Professional Counselling & Therapy for Anxiety in Singapore
When anxiety feels overwhelming and begins to affect your daily life, it can be exhausting. Constant worry, racing thoughts, difficulty relaxing, or feeling on edge can take a toll. In a compassionate space, you can explore these challenges.
At The Psychology Atelier, we provide a safe and supportive environment where you can explore evidence-based therapies and resources to help you understand and manage your anxiety. Our clinical psychologists and counsellors will journey alongside you, helping you discover personalised strategies for empowering you to move towards a richer, fulfilling life.
Experienced Clinical Psychologists & Counsellors
Licensed & Registered Professionals
Strictly Confidential
Care
Evidence-Based Therapeutic Approaches
Personalised & Attachment-Informed Support
What is Anxiety? Causes, Signs & Impact
Anxiety can show up before a big decision, a difficult conversation, or an unfamiliar situation. Usually, those feelings ease once the moment passes.
However, when the worry feels constant, intense, or hard to control, it may be more than everyday stress. It may affect how you think, feel, and respond, from racing thoughts and tightness in your body to avoiding situations that once felt manageable.
Anxiety also affects people in different ways, but common causes and signs often provide insight into how it manifests. Knowing these can be an important first step toward seeking help from a therapist.
Causes of Anxiety
The exact causes of anxiety disorders are still not fully understood. However, certain life experiences, especially traumatic ones, can trigger anxiety in individuals who are predisposed to it. Genetic factors can also contribute to a person’s susceptibility to anxiety.
For some individuals, anxiety may be connected to an underlying medical condition. In fact, symptoms of anxiety can sometimes be the first signs of a medical issue. If a healthcare provider suspects this, they may recommend tests to rule out or identify any medical causes. Some medical conditions commonly linked to anxiety include heart disease, diabetes, substance misuse or withdrawal, alcohol withdrawal, and chronic pain, among others. Certain medications can also cause anxiety as a side effect.
Signs of Anxiety
Anxiety can manifest through a range of physical, emotional, and cognitive symptoms. Common signs include:
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Having difficulty concentrating
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Feeling on edge or irritable
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Feeling panic, dread, fear, and uneasiness
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Uncontrollable, obsessive thoughts
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Heart palpitations
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Shortness of breath
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Muscle tension
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Restlessness
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Dry mouth
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Nausea
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Numbness
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Difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep
If you’re experiencing any of these symptoms frequently and they’re impacting your daily life, it may be time to consider therapy and counselling in Singapore to help you manage your anxiety.
Remember, seeking help is a sign of strength, not weakness—it takes courage to take the first step toward recovery, personal growth and well-being.
How Anxiety Can Affect Your Daily Life
You may notice yourself lying awake at night, replaying conversations or anticipating what could go wrong the next day. Work might feel harder to manage, decisions feel heavier, and relationships may strain under constant reassurance-seeking or withdrawal. A racing heartbeat, breathlessness, or nausea might even lead you to cancel plans or avoid situations altogether, slowly narrowing your world in ways that feel discouraging and isolating.
Common Triggers for Anxiety
Anxiety can be triggered by various life situations and circumstances, often amplifying stress and creating feelings of worry and unease. Understanding these common triggers can help identify potential sources of anxiety and guide steps for managing them. Some common triggers include:
Past or Childhood Experiences
Traumatic events, neglect, or adverse experiences in childhood can set the stage for anxiety in adulthood. These early experiences often leave lasting emotional effects that may resurface during challenging situations.
Major Life Changes
Events like moving to a new location, experiencing the loss of a loved one, or undergoing significant career changes can be disruptive. These major transitions can bring uncertainty and instability, making it challenging to feel grounded.
Work-Related Stress
High workloads, looming deadlines, demanding responsibilities, or conflicts with colleagues can create immense stress, leading to feelings of anxiety. This is particularly common in high-pressure careers or work environments with little support or work-life balance.
Perfectionism and High Self-Expectations
Individuals who place intense pressure on themselves to achieve or who fear making mistakes may experience constant anxiety. This “fear of failure” mindset can create continuous stress, impacting mental well-being and self-esteem.
Financial Concerns
Financial instability or debt can be a constant source of anxiety. Worries about budgeting, expenses, or debt repayments often weigh heavily, particularly when financial struggles impact family or lifestyle stability.
Types of Anxiety Disorders
Anxiety can be triggered by various life situations and circumstances, often amplifying stress and creating feelings of worry and unease. Understanding these common triggers can help identify potential sources of anxiety and guide steps for managing them. Some common triggers include:
Generalised Anxiety Disorder (GAD)
People with GAD experience persistent and excessive worry about a wide range of everyday matters, such as work, health, or personal issues. This worry is often disproportionate to the actual situation and can be challenging to control.
Social Anxiety Disorder (Social Phobia)
Social anxiety disorder is characterised by an intense fear of being judged, embarrassed, or scrutinised in social or performance situations. This can lead to avoidance of social interactions, which may interfere with personal and professional life. Common situations that trigger social anxiety include public speaking, meeting new people, or attending social gatherings.
