CBT for Panic in Cheadle Hulme & Online
Panic can feel frightening and unpredictable. You may find yourself watching for changes in your body, worrying about another episode or avoiding places that have started to feel difficult.
I offer a calm space to understand these experiences and consider practical support that fits your needs.
When Panic Starts to Get in the Way
You may recognise some of these experiences. Not every example will fit, and we will take time to understand what is happening for you:
- A sudden rush of intense fear, with a pounding heart, breathlessness, dizziness, shaking or tingling, sometimes seemingly out of nowhere.
- In the moment, you fear something terrible is happening, such as a heart attack, fainting, losing control or "going mad".
- You leave places quickly, sit near exits or carry water or medication "just in case".
- You start avoiding places where an attack has happened before, such as supermarkets, trains, crowded rooms or driving on motorways.
- You notice yourself constantly checking your body for signs that another attack is starting.
- After an attack, you feel drained, shaky or embarrassed, and worry about when the next one will come.
- For children and teenagers, panic may look like suddenly refusing to go somewhere, a sudden need to get to a parent, or complaints of feeling sick or unable to breathe.
- If you're Autistic or have ADHD, an overwhelming environment, such as noise, crowds or bright lights, may sometimes feel similar to panic. Sensory overload and panic can overlap, but they aren't always the same thing, and both deserve to be understood.
Making Sense of Panic Together
Panic attacks are frightening, and the physical sensations are real. Your body is setting off its alarm system as if you were in danger. That system is designed to protect you, and it can sometimes go off when there's no immediate threat.
Panic can build quickly when a physical sensation, such as a skipped heartbeat or feeling light-headed, is understood as a sign of danger. That thought increases fear, the fear increases the sensations, and the cycle can rise to a peak within minutes. Avoiding situations or relying on safety behaviours, such as gripping onto something or escaping, can bring relief. Over time, though, they can make it harder to discover that the sensations would have passed.
Because physical symptoms can have many causes, it's important to have new, changing or worrying symptoms checked by your GP or another medical professional. Understanding anxiety sits alongside appropriate medical care, not in place of it.
Together, we can look at what happens before, during and after an attack, what the sensations mean to you and what you do to cope. From there, we can gradually build confidence in your body and in the places you'd like to return to.
Sessions Shaped Around You
Therapy is shaped around you. In our first session, we explore how you think, communicate and learn, what feels comfortable, and what you would like support with. Adjustments are available to everyone, whether or not you have a diagnosis.
We can vary the pace, take breaks, use visual tools or written summaries, and consider sensory needs. Between-session tasks can be broken into realistic steps. If you are Autistic or have ADHD, we also consider how your experiences, attention, energy and environment affect the work, without expecting you to fit one way of doing therapy.
For children and young people, I consider developmental needs from the beginning so that materials and the approach are suitable, and review this as we work together. Parents are an essential part of therapy for younger children, helping reinforce new ways of thinking and regulating; their involvement varies with need.
Location, Fees & Common Questions
Sessions are weekly, last 50 minutes and cost £85. We can meet in person in Cheadle Hulme or online where suitable. Payment is by bank transfer within 24 hours after your session.
Fees are reviewed annually. I hold a small number of reduced-fee places for young people or those experiencing financial hardship; please mention this when you get in touch if it applies to you.
In-person sessions are at 11 Station Road, Cheadle Hulme, SK8 5AF. The room is quiet, has low-level lighting and is wheelchair accessible using a lift. Parking is free for up to three hours at the ASDA next door. You are welcome to bring sensory supports.
How long will therapy take?
The length of therapy depends on your needs and goals. We agree an initial plan and review the work together, rather than giving everyone the same number of sessions.
Can I discuss avoidance as well as panic attacks?
Yes. We can explore the wider effect of distress and the situations you would like to approach more comfortably.
A free 20-minute telephone or video consultation gives you space to share a little of what you are experiencing, ask questions about the process and explore your next steps.
Arrange a Free 20-Minute Consultation