Effective Counselling Approaches for Anxiety Explained Simply

By Tara J Clarke, Counsellor in Cairns or online

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What Is the Best Counselling Approach for Anxiety?

There is no single counselling approach that is considered the “best” for everybody because anxiety affects people in different ways depending on their personality, emotional needs, life experiences, nervous system, and type of anxiety symptoms.

For example, some people benefit most from practical strategies that help manage overthinking and panic symptoms, while others may need emotional support, nervous system regulation, or help understanding deeper emotional patterns connected to past experiences. Research increasingly supports personalised and integrative counselling approaches that are adapted to the individual person rather than using the exact same therapy approach for everyone (Norcross & Wampold, 2019).

Because of this, the most effective counselling approaches for anxiety are often the approaches that best match the individual person and their unique needs.

Do Different Counselling Approaches Work Better for Different People With Anxiety?

Yes. Effective counselling approaches for anxiety are not one-size-fits-all because every person experiences anxiety differently depending on their type of anxiety, personality, emotional needs, life experiences, spiritual beliefs, values and nervous system.

For example:

• Some people need practical coping strategies.

• Some need emotional support and safety.

• Some need help calming their nervous system.

• Others benefit from understanding deeper emotional patterns.

This is why integrative counselling can be so helpful.

Instead of using only one therapy style, integrative counselling combines different evidence-based approaches depending on what the client needs. If you are new to therapy, you can also learn more about what counselling is and how counselling works here.

Why Different Effective Counselling Approaches for Anxiety Work for Different People

Different effective counselling approaches for anxiety work for different people because every person experiences anxiety differently. Some people mainly struggle with overthinking and negative thoughts, while others experience anxiety more physically through panic, tension, exhaustion, or nervous system overwhelm. Some people may also have deeper emotional patterns connected to past experiences, relationships, or trauma. Because of this, no single counselling approach works perfectly for everyone. Integrative counselling can be helpful because it allows the counsellor to adapt the therapy approach to suit the individual person’s emotional, psychological, and physical needs. Research also shows that one of the strongest predictors of successful counselling outcomes is the therapeutic relationship itself, including trust, emotional safety, empathy, and connection between the counsellor and client. This means people often respond best when they feel understood, supported, and matched with an approach that suits their personality and needs. Therefore, effective counselling approaches for anxiety are usually the approaches that fit the individual person rather than using the exact same therapy style for everybody (Norcross & Wampold, 2019).

What are the Effective Counselling Approaches for Anxiety used by Tara J Clarke at Signs of Abundance?

1. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) for Anxiety

One of the Most Researched and Effective Counselling Approaches for Anxiety

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, often called CBT, is one of the most widely researched counselling approaches for anxiety.

CBT focuses on the connection between:

• Thoughts

• Feelings

• Behaviours

• Physical reactions

The idea behind CBT is that anxious thoughts can create anxious feelings and behaviours.

For example:

A person may think:

“Something bad is going to happen.”

This thought may then lead to:

• panic

• racing heart

• avoidance

• overthinking

• fear

CBT helps people learn how to identify these thinking patterns and replace them with healthier and more balanced ways of thinking. You can also learn more about the different types of counselling approaches used at Signs of Abundance here.

CBT may help clients:

• Challenge catastrophic thinking

• Reduce overthinking

• Manage panic symptoms

• Face fears gradually

• Improve coping skills

• Build confidence

• Change unhealthy behaviour patterns

What Does the Research Say About CBT for Anxiety?

Research consistently shows CBT is one of the most effective counselling approaches for anxiety disorders.

A large meta-analysis by Carpenter et al. (2018) reviewed 41 studies on CBT for anxiety disorders. The researchers found CBT produced strong improvements in anxiety symptoms compared to placebo treatments.

Another major review by Carl et al. (2020) found CBT significantly reduced symptoms of generalized anxiety disorder and other anxiety conditions.

Researchers often talk about something called an “effect size.”

An effect size is simply a way researchers measure how strong or meaningful the improvement was during treatment.

A small effect size means small improvement.

A large effect size means strong improvement.

Many CBT studies for anxiety showed large effect sizes, meaning many people experienced significant improvements after treatment.

Research also suggests around 50–75% of people receiving CBT for anxiety experience meaningful symptom reduction (Carpenter et al., 2018).

Why I Use CBT for Anxiety Counselling

CBT can be very helpful because it gives clients practical tools they can use in daily life.

Many people with anxiety benefit from learning:

• how anxiety works

• how thoughts affect emotions

• how avoidance can maintain anxiety

• how to calm anxious thinking patterns

However, CBT is not always enough on its own.

Sometimes anxiety is connected to deeper emotional wounds, trauma, attachment issues, or chronic nervous system activation.

