Therapy for anxiety in Nottingham
I'm Mandy van Zwam, a psychotherapeutic counsellor, and I offer counselling and psychotherapy for adults living with anxiety, worry and panic, in Beeston, Nottingham, and online across the UK. The aim is not to switch anxiety off, which nobody can do, but to understand what yours is protecting you from, so that it loosens its grip.
My private practice opens in 2027. Sessions cost £80 for 50 minutes, in person or online, and we start with a free 20-minute discovery call. Until then, your GP can help, or you can refer yourself to NHS talking therapies.
What does anxiety feel like?
Like a body that will not stand down. A tight chest at 3am. A mind that rehearses conversations that haven't happened and replays ones that have. Dread on a Sunday evening with no clear cause. For some people it arrives as panic, sudden and physical, and then as fear of the next panic. For others it is quieter: a constant background hum of not-quite-okay, and the exhaustion of holding everything together so that nobody notices.
Anxiety is also good at hiding behind other things. Perfectionism, over-planning, being the one who copes, never saying no. If you have been told you are "so organised" or "so easy-going" and privately know what that costs, this page may be for you.
Photo to come: Still water: the canal in early morning
Why does therapy help with anxiety?
Because anxiety is usually trying to do a job. Somewhere, often early on, your nervous system learned that the world needed watching, that you were only safe if you were prepared, pleasing, perfect or invisible. That was probably a sensible response at the time. It just hasn't been updated since.
In relational therapy we look at where that learning came from and how it shows up now, including in small ways in the room with me. My training is in transactional analysis, which is good at making these old patterns visible: the rules you live by without having chosen them, and the younger part of you that still believes them. Once you can see the pattern, you have a choice about it. That is where the loosening starts.
What will we do in sessions?
Talk, mostly, at your pace. Early on, we work out together what your anxiety is about and what sets it off. We pay attention to the body as well as the thoughts, because anxiety lives in both. Over time, most people find they can tolerate more uncertainty, say no without a week of guilt, and notice the spiral starting before it takes them. I don't hand out worksheets or breathing scripts, though we may talk about what helps you steady yourself between sessions.
I also don't rush. Anxiety often comes with a fear of being too much or taking up too much time. In here you are not, and there is no such thing as a wasted session.
Is this the right help for me?
Therapy with me suits people who want to understand their anxiety, not only manage it. If you are looking for a short, structured course of techniques, cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) may be a better fit, and your GP can refer you to NHS talking therapies for that. If anxiety is severe enough that you cannot leave the house, eat, or sleep, please see your GP first, and we can work alongside whatever they suggest. If you are in crisis now, the numbers at the foot of this page are the right place to start.
What about medication?
Some people who come to me take medication for anxiety, prescribed by their GP, and some don't. Both are fine. Medication and therapy do different jobs and often work well together: one can take the edge off enough for you to do the other. I won't advise you either way, because that is a conversation for you and your doctor, and I won't judge you for whichever you choose. If you are thinking of stopping medication, please do that with your GP, not on your own.
What happens next?
My private practice opens in 2027, and you can join the waitlist now. When a place comes up, we start with a free 20-minute discovery call. We will talk about what is happening for you and whether working together feels right. If it does, we meet weekly for 50 minutes, in person in Beeston or by video from anywhere in the UK. There is nothing to prepare. Being anxious about the first session is normal, and you can say so.
You can read more about me and my training, or see common questions about sessions, cost and confidentiality.
Nearly there!
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Common questions
How long does therapy for anxiety take?
It varies. Some people feel steadier within a couple of months; understanding where the anxiety came from and changing the deeper patterns usually takes longer. We review as we go.
Do you work with panic attacks?
Yes. We look at what the panic is about as well as at the panic itself. If you have not seen your GP about them, it is worth doing so, to rule out anything physical.
Can I do this online?
Yes, and for some anxious people online is easier: no waiting room, no journey. How online sessions work.
Can we work in Dutch?
Yes. Therapy in Dutch.
Where I see clients in and around Nottingham
In person at Highfields Therapy in Beeston (NG9), a short tram, train or bus ride from Chilwell, Attenborough, Bramcote, Stapleford, Wollaton, Lenton and West Bridgford. Online by video anywhere in the UK.