Anxiety Therapy Sydney
About Anxiety Therapy
Anxiety is the most common mental health condition in Australia. Around 1 in 5 Australians experience a mental disorder in any given year, with anxiety disorders the most prevalent category. It is also one of the most treatable. With the right support, most people experience significant, lasting improvement.
Left untreated, anxiety tends to grow. Avoidance, the most natural response to anxiety, provides short-term relief but reinforces the anxiety cycle over time. Worry narrows your world gradually: fewer situations feel manageable, more energy goes toward getting through the day, and less is available for the things that matter.
At FORME Psychology, we offer structured, evidence-based anxiety therapy in a warm and non-judgmental environment. Sessions are available in-person in Sydney CBD and via telehealth across Australia.
Recognising Anxiety
How anxiety shows up
Anxiety affects people differently. It can show up in your thinking, your body, and your behaviour, often in ways that are not immediately recognised as anxiety.
In Your Thinking
- Constant worry that feels impossible to control
- Catastrophising or expecting the worst
- Difficulty tolerating uncertainty
- Obsessive or intrusive thoughts
- Excessive self-criticism or fear of judgment
- Difficulty making decisions
In Your Body
- Racing heart or chest tightness
- Shallow or rapid breathing
- Muscle tension or headaches
- Fatigue or difficulty sleeping
- Feeling restless or wound up
- Nausea, dizziness, or stomach discomfort
In Your Behavior
- Avoiding situations, people, or places
- Procrastination or difficulty starting tasks
- People-pleasing or difficulty saying no
- Withdrawing from others
- Excessive reassurance-seeking
- Using busyness or alcohol to avoid anxious feelings
When To Seek Help
Signs it may be time to reach out
It is normal to feel anxious in certain situations. Anxiety becomes a problem when it is disproportionate, persistent, or starts getting in the way of your life. You do not need to be in crisis to benefit from support. Consider reaching out if any of the following are true:
- You are avoiding situations, places, or people more and more often
- Anxiety is affecting your work, relationships, sleep, or health
- You are constantly expecting the worst or catastrophising
- Worry feels impossible to switch off, even when there is no immediate trigger
- You are experiencing physical symptoms such as panic attacks, chest tightness, or difficulty sleeping
- You are relying on alcohol, busyness, or reassurance-seeking to manage how you feel
- Your world is getting smaller, fewer things feel manageable than they used to
The earlier anxiety is addressed, the shorter and more straightforward treatment tends to be. Not sure if what you are experiencing qualifies? Book a free 15-minute phone consultation, there is no obligation to proceed.
How does anxiety develop?
Anxiety does not have a single cause. Research consistently points to a combination of biological, psychological, and environmental factors that interact over time. Understanding these factors can reduce self-blame and often open up new directions for treatment.
Biological Factors
Anxiety has a heritable component. People with a family history of anxiety disorders are more likely to develop one themselves. Brain chemistry and the sensitivity of the nervous system also play a role, particularly in how the threat-detection system (the amygdala) responds to perceived threats.
Psychological Factors
Temperament, thinking styles, and early learning all shape how anxiety develops. People who are naturally more sensitive, perfectionistic, or prone to worry may be at higher risk. Thought patterns such as overestimating threat, catastrophising, and intolerance of uncertainty are central to most anxiety presentations.
Life Experiences
Stressful or traumatic life events, early childhood experiences, prolonged stress at work or in relationships, and major life transitions can all trigger or worsen anxiety. For neurodivergent individuals, the daily effort of navigating a world not designed for how they think and process can itself become a significant source of chronic anxiety.
It is also worth noting that anxiety and neurodivergence frequently overlap. Anxiety is highly prevalent in people with ADHD and autism, sometimes because of shared neurological features, and often because of the daily experience of navigating a world that does not accommodate neurodivergent ways of thinking and processing.
What We Treat
Types of anxiety we work with
Generalised Anxiety Disorder (GAD)
Persistent, wide-ranging worry that is difficult to control, accompanied by physical tension, fatigue, or sleep difficulties.
Social anxiety and social phobia
Intense fear of being judged or negatively evaluated in social or performance situations, leading to significant avoidance.
Panic disorder and agoraphobia
Recurrent, unexpected panic attacks and persistent worry about future attacks, sometimes with avoidance of associated situations.
Health anxiety
Excessive preoccupation with having or developing a serious illness, accompanied by frequent checking or reassurance-seeking.
Perfectionism and chronic stress
High personal standards combined with fear of failure, leading to chronic stress, procrastination, and difficulty tolerating mistakes.
Burnout
Prolonged stress and emotional exhaustion, often with anxiety as an underlying driver. Particularly common in high-demand professional environments.
Perinatal anxiety
Anxiety during pregnancy or the postpartum period, including excessive worry about baby health, birth, or parenting capacity.
OCD-related presentations
Persistent intrusive thoughts and compulsive behaviours aimed at reducing distress. OCD is distinct from anxiety disorders but often presents alongside them.
Anxiety with ADHD or autism
Anxiety is highly prevalent in neurodivergent individuals. We have particular expertise supporting co-occurring presentations.
Separation anxiety
Intense distress around separation from attachment figures. Most common in children but also present in adults, particularly in periods of significant transition.
Specific phobias
Intense, irrational fear of specific objects or situations, such as heights, flying, needles, or animals, that leads to significant avoidance and distress.
Who We Support
Anxiety therapy across the lifespan
Anxiety therapy at FORME Psychology is available for children, adolescents, and adults, in-person in Sydney CBD and via telehealth across Australia.
Children
We support children experiencing worry, school refusal, separation anxiety, social anxiety, and avoidance. Parent involvement is central to treatment, not optional. We work closely with families and, where appropriate, schools to support the best possible outcomes.
