Counselling for Anxiety
“I feel anxious.” It’s one of the most common expressions a therapist hears. Sometimes it’s your mind racing, or a tight feeling in your chest that just won’t go away. Many women shrug this off, chalking it up to the usual chaos of life. But when worry starts to affect your mood, relationships, or ability to rest, it might be time to pause and reach out for support.
- Target feelings of anxiety, worry, and fear
- Learn how to take charge and feel more in-control of your thoughts
- Reconnect with yourself and establish a sense of calm
What is anxiety?
Anxiety is an instinctive response to perceived threats , whether they’re physical, emotional, or mental. It’s part of your built-in survival system designed to keep you alive. When your brain detects potential danger, it triggers a series of reactions in your body. Your heart beats faster, your muscles tense up, and your senses sharpen so you can respond quickly and get to safety.
While this fight-or-flight response was a vital survival mechanism for early humans facing physical predators, our brains haven’t evolved as quickly as our world has. Today, the “dangers” you face may look more like a tense email from a boss, financial stress, or uncertainty about the future. Your brain is simply doing its best to protect you in a world of everyday stressors.
Types of anxiety
While everyone experiences stress or nervousness at times, are more persistent and can significantly impact daily life.
Generalized Anxiety Disorder
Hormones play a key role in why women are more likely to experience anxiety than men. Fluctuations in oestradiol and progesterone throughout the menstrual cycle, pregnancy, postpartum period, and menopause can influence brain chemistry and increase the risk of anxiety symptoms.
Genetics also contribute. If you have a close family member with an anxiety disorder, you are more likely to develop one as well.
Panic Disorder
Life experiences have a strong impact on our emotional well-being. Early childhood experiences of trauma or separation anxiety can contribute to an increased risk of anxiety.
Ongoing stress, such as work demands, financial strain, or family expectations, can overwhelm our nervous system. Women, in particular, may feel pressure to meet multiple roles simultaneously: professional, caregiver, partner, and friend.
Social Anxiety Disorder
Many women have learned to carry more than their share of the emotional and mental load. Traits like perfectionism, people-pleasing, or low self-worth can lead to chronic stress and self-doubt. Social media, while connecting us to others, can also amplify unrealistic standards and comparisons.
Gender-based violence, harassment, and discrimination remain significant risk factors for anxiety, post-traumatic stress, and depression. Studies show that women experience these forms of harm at far higher rates than men — often silently, and with lasting emotional consequences.
Postpartum Anxiety
Many women have learned to carry more than their share of the emotional and mental load. Traits like perfectionism, people-pleasing, or low self-worth can lead to chronic stress and self-doubt. Social media, while connecting us to others, can also amplify unrealistic standards and comparisons.
Gender-based violence, harassment, and discrimination remain significant risk factors for anxiety, post-traumatic stress, and depression. Studies show that women experience these forms of harm at far higher rates than men — often silently, and with lasting emotional consequences.
Causes of anxiety
Although there are different types of anxiety disorders, they often share common roots. Understanding the causes of anxiety can help us see that it is not a personal failure or weakness. It’s a human response shaped by biology, environment, and life experiences.
Biological factors
Hormones play a key role in why women are more likely to experience anxiety than men. Fluctuations in oestradiol and progesterone throughout the menstrual cycle, pregnancy, postpartum period, and menopause can influence brain chemistry and increase the risk of anxiety symptoms.
Genetics also contribute. If you have a close family member with an anxiety disorder, you are more likely to develop one as well.
Environmental factors
Life experiences have a strong impact on our emotional well-being. Early childhood experiences of trauma or separation anxiety can contribute to an increased risk of anxiety.
Ongoing stress, such as work demands, financial strain, or family expectations, can overwhelm our nervous system. Women, in particular, may feel pressure to meet multiple roles simultaneously: professional, caregiver, partner, and friend.
Psychological and Social Factors
Many women have learned to carry more than their share of the emotional and mental load. Traits like perfectionism, people-pleasing, or low self-worth can lead to chronic stress and self-doubt. Social media, while connecting us to others, can also amplify unrealistic standards and comparisons.
Gender-based violence, harassment, and discrimination remain significant risk factors for anxiety, post-traumatic stress, and depression. Studies show that women experience these forms of harm at far higher rates than men — often silently, and with lasting emotional consequences.
Therapy for anxiety
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy
CBT helps you notice the automatic thoughts and beliefs that feed anxious feelings and replace them with more realistic, balanced perspectives.
Exposure Therapy
Sometimes, anxiety makes us avoid the very things that would help us heal. Exposure therapy is a form of CBT that helps you face your fears safely, one step at a time.
Counselling for Perinatal Anxiety
Pregnancy, birth and postpartum can bring unique emotional changes and anxieties. Counselling offers a safe space to explore practical tools and grounding strategies to feel calmer and connected to yourself.
Find a counsellor who specializes in anxiety
Get support from a counsellor who specializes in supporting women experiencing anxiety.
Deanna Scammell
Registered Clinical Counsellor
Louise Parkinson
Registered Clinical Counsellor
Coralee Thomas
Registered Clinical Counsellor, Canadian Certified Counsellor
Julie Edmundson
Registered Clinical Counsellor
Inclusive Support
We’re committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion. We’re allies of LGB2TQIA+ and BIPOC individuals, and support those who self-identify as women, non-binary or gender non-conforming.
Personalized Care
Your needs and experiences are unique to you. Our counsellors are trained in a wide range of therapeutic techniques to ensure you receive the effective, high quality support you deserve.
Qualified Professionals
Every counsellor on our team is a licensed professional with a masters-level education and extensive experience supporting the needs of women.
How common is anxiety in women?
Anxiety is one of the most common mental health concerns in Canada — and it’s affecting women at higher rates than ever before. Data from Mental Health Research Canada shows suggests that one in four women (24%) report having a diagnosis of anxiety, compared to 18% of men. Women also consistently rate their levels of anxiety higher , with 32% describing their anxiety as high to extremely high since the onset of the pandemic.
These differences likely reflect a combination of biological, psychological, and social factors — including hormonal changes, caregiving roles, workplace pressures, and gender-based expectations.
Anxiety affects 1 in 4 women, with one third describing their anxiety as high to extremely high.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I know if my anxiety is serious enough to need therapy?
If worry or tension is interfering with your sleep, focus, relationships, or sense of peace, therapy may help. You don’t have to wait until things feel “bad enough”. Counselling can be beneficial at any stage, whether you’re feeling mildly overwhelmed or deeply anxious.
What’s the difference between stress and an anxiety disorder?
Stress is often a response to a specific situation , like a deadline or conflict , and tends to resolve once the situation is over. An anxiety disorder, on the other hand, can linger even when there’s no clear cause. It often feels like ongoing dread or uncontrollable worrying that’s hard to shake.
Can my anxiety go away on its own?
Mild anxiety may go away with rest, self-care, or life changes. But when anxiety becomes chronic or begins disrupting your daily life, professional support can make a significant difference.
How long do I need therapy to feel better?
Everyone’s journey is unique. Some people notice changes after a few sessions, while others benefit from longer-term therapy. The goal isn’t just symptom relief — it’s building tools and insight that are sustainable.
Can therapy really help if I’ve felt anxious for years?
Absolutely. Even long-standing anxiety can improve with consistent support and the right therapeutic approach. Change is definitely possible. It often begins with one conversation.
If you’re ready to feel calmer, more confident, and supported, we’re here to help. Reach out today to get matched with a counsellor who understands what you’re going through and can guide you toward lasting relief and balance.
Take the first step toward managing your anxiety
.avif)
.avif)
.avif)
.avif)
