Panic attack therapy in London and online

What a panic attack can feel like

A panic attack can come on suddenly, bringing an intense rush of fear alongside physical sensations such as a racing heart, shortness of breath, dizziness, sweating, nausea or feeling detached from your surroundings. You might worry that you are having a heart attack, losing control or that something terrible is about to happen. Panic attacks can feel frightening, particularly when you don’t understand what’s happening.

Often, the difficulty continues after the attack itself. You might become more aware of your body, worry about when another attack will happen, avoid certain places or situations, or plan your day around being able to escape. Over time, the fear of having another panic attack can become as distressing as the attacks themselves.

If you experience new or unexplained physical symptoms, it’s important to speak to your GP to check whether there may be an underlying physical cause.

How I work with panic attacks

As an integrative psychotherapist registered with the BACP, I offer a warm, collaborative space to explore your experience of panic. My approach combines practical, evidence-informed strategies with an understanding of your individual circumstances and emotional experiences. We can work together to understand what maintains the panic cycle and find ways for it to have less impact on your life.

Understanding the panic cycle

Drawing on CBT, we can explore how physical sensations, frightening interpretations and the body’s stress response can reinforce one another. For example, noticing your heart racing might lead you to fear that something is wrong, which increases your anxiety and makes the physical sensations feel even stronger.

Understanding this cycle can help you recognise what happens during panic and begin responding differently to the sensations and thoughts that arise.

Working with physical sensations and anxiety

Breathing exercises, grounding techniques and other practical strategies can sometimes help you relate differently to the physical sensations of panic. We can explore which approaches feel useful to you, without making the goal of therapy simply to eliminate anxiety or prevent every uncomfortable sensation. You can also find breathing and grounding exercises on this website to explore between sessions.

Exploring your wider experience

Panic can occur during periods of stress, uncertainty, loss or change. Alongside working with the immediate panic cycle, we can explore the wider context of what you’re experiencing, including emotional difficulties or relationship patterns where relevant. There isn’t one explanation for panic, so our work will be guided by your individual needs rather than assuming there is always an underlying issue to uncover.

Gradually reducing avoidance

If fear of another panic attack has led you to avoid places, activities or situations that matter to you, we can work towards changing these patterns through manageable steps. Drawing on CBT principles, we can explore what you fear might happen and help you build confidence in facing situations without relying so heavily on avoidance or escape. We will work collaboratively and at a pace that takes your circumstances into account.

What to expect from therapy

Our first 50-minute session gives us an opportunity to explore what you’ve been experiencing, how panic affects your everyday life and what you would like to change. We can begin to understand the patterns that may be maintaining your anxiety and discuss how therapy might help.

I offer in-person therapy in Farringdon, Central London, as well as online therapy across the UK and internationally. If travelling feels difficult because of panic, online sessions may be a more accessible way to begin.

When to seek urgent help

If you have chest pain, severe breathlessness or symptoms you are unsure about, please seek medical help straight away rather than assuming it is panic.

If you are in crisis or thinking about ending your life, please call 999, go to A&E, call NHS 111, or contact Samaritans on 116 123 (free, 24/7). Therapy is not an emergency service.