Anxiety Counselling in Melbourne

Anxiety is the most common mental health condition in Australia, affecting 3.4 million people (17.2%) in any 12-month period (ABS National Study 2020-22). As a counsellor in Carlton, Melbourne, I work with people across inner Melbourne and beyond who are struggling with anxiety that has become unmanageable. Women experience higher rates (21.1%) than men (13.3%), and nearly 2 in 5 young people (38.8%) aged 16-24 are affected. Despite these numbers, only 45.1% of people with a mental health condition see a professional in any given year (ABS) — meaning more than half of those suffering do so without support.

Anxiety takes many forms. Common presentations I see in my practice include:

• Generalised anxiety disorder (GAD) — persistent, excessive worry across multiple areas of life (3.8% prevalence)
• Panic disorder — sudden, intense episodes of fear with physical symptoms like racing heart, breathlessness, and chest tightness (3.7% prevalence)
• Social anxiety — intense fear of social situations, judgement, and scrutiny (7.3% prevalence — the most common anxiety disorder)
• Health anxiety — persistent worry about illness or physical symptoms
• Specific phobias — disproportionate fear of particular objects or situations
• Performance anxiety — anxiety related to work, academic, or social performance demands

What does anxiety counselling in Melbourne involve?

I’m interested not just in the symptoms but in what the anxiety is pointing toward — what it protects, what it’s connected to, what it says about how you relate to the world and to yourself. This is often where the most durable change comes from. Many people feel embarrassed about their anxiety, as though they should simply be able to control it. You shouldn’t. Anxiety is a signal, not a character flaw.

From a Lacanian psychoanalytic perspective, anxiety often has roots that extend well beyond the present situation. It may connect to early relational experiences — how safe or unsafe you felt growing up, whether your emotional needs were met, what you learned about vulnerability and control. Understanding these deeper layers doesn’t just manage symptoms; it can fundamentally change your relationship with anxiety itself.

In my practice at 96 Elgin Street, Carlton, therapy for anxiety typically involves:

• Understanding the triggers and patterns behind your anxiety — not just what sets it off, but why
• Exploring what the anxiety is doing for you psychologically — what it protects or avoids
• Addressing co-occurring conditions such as depression, which frequently accompanies anxiety
• Building a different relationship with uncertainty — rather than trying to eliminate it
• Working through relational and developmental roots that may be sustaining the anxiety

Who should consider anxiety counselling?

If anxiety is interfering with your work, your sleep, your relationships, or your capacity to live the way you want to — that is reason enough. You don’t need a diagnosis. 76% of Australians experiencing loneliness also report anxiety (Beyond Blue 2024), and 49% of people are already highly distressed by the time they first seek help. Earlier intervention consistently leads to better outcomes. I see individuals and couples online via secure video call across Melbourne, Victoria, and Australia — and also in person at my Carlton practice. Sessions are self-funded at $120. No referral is needed. Message me on WhatsApp or book online.