This is why I often combine CBT with other counselling approaches for anxiety.

2. Person-Centred Counselling

Why Emotional Safety Matters in Anxiety Counselling

Person-centred counselling was developed by psychologist Carl Rogers.

This counselling approach focuses on:

• empathy

• emotional safety

• acceptance

• feeling heard

• non-judgmental support

Many people with anxiety spend years feeling:

• criticised

• emotionally unsafe

• pressured

• misunderstood

• disconnected from themselves

Sometimes people have learned to hide their emotions or constantly “hold everything together.”

Person-centred counselling provides a safe space where clients can simply be themselves without fear of judgment.

What Does the Research Say?

Research shows the counselling relationship itself is one of the biggest predictors of successful therapy outcomes.

This is called the “therapeutic alliance.”

The therapeutic alliance means the trust, safety, and connection between the counsellor and client.

A major meta-analysis by Flückiger et al. (2018) found strong evidence that a positive therapeutic relationship improves counselling outcomes across many therapy styles.

Research by Elliott et al. (2021) also found humanistic and person-centred therapies helped reduce emotional distress and anxiety symptoms.

Why I Use Person-Centred Counselling

Before people can explore deeper emotions or change behaviours, they often need to feel emotionally safe first.

For many anxious clients, simply being listened to with empathy can feel incredibly healing.

Person-centred counselling forms the foundation of much of my counselling work because emotional safety helps support all the other counselling approaches used in therapy.

3. Mindfulness-Based Approaches for Anxiety

Learning How to Calm the Mind and Nervous System

Mindfulness-based counselling approaches help people become more aware of their thoughts, emotions, body sensations, and nervous system responses without judgment.

Mindfulness teaches people how to slow down and return attention to the present moment. Tara J Clarke at Signs of Abundance Counselling, Hypnosis & Healing is also a Meditation and Mindfulness Teacher. Learning to meditate and be more mindful can be a powerful way to overcome your anxieties. You can also learn more about self-hypnosis here and relaxation practices like meditations here.

Mindfulness can be very helpful for anxiety because anxiety often pulls people into:

• future worrying

• catastrophic thinking

• overthinking

• fear-based thinking

• nervous system overload

Mindfulness approaches may include:

• breathing exercises

• grounding techniques

• body awareness

• meditation

• calming exercises

• emotional awareness skills

What Does the Research Say?

A large review by Goldberg et al. (2018) examined 44 meta-analyses on mindfulness interventions.

The researchers found mindfulness-based approaches significantly reduced anxiety symptoms across many different groups of people.

Another review by Blanck et al. (2018) found mindfulness approaches helped reduce:

• anxiety

• stress

• emotional reactivity

• rumination (repetitive worrying thoughts)

Research commonly shows moderate improvements in anxiety symptoms from mindfulness interventions.

Moderate improvement means the changes were meaningful and noticeable for many participants.

Why I Use Mindfulness-Based Counselling

Many anxious people feel disconnected from their body and trapped in constant mental activity.

Mindfulness helps people:

• slow down

• reconnect with themselves

• calm the nervous system

• become more emotionally aware

• feel more grounded in the present moment

Mindfulness also works very well alongside somatic approaches and hypnotherapy because they all support nervous system regulation.

4. Psychodynamic-Informed Counselling for Anxiety

Understanding the Deeper Emotional Roots of Anxiety

Psychodynamic counselling focuses on understanding deeper emotional patterns and unconscious processes.

“Unconscious” simply means patterns that happen automatically outside of our awareness.

For example:

A person may constantly fear rejection without fully understanding why.

Sometimes these patterns can develop from:

• childhood experiences

• family dynamics

• attachment wounds

• past trauma

• emotional neglect

• relationship experiences

Psychodynamic counselling helps people explore and understand these deeper emotional patterns. You can learn more about trauma counselling and emotional healing here.

Counselling Approach	How It Helps Anxiety	What It May Help With
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)	Helps identify and change anxious thinking patterns and behaviours	Overthinking, panic, catastrophic thinking, avoidance behaviours
Person-Centred Counselling	Provides emotional safety, empathy, and non-judgmental support	Feeling emotionally overwhelmed, low self-worth, feeling misunderstood
Mindfulness-Based Approaches	Helps calm the mind and nervous system by focusing on the present moment	Racing thoughts, stress, emotional reactivity, chronic worry
Psychodynamic Counselling	Explores deeper emotional patterns and unconscious beliefs connected to anxiety	Attachment issues, fear of rejection, unresolved emotional experiences
Somatic and Nervous System Regulation Approaches	Focuses on calming the body and regulating the nervous system	Tight chest, muscle tension, hypervigilance, feeling stuck in fight-or-flight mode
Hypnotherapy (Used Alongside Counselling Where Appropriate)	Uses focused relaxation and guided attention to support emotional and behavioural change	Fear responses, stress, confidence, emotional regulation, relaxation

What Does the Research Say?

