THERAPY FOR GENERALISED ANXIETY DISORDER
Generalised Anxiety Disorder involves persistent and excessive worry across multiple areas of life. The worry can feel difficult to control and may be accompanied by muscle tension, fatigue, irritability, sleep disturbance and concentration difficulties.
Therapy can help you understand the worry cycle, reduce patterns that maintain anxiety and build more flexible ways of responding to uncertainty.
Worry is a normal part of life. It becomes more concerning when it occurs most days, feels difficult to control and spreads across multiple areas such as health, work, relationships, finances or family responsibilities.
Generalised Anxiety Disorder commonly includes muscle tension, fatigue, irritability, sleep disturbance and concentration difficulties. The impact can extend beyond thinking alone and affect relationships, work performance and overall wellbeing.
At first, worry can feel protective. Over time, however, it may become repetitive and circular. Reassurance seeking, repeated checking and avoidance can provide short-term relief while unintentionally reinforcing the cycle.
Many people with GAD continue fulfilling responsibilities while internally feeling chronically tense or mentally preoccupied.
Research indicates that GAD can be associated with reduced quality of life and occupational functioning [1].
Therapy is tailored to the person’s worry patterns, life context, strengths, preferences and goals. Psychological therapy is commonly recommended as a first-line treatment for GAD, with CBT supported by a substantial evidence base [2].
CBT may involve mapping the worry cycle, testing catastrophic predictions, reducing reassurance seeking, addressing avoidance and increasing tolerance of uncertainty. Recent evidence supports CBT for both short-term and longer-term outcomes in adults with GAD [2].
ACT focuses on psychological flexibility. It helps people notice anxious thoughts and feelings without allowing them to dictate every choice, while supporting values-based action [3].
Compassion-focused strategies may be useful when worry is accompanied by shame, harsh self-criticism or a strong internal threat response.
Mindfulness-based strategies may help people notice worry earlier, disengage from repetitive mental loops and return attention to the present task.
Slow breathing and other regulation strategies may support autonomic settling when GAD is accompanied by sustained physiological arousal [4].
These articles provide further information about persistent worry, anxiety experiences and practical strategies.
Explore the lived experience of GAD, including persistent worry, physical tension, difficulty switching off and the impact on daily life.
Explore the broader Anxiety Disorders hub, including related services and educational articles.
Read about broader psychological support for anxiety when difficulties are not limited to persistent generalised worry.
Try four practical grounding exercises that may help during periods of heightened anxiety or distress.
Follow a brief mindful breathing exercise designed to support calm attention and nervous system settling.
The goal is not to eliminate all worry. Some worry is understandable and useful. Therapy aims to reduce excessive and unproductive worry while restoring flexibility and participation.
Therapy may help you work towards:
Therapy for Generalised Anxiety Disorder is available in person at Varsity Lakes on the Gold Coast and via secure telehealth anywhere in Australia.
I provide psychology services for adolescents and adults. Treatment is individualised and practical, with strategies designed to generalise beyond the therapy room.
These pages connect this service with the broader Anxiety Disorders cluster and current appointment information.
Explore all anxiety-related psychology services and educational articles.
Read about broader psychological support for anxiety across different presentations.
View current appointment availability, funding information and options for in-person or telehealth sessions.
Common questions about therapy for Generalised Anxiety Disorder.
Ordinary worry is usually temporary and linked to a specific concern. GAD involves persistent and difficult-to-control worry across multiple areas of life, together with symptoms such as tension, fatigue, irritability, sleep problems or concentration difficulties.
CBT has a strong evidence base for GAD. Therapy may also draw on ACT, mindfulness, compassion-focused strategies, behavioural approaches and nervous system regulation depending on the person’s needs and formulation.
No. The aim is to reduce excessive and unhelpful worry while increasing flexibility, confidence and effective engagement with daily life.
Yes. Therapy is available in person at Varsity Lakes on the Gold Coast or via secure telehealth anywhere in Australia.
Therapy for Generalised Anxiety Disorder is available for adolescents and adults in person at Varsity Lakes on the Gold Coast and via secure telehealth across Australia.
For current availability, appointment types and funding information, visit the Appointment Availability page.