Panic Disorder
Panic disorder involves recurrent and unexpected panic attacks, which are sudden episodes of intense fear accompanied by physical symptoms like rapid heartbeat, shortness of breath, chest pain, or dizziness. People with panic disorder often develop a fear of future panic attacks, which can lead to avoidance behaviours.
Phobias
Phobias are intense, irrational fears of specific objects, situations, or activities, such as heights, spiders, or flying. These fears often lead to avoidance behaviours that can impact a person’s quality of life.
Anxiety Self-Assessment
If you are unsure whether what you are experiencing may be anxiety, brief screening tools such as the GAD-7 can offer a starting point. It typically asks how often, over the past two weeks, you have felt nervous or on edge, struggled to control worry, found it hard to relax, felt restless, irritable, or feared that something bad might happen.
While self-checks can increase awareness, they are not a diagnosis. Speaking with a clinical psychologist or counsellor can provide clarity and guidance.
Anxiety and Depression: The Link and Options for Therapy
Anxiety and depression frequently coexist, and their symptoms often overlap, creating a complex cycle that can be challenging to break without targeted therapeutic support. Therefore, whether you’re experiencing anxiety, depression, or both, it’s essential to seek help and openly discuss all symptoms with a healthcare professional. That way, they can identify your condition and determine the appropriate approach that will help you address your symptoms.
At The Psychology Atelier, we understand the complexities of co-occurring conditions and provide integrative approaches that address both anxiety and depression. Our team of clinical psychologists and counsellors use evidence-based methods designed to help clients manage anxiety, focusing on long-term mental well-being.
Our Approach to Counselling and Therapy for Anxiety
At The Psychology Atelier, different strategies are used to help address and manage symptoms of anxiety in patients. The strategies we use for therapy for anxiety include:
Evidence-Based Techniques for Anxiety Management
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is a method that helps clients identify and shift negative thought patterns contributing to anxiety. This technique also incorporates mindfulness practices that help promote relaxation and grounding.
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
Helps you change your relationship with anxious thoughts while acting in line with your values.
Mindfulness-Based Therapy
Builds present-moment awareness to reduce spiralling worry and strengthen emotional steadiness.
Addressing Different Types of Anxiety Disorders
Our therapists tailor their approach to each client, whether it’s generalised anxiety, social anxiety, or a specific phobia.
Long-Term Support and Empowerment
Our goal is to understand and address the root causes of anxiety, often linked to past experiences and early relationships. We equip clients with coping strategies to manage anxiety for the short- to medium-term while facilitating deeper explorations to achieve long-term mental well-being.
What to Expect in Therapy for Anxiety
Initial Consultation
We explore your concerns and what feels most pressing for you. This helps us understand how anxiety is affecting your daily life.
Collaborative Goal Setting
Together, we clarify what you would like to work toward, whether that is reducing worry or feeling steadier in social or work settings.
Tailored Therapeutic Approach
Your therapist may draw from evidence-based approaches such as CBT, along with methods informed by trauma or stress management where relevant.
Skill Building & Reflection
Sessions focus on practical strategies to manage anxiety, while also exploring patterns that may be maintaining it.
Ongoing Review & Adjustment
As you grow in awareness and confidence, therapy is adjusted to support your evolving needs and pace.
How Therapy for Anxiety Can Help
Research shows that sustained and consistent therapy sessions over a period of time dramatically increase the mental well-being of those dealing with anxiety-related issues. Methods such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) employed consistently have benefited those with anxiety-related disorders for up to 12 months. Follow-up studies indicated that most individuals maintain their progress, with very few experiencing a return of symptoms within the first year after therapy.
Meet Our Team of Therapists
At The Psychology Atelier, our team is composed of distinguished psychologists and counsellors, each committed to fostering a therapeutic environment that values empathy, personal growth, and the journey towards mental wellness. Our professionals bring diverse expertise and a shared dedication to providing personalised and compassionate care.
Isobel Tan
Senior Clinical Psychologist
MPsych. (Clinical Psychology); BSc. in Psychology
Registered Clinical Psychologist (SRP)
Approved Clinical Supervisor (SRP)
Isobel brings over a decade of experience working with adults, families, youth and children with adverse or traumatic life experiences. She places close attention on the therapeutic relationship as a foundation for psychological safety and trust. She is guided by a trauma-informed framework that prioritises a paced and collaborative approach with clients, seeks to empower clients with choice, and maintains a non-judgemental curiosity about each client's unique identity and culture.
Lieu An An
Counsellor
Registered Counsellor (ACA, Australia; PACFA, Australia)
Master of Counselling (Oct 2024)
BSocSc. (Hons) Psychology
Lieu An An leverages her training in the Gottman Method and Emotionally Focused Therapy to support couples. With an empathetic and understanding approach, often incorporating humour to create a more light-hearted environment, she helps clients build fulfilling personal and relational dynamics.
Seek Support for Anxiety
Consultations are strictly by appointment only.
Keen to learn how consultations or collaborations with us will be like?
We offer a complimentary 15-minute phone consultation to help you learn about our process and assess our fit.
Practitioners looking for a space may request for a brochure about our rooms and rates.