coach, I often work with people who’ve tried all the strategies—the breathing techniques, the distraction tools, the positive affirmations—and while these can absolutely help, they sometimes miss a crucial piece of the puzzle: understanding what’s happening inside.

There’s a lot of advice out there about how to “manage” or “reduce” anxiety, but very little that encourages people to build a relationship with it. Anxiety isn’t just a nuisance to be silenced. It’s a signal. Your body, your nervous system, is trying to communicate something important.

That’s why, in my work, I don’t just hand out tools and techniques. I support my clients to become curious about their anxiety. We explore how it shows up in the body—what it feels like, when it appears, and what it might be protecting them from. This approach can feel more empowering than trying to "fix" or suppress the experience.

Because here’s the truth: You are the biggest tool when it comes to working with anxiety. When you start to understand your own internal world—your triggers, your responses, your unique nervous system—you begin to regain a sense of agency. From there, the strategies become more effective, because they're rooted in self-awareness, not just symptom control.

If anxiety has started to shrink your world—maybe you’ve stopped doing things you used to enjoy, or find yourself pulling away from relationships—it might be time to explore it more deeply. Not with shame or frustration, but with compassion and curiosity.

There’s no instant fix. But there is a way through—and you don’t have to do it alone.

If you're struggling with anxiety and want to start to take back control then reach out to me here.