Effective treatment for panic disorder and unexpected panic attacks.
About This Service
A panic attack is not dangerous, but it feels like it is to the woman experiencing it. And that fear of the fear is what keeps it going.
A panic attack is one of the most frightening experiences a person can have. In the space of minutes, the body floods with adrenaline, the heart races, breathing becomes difficult, the world feels unreal, and many people are convinced, absolutely convinced, that they are dying, going mad, or catastrophically losing control. And then it passes. And then the waiting begins, for the next one.
Panic Disorder develops when the fear of having another panic attack becomes the primary organiser of daily life. Situations are avoided, exits are planned, and activities are restricted, not because of any external threat, but because the body itself has become the threat. The nervous system, trying to protect you, has created a trap.
This therapy is for women experiencing panic attacks, Panic Disorder, or agoraphobia that has developed as a result of panic. This therapy is for those whose lives have been narrowed by the fear of their own physiological response. Panic Disorder is highly treatable, and the treatment is remarkably effective when done well.
Symptoms and Concerns We Address
What panic disorder looks and feels like:
PANIC ATTACKS
Experiencing sudden surges of intense fear with physical symptoms – racing heart, chest tightness, shortness of breath, dizziness, numbness, or sense of unreality
FEAR OF ANOTHER ATTACKS
Persistent worry about when the next panic attack will come i.e. the “anticipatory anxiety” which can be more disabling than the attacks themselves
AVOIDANCE BEHAVIOUR
Avoiding situations associated with past attacks – like public transport, shopping centres, driving, being alone – until daily life becomes significantly restricted
AGORAPHOBIA
Fear of situations where escape might be difficult or help unavailable if a panic attack occurs, leading to increasing withdrawal from public life
BODY MONITORING
Constant scanning of physical sensations for signs of an impending attack – which itself increases the likelihood of one
SAFETY BEHAVIOURS
Always sitting near an exit, carrying medication, going with a companion, or other rituals designed to prevent or manage attacks – which end up maintaining the disorder
MEDICAL FEARS
Repeated visits to doctors or emergency departments due to fear that panic symptoms are signs of heart disease or other serious illness
IMPACT ON INDEPENDENCE
The gradual shrinking of life as more situations are deemed too risky – thereby, affecting work, relationships, and freedom
Our Therapeutic Approach
Breaking the panic cycle, step-by-step
- Demystifying panic
Understanding exactly what is happening during a panic attack – the physiological chain of events, why it feels dangerous and isn’t, and why the body produces this response – is itself one of the most powerful interventions. Fear of the symptoms begins to reduce when they are understood. - CBT for panic
We identify and challenge the catastrophic misinterpretations of physical sensations that trigger and maintain panic, such as “my heart racing means I’m having a heart attack,” “feeling dizzy means I’ll faint and collapse”, and we replace them with accurate, calming understanding. - Interoceptive exposure
Deliberately and safely inducing mild versions of the physical sensations feared during panic, under controlled conditions, to build tolerance and demonstrate that the sensations are not dangerous. This is challenging work, and transformative. - Situational exposure
Gradually re-entering the avoided situations, with support, in a carefully graded way, so as to break the avoidance pattern that keeps the disorder going and shrinks your life over time. - Eliminating safety behaviours
Safety behaviours maintain panic by suggesting the situation was genuinely dangerous. We work on gradually removing them and discovering that you are safer than you feared, without the props you relied on. - Relapse prevention and long-term freedom
We build a clear understanding of your personal panic pattern. We map out the early warning signs, triggers, and a response plan. We do this so that if symptoms return in future, you have the tools to interrupt them before they take hold again.
Panic Disorder is among the most treatable anxiety conditions. Most women experience significant or complete resolution of panic attacks within 12–15 sessions of structured CBT-based treatment.
What to Expect
How this works in practice:
- A first session that explains what is happening to you
Many women with panic disorder have been through multiple medical assessments and still do not have a clear understanding of what is occurring. The first session begins to provide that understanding, and it is immediately reassuring. - The work is active and requires participation between sessions
Panic treatment involves practising skills and completing gradual exposures between sessions. The more consistently this is done, the faster and more lasting the improvement is. - Challenge is part of the process
Exposure work is uncomfortable by design and that is how it works. Your therapist will prepare you thoroughly for each step, support you through it, and never ask you to face something before you are ready. - Significant improvement typically within 12–15 sessions
Panic disorder responds quickly to structured, evidence-based treatment. Most women experience a dramatic reduction in panic attacks and a significant expansion of their daily freedom within a few months. - Online sessions
Our sessions are available via video call. Beginning treatment online means you can start even if leaving home currently triggers anxiety.