Adolescents
Teenage anxiety often intensifies with academic pressure, social complexity, and increasing independence. We support teenagers navigating exam stress, social anxiety, perfectionism, and the transition to greater independence, with lasting tools, not just short-term coping.
Adults
Many adults come to therapy after years of managing anxiety alone, or after recognising that avoidance, burnout, or worry is narrowing their world. We work with adults across all life stages, including those managing anxiety alongside work, relationships, parenting, and major life transitions.
What You'll Gain
What effective anxiety therapy makes possible
Reduced anxiety symptoms: worry, physical tension, and panic become less frequent and less intense
Greater confidence to re-engage with situations previously avoided
Better sleep, increased energy, and improved physical health
A sense of control: tools to manage anxiety when it arises, rather than being at its mercy
Improved relationships: less irritability, less reassurance-seeking, more presence
Long-term resilience: the ability to face future stressors without relapsing into the same patterns
Fees and Medicare Rebates
What does anxiety therapy cost?
We believe cost should never be a barrier to understanding what support is available. Here is a clear breakdown of our fees and what you can claim back through Medicare.
All sessions delivered by Dr Bernadette Maunick, PhD (Clinical Psychologist).
Initial assessment session 50 min in-person in Sydney CBD or via telehealth
Ongoing individual therapy 50 min in-person in Sydney CBD or via telehealth
Medicare rebate: $149.05 per session
Available to eligible clients with a valid Mental Health Care Plan (MHCP) from their GP. Up to 10 rebated sessions per calendar year. No referral is required to book, but a MHCP from your GP unlocks the rebate.
*Out-of-pocket estimates are based on the Medicare rebate of $149.05 for Clinical Psychologist sessions. Private health fund extras may also apply.
Our Approach
How we work
Anxiety therapy at FORME Psychology is structured, evidence-based, and tailored to each individual. We begin by building a thorough understanding of your experience before developing a treatment plan. Our approach draws on a range of evidence-based therapies, selected according to what suits each individual's presentation and goals:
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)
The most extensively researched treatment for anxiety. Focuses on identifying and changing unhelpful thinking patterns and behaviours that maintain anxiety. The foundation of most anxiety treatment at FORME.
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
Builds psychological flexibility, helping you relate differently to anxious thoughts rather than trying to eliminate them. Particularly useful where anxiety is longstanding or tied to values and identity.
Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT)
Draws on skills in distress tolerance, emotional regulation, and mindfulness. Used where anxiety is accompanied by emotional intensity, impulsivity, or difficulty managing overwhelming feelings.
Exposure Therapy
A core component of CBT for anxiety. Involves gradually and systematically facing feared situations or sensations in a controlled, supportive way, reducing the anxiety response over time. Highly effective for phobias, panic disorder, social anxiety, and OCD-related presentations.
Schema Therapy
Explores deeper patterns of thinking and relating that developed earlier in life and continue to drive anxiety, avoidance, and self-criticism in adulthood. Used where anxiety is entrenched or connected to early experiences.
Therapy is guided by Australian clinical practice guidelines and DSM-5-TR diagnostic criteria. We are neurodiversity-affirming with particular expertise in anxiety alongside ADHD and autism.
The Therapy Process
What to Expect
Most clients attend weekly or fortnightly sessions, with an initial block of 8 to 12 sessions providing the foundation for meaningful change. Sessions run for 50 minutes.
1. Contact us
Reach out by phone or email. We will guide you through the process and answer any questions. Appointments are available in-person in Sydney CBD or via telehealth.
2. Screening questionnaires
Pre-appointment questionnaires help us understand your symptoms and any co-occurring concerns such as depression, ADHD, or sleep difficulties.
3. Initial clinical assessment
A thorough clinical interview covering your history, current symptoms, triggers, and life impact. For children, parents are typically involved as a key source of information.
4. Collaborative formulation
Together, we develop a shared understanding of your anxiety: what drives it, what maintains it, and what is keeping you stuck. We then set meaningful goals.
5. Active therapy
Structured, goal-directed sessions drawing on CBT, ACT, DBT, and schema therapy as appropriate. Between-session work consolidates progress.
6. Progress review and consolidation
Regular reviews against your goals. As symptoms reduce, sessions shift toward building long-term resilience and a confident exit from therapy.
Why FORME Psychology
What sets us apart
Sydney has many psychology clinics. Here is what distinguishes FORME, particularly for complex or co-occurring presentations.
PhD-trained Clinical Psychologist
A doctoral-level training standard above general registration. Clinical psychologists complete an additional two to three years of supervised clinical training beyond a general psychology degree, including advanced assessment and evidence-based therapy. This distinction matters most for complex, co-occurring, or treatment-resistant presentations.
Evidence-based treatment only
CBT, ACT, DBT, and Schema Therapy with strong peer-reviewed evidence bases, not unvalidated techniques.
Neurodivergence expertise
Specialist experience supporting anxiety alongside ADHD and autism, not just anxiety in isolation.
Structured-based process
You will always know what we are working on and why. No open-ended therapy without clear goals and regular progress review.
Support across the lifespan
Children, adolescents, and adults, with parent involvement built into child and adolescent work.
In-person and telehealth
Sydney CBD or via secure video across Australia. Telehealth is equally effective for most anxiety presentations.
Your Psychologist
Dr Bernadette Maunick PhD, Clinical Psychologist
Dr Maunick is a PhD-trained Clinical Psychologist with specialist expertise in anxiety disorders, neurodivergent presentations, and co-occurring ADHD and autism. She works with children, adolescents, and adults using evidence-based CBT, ACT, DBT, and Schema Therapy. Registered with Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) and a member of the Australian Psychological Society (APS).
