Evidence-Based Anxiety Treatment at Gold Coast Psychology Clinic

Anxiety is one of the most common mental health concerns and can significantly impact daily functioning, relationships, work, study and overall wellbeing. While anxiety is a normal human response to stress, it can become overwhelming when worry, fear or physical symptoms persist or begin to interfere with daily life.

At Gold Coast Psychology Clinic, our psychologists provide evidence-based assessment and treatment for anxiety disorders in adolescents and adults. We work collaboratively with clients to understand the factors contributing to anxiety and develop practical, meaningful strategies to reduce distress and improve quality of life.

What is Anxiety?

Anxiety involves excessive worry, fear or apprehension that may occur in response to specific situations or more broadly across many areas of life. It is often accompanied by both emotional and physical symptoms.

Types of Anxiety Disorders

Generalised Anxiety Disorder (GAD)

People with Generalised Anxiety Disorder often experience excessive worry across many areas of life including health, family, finances, work or the future. Worry can feel difficult to control and is commonly accompanied by muscle tension, fatigue, restlessness and poor sleep.

Social Anxiety Disorder

Social anxiety involves an intense fear of being judged, embarrassed or negatively evaluated by others. This may lead to avoiding conversations, public speaking, dating, meetings or social gatherings.

Panic Disorder

Panic disorder involves recurrent panic attacks and an ongoing fear of having another attack. Many people begin avoiding places or situations where previous attacks occurred, which can gradually reduce confidence and independence.

Health Anxiety

Health anxiety involves persistent fears about having or developing a serious illness despite reassurance or medical assessment. Individuals often find themselves repeatedly checking symptoms, researching illnesses or seeking reassurance from healthcare professionals.

Specific Phobias

Specific phobias involve intense fear of particular situations or objects such as flying, heights, needles, animals or confined spaces. Although people often recognise the fear is disproportionate, it can still feel overwhelming.

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)

Although OCD shares many features with anxiety, it involves intrusive unwanted thoughts, images or urges (obsessions) alongside repetitive behaviours or mental rituals (compulsions) aimed at reducing distress.

Trauma-Related Anxiety

Following traumatic experiences, the nervous system may remain on high alert long after the danger has passed. This can contribute to hypervigilance, avoidance, panic, nightmares and difficulty feeling safe.

When Does Anxiety Become a CONCERN?

Everyone experiences anxiety from time to time. Anxiety is a normal and helpful human emotion that prepares us to respond to challenge, uncertainty or danger. In many situations, anxiety can improve focus, motivation and performance.

However, anxiety can become problematic when it is persistent, excessive or begins interfering with everyday life. You may find yourself constantly anticipating the worst, avoiding situations, struggling to relax or feeling physically tense even when there is no immediate threat.

Over time, anxiety can begin to affect relationships, work, study, sleep, physical health and overall quality of life.

Common Symptoms of Anxiety

Anxiety can present differently for each person. Common symptoms include:

• Excessive worry or overthinking

• Racing thoughts

• Restlessness or feeling “on edge”

• Panic attacks

• Difficulty sleeping

• Muscle tension

• Irritability

• Difficulty concentrating

• Avoidance of feared situations

• Physical symptoms such as increased heart rate or shortness of breath

Why Doesn't Anxiety Just Go Away?

Many people believe anxiety is caused by weakness or a lack of confidence. In reality, anxiety often continues because the brain has learnt to overestimate danger and underestimate your ability to cope.

Although avoiding anxiety-provoking situations often provides temporary relief, it also teaches the brain that those situations are dangerous. As a result, anxiety becomes stronger over time.

Common factors that maintain anxiety include:

• Avoiding feared situations

• Constant reassurance seeking

• Excessive checking or researching

• Overthinking and rumination

• Perfectionism

• Intolerance of uncertainty

• Difficulty trusting yourself

• Hypervigilance to possible threats

• Physical tension and heightened nervous system activation

Therapy helps break these patterns so your brain can gradually learn that situations are safer and more manageable than anxiety predicts.

How We Treat Anxiety

Our psychologists use evidence-based therapies tailored to each individual’s needs and presentation. Treatment may include:

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)

Helps identify and change unhelpful thought patterns and behaviours that maintain anxiety.

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)

Focuses on building psychological flexibility and reducing the impact of anxious thoughts on behaviour.

Exposure-Based Therapy

Gradual, supported exposure to feared situations to reduce avoidance and build confidence.

Mindfulness-Based Approaches

Helps increase present-moment awareness and reduce rumination and worry.

schema Therapy

Schema Therapy explores longstanding beliefs and emotional patterns that may contribute to chronic anxiety, perfectionism, self-criticism and relationship difficulties.

Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR)

Where anxiety is related to traumatic experiences, EMDR may assist in reducing distress associated with traumatic memories.

Psychodynamic Therapy

Helps explore underlying emotional conflicts, early life experiences and relationship patterns contributing to anxiety.

Compassion Focused Therapy (CFT)

Useful when anxiety is driven by shame, perfectionism or harsh self-criticism.

Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT)

Can assist people experiencing intense emotions by developing mindfulness, distress tolerance and emotion regulation skills.

How We Help

Our psychologists work collaboratively with clients to:

• Understand the underlying factors contributing to anxiety

• Develop practical coping and emotional regulation strategies

• Reduce avoidance behaviours and build confidence

• Challenge unhelpful thinking patterns

• Improve resilience during stressful life circumstances

• Manage physical symptoms of anxiety and panic

• Build confidence in social, work, and academic settings

• Address perfectionism and self-criticism

• Improve overall wellbeing and quality of life

Frequently Asked Questions

Can anxiety be treated?

Yes. Anxiety is highly treatable with evidence-based psychological therapies such as CBT and ACT.

How many sessions will I need?

This depends on the severity and complexity of symptoms. Your psychologist will discuss a treatment plan tailored to your needs.

Do I need a referral?

No referral is required to book an appointment. However, a Mental Health Treatment Plan from your GP may allow access to Medicare rebates.

Book an Appointment

If anxiety is affecting your daily life, support is available. Our psychologists at Gold Coast Psychology Clinic can help you develop practical strategies to manage anxiety and improve your wellbeing.