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Anxiety

Anxiety isn’t just worry, it’s a whole-body experience. It can shape your thoughts, your energy, your relationships, and even your sense of who you are. For some people it feels like constant overthinking; for others it shows up as physical tension, dread, an unsettled gut, or a persistent feeling that something is “off.”

Anxiety is not a personal flaw or a lack of willpower. It’s your nervous system trying to protect you, often long after the original trigger has passed.

Why anxiety happens

There is no single cause of anxiety and it rarely comes from just one place.
Modern research shows that anxiety often develops from a combination of:

  • the body’s threat-detection system becoming overactive

  • past experiences the nervous system learned to adapt around

  • chronic stress or emotional overload

  • mind–body factors like inflammation, sleep disruption, or overwhelm

  • relational patterns and attachment wounds

  • personality sensitivities or high empathy

You don’t need to know the “exact” cause before you come to therapy.
Part of our work together is gently discovering which pathways matter for you, so the treatment is tailored rather than generic.

Types of anxiety

Many people recognise themselves in more than one type and that’s completely normal.
You may move between several depending on stress, life stage, or what your nervous system has learned to protect you from.

Some common forms include:

  • Generalised anxiety (constant worry, tension, difficulty switching off)

  • Social anxiety (fear of being seen, judged, or evaluated)

  • Panic and physical anxiety (racing heart, dizziness, sudden fear)

  • Health anxiety (hypervigilance around symptoms, fear of something being wrong)

  • Situational anxiety (specific triggers like driving, public speaking, or conflict)

  • High-functioning anxiety (appearing “fine” while feeling wired or on edge inside)

You don’t need to fit neatly into a category.
These descriptions simply help you recognise patterns that may already be happening in your body and mind.

How therapy can help

The goal isn’t to “control” anxiety or suppress symptoms.
It’s to help your nervous system feel safer, more regulated, and less reactive, so anxiety stops running the show.

My approach integrates:

  • nervous-system regulation (so your body stops signalling danger when you’re not in danger)

  • somatic and trauma-informed work (to shift patterns stored in the body, not just in thought)

  • neuroscience-based tools (grounded in mind–body research)

  • emotional integration (so you feel more connected, stable, and present)

When the body and brain communicate more clearly, anxiety becomes easier to understand, easier to navigate, and eventually… quieter.

A gentle next step

You don’t need to have everything figured out before reaching out.
Anxiety can be overwhelming, but you don’t have to navigate it alone.

© 2025 Halima Henke. All rights reserved.

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