Anxiety Therapy
Anxiety therapy helps people understand and reduce excessive worry, overthinking, panic, and physical tension — working with both the symptoms and the underlying patterns that keep anxiety alive.
About this service
Anxiety is one of the most common reasons people seek therapy, and it takes many forms: generalised worry, panic attacks, social anxiety, health anxiety, phobias, and the persistent overthinking that can make even ordinary decisions feel overwhelming. It is also one of the most treatable.
Franco works with anxiety using a combination of CBT, Schema Therapy, and where relevant EMDR. CBT provides practical tools to identify and reframe the thought patterns that fuel anxiety, while Schema Therapy addresses the deeper schemas — such as vulnerability to harm, mistrust, or unrelenting standards — that keep anxiety returning even when surface symptoms ease.
The aim is not simply to reduce symptoms in the moment, but to understand why your anxiety developed, what it is protecting you from, and how to build a calmer, more grounded way of responding to uncertainty and stress.
The approach
- CBT strategies to identify and reframe catastrophising, overthinking, and threat-focused thinking
- Graded exposure and behavioural experiments to reduce avoidance and build confidence
- Schema Therapy to address the underlying schemas driving chronic anxiety
- EMDR where anxiety is rooted in traumatic or adverse past experiences
- Practical nervous-system regulation and grounding skills for daily life
Benefits
- Reduces the frequency and intensity of worry and panic
- Breaks the avoidance cycle that keeps anxiety growing
- Addresses root schemas so relief is lasting, not temporary
- Builds practical skills to manage uncertainty and stress independently
Who it's for
- People experiencing excessive worry, overthinking, or racing thoughts
- Those with panic attacks, social anxiety, or specific phobias
- Individuals whose anxiety is affecting work, relationships, sleep, or health
- Anyone whose anxiety keeps returning despite previous efforts to manage it
What to expect
- A clear assessment of your anxiety patterns and their triggers in the first sessions
- Practical, skills-based strategies you can use immediately
- Deeper pattern work where anxiety is connected to longstanding schemas or past experiences
- Sessions of 50 minutes, in-person at Elsternwick or via Telehealth Australia-wide
Questions about Anxiety Therapy
What type of therapy is best for anxiety?
CBT has the strongest evidence base for anxiety and is often the starting point. Schema Therapy adds depth when anxiety is part of a longer-standing pattern, and EMDR is effective when anxiety is linked to traumatic experiences. Franco will recommend the best combination for you after assessment.
Can anxiety really be treated with therapy?
Yes. Anxiety is one of the most responsive conditions to psychological therapy. Most people notice a meaningful reduction in symptoms within the first several sessions, with deeper, lasting change as the underlying patterns are addressed.
Will I need medication as well as therapy?
Many people overcome anxiety with therapy alone. For some, medication can be a helpful support alongside therapy, particularly in the early stages. This is a decision to make with your GP or psychiatrist, and Franco is happy to work collaboratively with your medical team.
Ready to explore anxiety therapy?
A free 15-minute call is the simplest way to find out whether this approach fits your needs. Every intake is personally triaged by Franco.
Other services
Explore the other therapeutic services Franco offers.
Schema Therapy
Schema Therapy explains how early experiences shape core beliefs, emotional responses, coping mechanisms, and relationships — and how therapy helps people recognise and change these lifelong patterns.
Learn moreCBT
CBT helps people identify and change unhelpful thinking patterns and behaviours. It is structured, goal-oriented, and strongly supported by research for anxiety, depression, and a range of emotional difficulties.
Learn moreEMDR Trauma Therapy
Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR) is an important approach to trauma treatment. It helps people process distressing experiences and traumatic memories that continue to affect emotional wellbeing and daily functioning.
Learn more