What Does Anxiety Actually Look Like?

Anxiety does not always look like panic. For many of the professionals and expats I work with in Hong Kong, anxiety looks like this: replying to an email three times before sending it; lying awake rehearsing conversations that happened days ago; saying yes when you mean no because the alternative feels too risky; feeling permanently "on" even during rest.

This is what clinicians call high-functioning anxiety, and it is particularly common among high-achieving adults. It does not make you less anxious. It makes it harder to recognise and easier to ignore until it becomes impossible to.

Types of Anxiety I Treat in Hong Kong

• Generalised Anxiety Disorder (GAD) — persistent, hard-to-control worry about multiple areas of life

• Health anxiety — excessive worry about illness or physical symptoms

• Social anxiety — fear of judgement, embarrassment, or negative evaluation in social or professional situations

• Panic attacks and panic disorder — sudden, intense physical and psychological fear episodes

• Performance anxiety and perfectionism

• Expat-related anxiety — relocation stress, identity concerns, cultural adjustment

• Work-related anxiety and burnout

• Sleep anxiety and insomnia (treated using CBT-I)

Anxiety Management Techniques Used in Therapy

In therapy, we use structured, evidence-based techniques tailored to your specific pattern of anxiety:

• Cognitive restructuring — identifying and testing anxious thoughts against evidence

• Behavioural experiments — testing fears in real life to update threat beliefs

• Graded exposure — gradually approaching avoided situations or sensations• Worry time and thought defusion — containing and distancing from anxious thoughts

• Physiological regulation — breathing techniques, progressive muscle relaxation• Mindfulness-based strategies integrated into CBT

• Sleep hygiene and CBT-I protocols for anxiety-driven insomnia

  
  These are not generic tips. They are structured clinical interventions delivered within a personalised treatment plan.

What to Expect in Anxiety Therapy with Me

In our first session, we map out what your anxiety looks like: where it shows up, what triggers it, and how it is affecting your life. We identify your goals together and begin building a structured plan.

You will leave most sessions with something concrete: a thought record, a behavioural experiment, a coping tool. Therapy is not a space to simply talk about your anxiety. It is a structured process for changing it. Most clients working on anxiety notice meaningful improvement within 8-12 sessions, though this varies depending on the nature and severity of the presentation.

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Online Anxiety Therapy in Hong Kong

All sessions are conducted online, during Hong Kong office hours. Research consistently demonstrates that online CBT for anxiety is as effective as in-person therapy. For busy professionals in Hong Kong, online sessions also remove a significant practical barrier: no commute, no waiting room, and full scheduling flexibility.

Anxiety Therapy in English and French

Sessions are available in English and French. I am a UK-trained Clinical Psychologist, accredited by the BABCP and a member of the Hong Kong Psychological Society.

You Do Not Have to Be in Crisis to Seek Help

Many people wait until anxiety is severely affecting their life before reaching out. You do not need to reach that point. If anxiety is quietly running in the background, affecting your sleep, your relationships, and your ability to switch off, that is enough of a reason to get support.

HK$2,800 per 50-minute session · Online · English & French · Hong Kong hours