We aim to improve the recognition of anxiety disorders in New Zealand, provide treatment and support to people with anxiety related conditions and their families. We do this through the provision of high quality clinical services, utilising the lived experience of our team, and the dedication and support of volunteer staff. We also advocate for funding and support research into the determinants and treatment of anxiety disorders. We provide support, treatment and education for anxiety, depression, OCD and phobias, however we treat other associated conditions related to anxiety.

Services Offered

Treatment methods - Our psychologists work with a range of toolkit and therapies to help best meet your needs. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), for example, is an effective treatment that can support life-long management of Anxiety Disorders. CBT encourages us to challenge distorted thinking and destructive patterns of behaviour by understanding how emotions, behaviours, and thoughts influence each other. We can offer a combination of additional treatment modalities listed below.

* Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
* Dialectical Behavioural Therapy (DBT)
* Interpersonal Therapy (ITP)
* Emotional Focused Therapy (EFT)
* Family therapy
* Exposure therapy
* Structured group therapy
* Mindfulness and Relaxation therapy
* Psychiatric Assessment
* Medication Monitoring

Anxiety - Moderate to severe anxiety disorders are the most common psychiatric illnesses affecting children and adults. Feeling anxious to some degree is normal for everyone. Anxiety and fear are adaptive and helpful emotions which allows us to notice danger, keeps us safe and helps us adapt to our environment. However sometimes anxiety levels can become severe or longstanding and beyond our abilities to cope, which can pose a risk to our mental and physical health. It can also cause significant distress or impair your ability to function in important areas of life such as work, school, or relationships.

Depression - Depression is a condition in which a person feels discouraged, sad, hopeless, unmotivated, or disinterested in life in general for more than two weeks and when the feelings interfere with daily activities. Major depression is a treatable illness that affects the way a person thinks, feels, behaves, and functions.

Panic Attacks - The abrupt onset of intense fear or discomfort that reaches a peak within minutes and includes at least four of the following symptoms: Palpitations, pounding heart, or accelerated heart rate. Sweating. Trembling or shaking. Sensations of shortness of breath or smothering.

Panic Disorder - Characterized by reoccurring unexpected panic attacks. Panic attacks are sudden periods of intense fear that may include palpitations, sweating, shaking, shortness of breath, numbness, or a feeling that something really bad is going to happen.

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) - Repeated and persistent thoughts ("obsessions") that typically cause distress and that an individual attempts to alleviate by repeatedly performing specific actions ("compulsions").

Agoraphobia - Excessive fear related to being in (or anticipating) situations where escape might be difficult or help may not be available if panic attack (or panic-like symptoms) occur i.e. bridges, motorways, flying, lifts, etc.

Separation Anxiety Disorder - Excessive anxiety concerning separation from home or major attachment figures that is beyond what would be expected for one's developmental level. This can occur in children, adolescents, or adults, but is more commonly found in children.

Selective Mutism - A rare disorder characterised by a persistent failure to speak in certain social situations (e.g., with playmates or in the classroom), despite engagement in speaking in other situations.

Social Anxiety Disorder (Social Phobia) - Excessive fear of becoming embarrassed or humiliated in social situations, which often leads to significant avoidance behaviours. School Phobia The sudden aversion to or fear of attending school.

Mono or Specific Disorders - Persistent and excessive fear of a specific object or situation, such as flying, heights, animals, toilets, or seeing blood. Fear is cued by the presence or anticipation of the object/situation and exposure to the phobic stimulus results in an immediate fear response or panic attack.

Health Anxiety or Hypochondriasis - A fear of having, or belief that one has a serious health issue or disease.

Generalised Anxiety Disorder - An anxiety disorder characterised by chronic anxiety, exaggerated worry and tension, even when there is little or nothing to provoke it.

Depersonalisation Disorder - An experience of feeling detached from and as if one is an outside observer of one's mental processes or body.

Body Dysmorphic Disorder - A preoccupation with an imagined defect in appearance, often co-morbid with depression and/or social phobia.

Eating Disorders - An eating disorder is a compulsion to eat, or avoid eating, that negatively affects both one's physical and mental health.

Panic Disorder Recurring - Panic attacks in combination with significant behavioural change or ongoing worry about having other attacks.

Kleptomania - A complex disorder characterised by repeated, unsuccessful attempts to stop stealing.

Trichotillomania - The inability or difficulty to resist the urge to pluck one's own hair, resulting in noticeable hair loss.

Dermotillomania - Repetitive skin picking of one's own skin that may result in lesions. Many individuals will experience shame about the behaviour and/or attempt to conceal the resulting lesions with clothing or makeup.

Compulsive Gambling - Frequent preoccupation with gambling or having money to gamble.

Trauma and Stressor Related Disorders - Disorders that are related to the experience of a trauma (e.g., unexpected death of a loved one, a car accident, combat, or a violent incident) or stressor (e.g., divorce, beginning University, moving).

Fees and Payment

Some of our services are free and others have a fee. Children, students and low income earners may access funding for up to 30 appointments with a psychologist. Insurance may apply. We are not automatically government funded, so we rely on clients paying fees responsibly, or using funding for for one-to-one therapy. Payment must be made at each session, unless payment is being made another funder. We accept cash, EFTPOS, cheques, Visa and MasterCard or bank deposit

Services Offered To:
Adults
Teens

Payment:
Sliding Scale
Pro-bono

Online Counseling:
Yes