The Hidden Pressure of the September Reset September has a strange habit of behaving like January. One minute you're still clinging to summer, eating outside whenever the British weather gives you a 20-minute window of opportunity. The next, September arrives and suddenly everyone seems to be getting organised. New routines. New goals. Back to school. Back to work. Back to the gym. Sort the house out. Eat better. Be more productive. Get on top of your finances. Finally deal with that cupboard you've been avoiding since approximately 2019. Apparently, we're all supposed to emerge from August refreshed, motivated and ready to sort our entire lives out. And if you don't feel like that? You certainly aren't alone. For many people, September can bring a noticeable increase in anxiety, stress and overwhelm. You may find yourself feeling unsettled, irritable or unusually emotional, struggling to sleep, overthinking more than usual, or simply wondering: “Why do I suddenly feel anxious when not

And Why That Makes Me Feel Just a Tiny Bit Sad I hear this a lot in my therapy room in Heanor. “My goal is to control my anxiety.” And every time, I understand exactly what you mean. You are exhausted. You want the racing heart, the overthinking, the panic attacks, the constant background hum of anxiety to stop running your life. But here is the part that makes me feel just a little bit sad. When someone says they want to control their anxiety, it usually means they believe they will always have it. Because you only try to control something that you expect to stick around. And that simply is not how I see anxiety. I see it as something that can be reduced, retrained, demoted, and in many cases, largely eliminated when it is unnecessary. Let’s unpack this properly. Anxiety Is Not the Enemy First things first. Anxiety itself is not broken. Anxiety is a natural human survival response. It exists to keep you alive. If a car mounts the pavement, you want anxiety. If your toddler makes a das

If you have ever had a panic attack, you will know this truth in your bones: it does not feel like “just anxiety”. It feels urgent. Physical. Like something is seriously wrong. And here is the annoying, brilliant twist. A panic attack is usually your brain doing its very best to keep you alive, even though you are not actually in mortal danger. Your nervous system is acting like there is a tiger in the car park. Your body responds accordingly. The good news is this can be changed. Panic is not a life sentence, and you do not need to “just live with it”. With the right tools, you can stop a panic attack in its tracks and retrain your brain so it stops pulling the fire alarm at burnt toast. I am Sally, a hypnotherapist in Heanor, Derbyshire. I specialise in anxiety and panic attacks, and I see first-hand how quickly people can get their lives back when they understand what is happening and what to do next. Let’s make this practical. What a Panic Attack Really Is A panic attack is a surge

If you’re dealing with anxiety, you’ve probably Googled “help for anxiety” and been met with a tidal wave of therapy options. Counselling, CBT, psychotherapy, hypnotherapy… they all sound helpful, but they’re not identical twins. Each one works differently, and each has its strengths — as well as situations where it might not be the best fit. Let’s break it down so you can make a choice that actually fits you, rather than picking at random and hoping for the best. Counselling Best for: Talking things through, gaining perspective, and having a safe, non-judgemental space to explore what’s going on. Counselling is often the first port of call for people who just need to be heard. Your counsellor will listen, reflect back, and help you explore your thoughts and feelings without pushing a specific “technique” or action plan. Great if you: Feel overwhelmed and don’t know where to start. Want someone to walk alongside you while you process life events. Prefer a gentle, client-led approach. M

How the Words We Use Can Make It Better — or Worse “My anxiety.” Two little words. So simple. So… sticky. I hear this a lot in my therapy room. My anxiety. It sounds harmless enough, but think about what you’re really telling your subconscious mind every time you use this phrase. You’re claiming ownership. You’re making it part of your identity. Like a favourite jumper or your pet dog. “This is mine. I have it. I keep it.” Now, would you do that with a headache? A cold? Probably not. You’d say, “I’ve got a headache today” not “my headache” in a tone that suggests it’s a beloved family heirloom. The Power of Language Our subconscious mind listens carefully to the language we use, even when we’re not consciously paying attention. It soaks up the words we repeat and builds beliefs around them. If you say “my anxiety” often enough, your subconscious starts filing that away as fact: 👉 Anxiety is part of who I am. 👉 It belongs to me. 👉 I will always have it. That’s not exactly helpful if

Let’s get one thing straight: nobody chooses anxiety. It’s not like anyone wakes up and thinks, “You know what would really spice up my Tuesday? A nice bout of chest-tightening dread and some overthinking until 3am.” Yet, despite our best efforts, anxiety can cling on tighter than a toddler to your leg on nursery drop-off day. So, if you’ve been doing all the things and still feel like your brain is hosting its own internal episode of Doomwatch, it might be down to a few common habits that keep anxiety ticking over like a badly behaved boiler. Here are five mistakes that are surprisingly common—and what to do instead. 1. Trying to “think your way out of it” If anxiety were logical, we’d all be cured by lunchtime. But it’s not. You can’t reason with a part of your brain that’s gone full gremlin. Anxiety comes from the emotional, reactive part of your mind—not the calm, rational, bit. The fix: Instead of fighting thoughts with more thoughts, learn to feel your way out of it. This is wher