For many years, CBT received most of the research attention.

However, more recent research shows psychodynamic counselling can also be highly effective.

A meta-analysis by Steinert et al. (2017) found psychodynamic therapy was as effective as many other evidence-based treatments for common mental health concerns.

Research also suggests psychodynamic therapy may help create long-term emotional change because it focuses on underlying emotional patterns rather than only symptom management (Shedler, 2010).

Why I Use Psychodynamic-Informed Counselling

Sometimes people understand anxiety logically but still feel emotionally stuck.

Psychodynamic counselling can help clients understand:

• why certain fears developed

• why relationship patterns repeat

• why emotions feel overwhelming

• why anxiety feels deeply rooted

This deeper insight can help people develop greater self-awareness, healing, and emotional understanding.

5. Somatic-Informed and Nervous System Regulation Approaches

Working With Anxiety Through the Body

One important thing many people do not realise is that anxiety is not only mental.

Anxiety is also physical.

When someone experiences anxiety, the nervous system may become stuck in “fight-or-flight” mode.

This can create symptoms such as:

• muscle tension

• tight chest

• rapid heartbeat

• shaking

• stomach discomfort

• shallow breathing

• hypervigilance

• feeling constantly on edge

Somatic approaches focus on calming and regulating the body and nervous system.

“Somatic” simply means body-focused.

Somatic techniques may include:

• grounding

• breathwork

• body awareness

• nervous system calming

• relaxation exercises

• movement awareness

What Does the Research Say?

Research into somatic therapy and nervous system regulation has grown significantly in recent years.

A review by Payne et al. (2019) found somatic approaches may help support trauma recovery and nervous system regulation by improving body awareness and reducing physiological stress responses.

Research also suggests body-based approaches may help reduce chronic stress activation associated with anxiety.

Why I Use Somatic-Informed Approaches for Anxiety

Some people feel anxiety mainly in their body rather than their thoughts.

For example, they may feel:

• constantly tense

• unable to relax

• emotionally flooded

• exhausted

• physically overwhelmed

Somatic approaches can help people feel safer in their body and reduce chronic nervous system activation.

These approaches often work very well alongside mindfulness, person-centred counselling, and hypnotherapy.

Hypnotherapy and Anxiety Support

At Signs of Abundance Counselling, Hypnosis and Healing, hypnotherapy may also be used alongside counselling where appropriate and with informed consent. Tara J Clarke is a trained and experienced Clinical Hypnotherapist for over 10 years. Hypnotherapy uses focused relaxation and guided attention to support emotional and behavioural change. If you would like to understand more about how hypnosis works scientifically, you can learn more here. You can also learn the difference between hypnosis and hypnotherapy here.

Research suggests hypnosis-based approaches may help reduce anxiety symptoms, especially when combined with counselling (Valentine et al., 2019).

Hypnotherapy may support:

• nervous system calming

• emotional regulation

• reducing fear responses

• confidence building

• relaxation

• behaviour change

Hypnotherapy is not a “magic fix,” but it can be a helpful supportive tool alongside counselling.

Why Integrative Counselling Often Works Best

Research increasingly supports personalised and integrative counselling approaches for anxiety rather than rigidly using only one therapy style (Norcross & Wampold, 2019).

Different people need different types of support.

For example:

• Some people benefit most from CBT tools and strategies.

• Others need emotional safety and support.

• Some need help calming the nervous system first.

• Others benefit from understanding deeper emotional patterns.

This is why I tailor counselling to each person individually.

There is no single therapy approach that is perfect for everyone.

The most effective counselling approaches for anxiety are often the ones that best

match the individual person and support them as a whole.

How to Choose the Right Counselling Approach for Anxiety

Choosing the right counselling approach for anxiety depends on your individual needs, symptoms, personality, and goals.

For example:

• If you struggle with overthinking, panic, or anxious thought patterns, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) may help.

• If you need emotional support, empathy, and a safe space to talk, person-centred counselling may feel more supportive.

• If anxiety feels physical in your body through tension, overwhelm, or nervous system activation, somatic and mindfulness-based approaches may help.

• If anxiety feels connected to deeper emotional patterns, relationships, or past experiences, psychodynamic-informed counselling may be helpful.

Many people benefit most from an integrative counselling approach that combines different evidence-based therapies rather than using only one method.

The most effective counselling approaches for anxiety are often the approaches that fit the individual person, their nervous system, emotional needs, and life experiences.

Conclusion

Anxiety counselling is not simply about “stopping worry.”

Effective counselling approaches for anxiety help people:

• understand themselves more deeply

• calm the nervous system

• regulate emotions

• improve coping skills

• develop healthier thought patterns

• feel safer emotionally and physically

At Signs of Abundance Counselling, Hypnosis and Healing, I use an integrative and holistic approach that may include:

• Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)

• Person-centred counselling

• Mindfulness-based approaches

• Psychodynamic counselling

• Somatic and nervous system regulation approaches

• Hypnotherapy where appropriate

If you are looking for counselling for anxiety in Cairns or online across Australia, you can learn more about anxiety counselling services here.

Learn more about what counselling is here

To learn more about holistic counselling with Tara J Clarke at Signs of Abundance, the link is here.

To learn more about in-person counselling in Cairns Northern Beaches with Tara J Clarke, the link is here.

Learn more about the different approaches to counselling at Signs of Abundance here

To book your first counselling session in-person in Cairns, the link is here.

To book your first counselling session to have online via Microsoft Teams, the link is here

See reviews of Tara J Clarke at Signs of Abundance Counselling, Hypnosis and Healing here

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Every person’s experience of anxiety is different, which is why counselling is tailored to your individual needs, goals, personality, and experiences.

Whether you are experiencing panic, overthinking, emotional overwhelm, chronic stress, or feeling stuck in survival mode, support is available.

References

Andrews, G., Basu, A., Cuijpers, P., Craske, M. G., McEvoy, P., English, C. L., & Newby, J. M. (2018). Computer therapy for the anxiety and depression disorders is effective, acceptable and practical health care: An updated meta-analysis. Journal of Anxiety Disorders, 55, 70–78.

Bandelow, B., & Michaelis, S. (2022). Epidemiology of anxiety disorders in the 21st century. Dialogues in Clinical Neuroscience, 24(1), 7–16.

Beck, J. S. (2011). Cognitive behavior therapy: Basics and beyond (2nd ed.). Guilford Press.

Blanck, P., Perleth, S., Heidenreich, T., Kröger, P., Ditzen, B., Bents, H., & Mander, J. (2018). Effects of mindfulness exercises as stand-alone intervention on symptoms of anxiety and depression: Systematic review and meta-analysis. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 102, 25–35.

Carl, E., Witcraft, S. M., Kauffman, B. Y., Gillespie, E. M., Becker, E. S., Cuijpers, P., Van Ameringen, M., Smits, J. A. J., & Powers, M. B. (2020). Psychological and pharmacological treatments for generalized anxiety disorder: A meta-analysis. Depression and Anxiety, 37(9), 830–844.

Carpenter, J. K., Andrews, L. A., Witcraft, S. M., Powers, M. B., Smits, J. A. J., & Hofmann, S. G. (2018). Cognitive behavioral therapy for anxiety and related disorders: A meta-analysis of randomized placebo-controlled trials. Depression and Anxiety, 35(6), 502–514.

Elliott, R., Watson, J. C., Goldman, R. N., & Greenberg, L. S. (2021). Learning emotion-focused therapy: The process-experiential approach to change. American Psychological Association.

Flückiger, C., Del Re, A. C., Wampold, B. E., & Horvath, A. O. (2018). The alliance in adult psychotherapy: A meta-analytic synthesis. Psychotherapy, 55(4), 316–340.

Goldberg, S. B., Riordan, K. M., Sun, S., & Davidson, R. J. (2018). The empirical status of mindfulness-based interventions: A systematic review of 44 meta-analyses. Perspectives on Psychological Science, 13(1), 36–61.

Norcross, J. C., & Lambert, M. J. (2019). Psychotherapy relationships that work III. Psychotherapy, 56(4), 423–425.

Norcross, J. C., & Wampold, B. E. (2019). Relationships and responsiveness in the psychological treatment of trauma: The tragedy of the APA Clinical Practice Guideline. Psychotherapy, 56(3), 391–399.

Payne, P., Levine, P. A., & Crane‐Godreau, M. A. (2019). Somatic experiencing: Using interoception and proprioception as core elements of trauma therapy. Frontiers in Psychology, 10, 1816.

Rogers, C. R. (1992). The necessary and sufficient conditions of therapeutic personality change. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology.

Shedler, J. (2010). The efficacy of psychodynamic psychotherapy. American Psychologist, 65(2), 98–109.

Steinert, C., Munder, T., Rabung, S., Hoyer, J., & Leichsenring, F. (2017). Psychodynamic therapy: As efficacious as other empirically supported treatments? A meta-analysis testing equivalence of outcomes. American Journal of Psychiatry, 174(10), 943–953.

Valentine, K. E., Milling, L. S., Clark, L. J., & Moriarty, C. L. (2019). The efficacy of hypnosis as a treatment for anxiety: A meta-analysis. International Journal of Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis, 67(3), 336–363.