Beat Anxiety
& Stress

Anxiety refers to intense, excessive and persistent future focused thinking that magnifies fears, uncertainties and worries, where individuals anticipate negative outcomes in the future.

Often, anxiety is described as the fear of the unknown, or focusing on what could go wrong. Stemming from a range of cognitive and behavioural habits that interact to create this heightened state of stress and worry.

In strategic psychotherapy, we approach anxiety as a series of steps or processes rather than a standalone “thing”, or identity like when people say “my anxiety”. Rather than something that happens to you, anxiety is something that gets unconsciously generated by the way you interpret, anticipate and react to life’s challenges.

In summary, anxiety is a process of thoughts and behaviours that one can learn to identify and address. By understanding and re-evaluating these mental patterns, it’s possible to break the cycle of anxiety, reclaim control and improve the overall quality of your life.

Signs and symptoms of anxiety include constant worry, overthinking, racing thoughts, difficulty concentrating, restlessness, physical tension, and trouble sleeping—often stemming from internal thought processes rather than external threats/circumstances.

An anxiety attack, or panic attack, is a sudden onset of intense fear and physical symptoms. Your mind and body react to perceived future dangers, triggering intense physical sensations like a rapid heartbeat, shortness of breath, and overwhelming fear. It is extremely debilitating – where you actually panic in an attempt to gain control and take action, but now that gets out of control.

In today’s fast-paced world, we’re flooded with vast amounts of information and so much going on, which enables future uncertainties – that can fuel anxious thought patterns.

• Rising costs of living.
• Competing demands and expectations from family & friends.
• And the endless number of responsibilities we have to deal with.

As a result, many people feel tired, overwhelmed and anxious.

Despite the ever-present nature of stress, we’re never taught how to manage it. Making anxiety a widespread issue. It’s the real pandemic of our time.

Over 2 million Australians experience anxiety every day, and this number is only expected to rise.

Anxiety drains your energy because the fight, or flight response is generated. The mind is constantly running a process of worrying, anticipating, and trying to control outcomes that haven’t happened yet, leaving little room for rest or recovery.

Jay Haley, first termed “strategic psychotherapy”, which led to the strategic approach. He was highly regarded and influential in the development of strategic family therapy, and brief therapy models.

Key focuses on strategic psychotherapy for anxiety are:

Solution-oriented: Strategic psychotherapy begins with defining clear outcomes for what the client wants to achieve. The focus remains on these outcomes throughout the session.

Focus on Patterns: There is a strong emphasis on underlying patterns that lead to anxiety, throughout the interviewing and clinical hypnotherapy process. It prioritises identifying swift, practical solutions to overcoming anxiety and stress, rather than delving deeply into past experiences, a person’s life story, or unconscious motivations.

Directives & Tasks: Rather than just talk, therapists use specific tasks, directives and other interventions to change behaviour patterns and create shifts in the system in relation to anxiety & stress.

Change Creates Change: The strategic approach posits that even small changes in behaviour can set off a cascade of positive shifts within the individual as a whole.

1. A 20 minute discovery session, followed by the completion of the client intake form.
2. A strategic interview lasting about 30-35 minutes (the initial interview around 45-60 minutes to identify the client’s desired outcomes, strengths, resources, underlying patterns, processes and what is contributing to the presenting issue).
3. A 15 minute hypnotic session.
4. A 5-10 minute debrief, overview and moving forward.

Strategic psychotherapy is a therapeutic approach that helps individuals understand and manage their emotions, thoughts and behaviours. Through one-on-one sessions with a trained psychotherapist, clients can explore their concerns, gain insights, develop effective coping strategies and reclaim control. This is different from other forms of psychotherapy, as it focuses on the patterns, choices and perceptual filters that clients have developed throughout their life. In showing clients, how to change these patterns and perceptual filters, an individual can make more effective choices and the possibility of change becomes a reality.

Social anxiety is the fear of judgment or embarrassment in social situations. It often comes from imagining worst-case scenarios like saying the wrong thing, being criticized, or appearing awkward. This fear can make everyday interactions—like meeting new people, attending events, or even making a phone call—feel overwhelming.

From the perspective of The Inward Process, social anxiety ties into:

• External Locus of Control: Feeling as though others’ opinions control your self-worth.
• Negative Expectancy: Anticipating negative outcomes in social settings, like possible rejection or looking like an idiot.
• Overanalysis and Avoidance: Dwelling on potential social mishaps or avoiding interactions altogether.

Social anxiety is the fear of judgment or rejection in social situations, where the unknown reactions of others feel overwhelming. At its core, it’s a fear of being seen, misunderstood, or criticised in ways that reinforce our own deep-seated insecurities. This fear can make situations like meeting new people, attending events, or even casual conversations feel confronting and dreadful.

From the perspective of The Inward Process, social anxiety is fuelled by several factors:

• Intolerance for Ambiguity: People are unpredictable, and their responses represent the unknown. This uncertainty can feel threatening, as we don’t know if others will approve, reject, or misunderstand us. Instead of viewing this ambiguity as neutral, those with social anxiety project negativity onto it, assuming rejection is more likely than acceptance.

• Fear of Judgment: Social anxiety often amplifies the belief that others will confirm our deepest fears about ourselves—whether it’s feeling inadequate, awkward, or unworthy. These fears are imagined but feel real, driving the anxiety.

• Negative Expectancy: Instead of imagining positive or even neutral outcomes, social anxiety leads to a habit of anticipating criticism or failure. It’s the belief that conversations will go poorly, people won’t like you, or you’ll embarrass yourself.

• Overanalysis and Avoidance: Socially anxious individuals may replay past interactions, dissecting every word or action for mistakes, or overthink upcoming events in an attempt to “prepare.” Ironically, this focus on “what ifs” often leads to avoidance of social settings altogether, reinforcing the cycle of anxiety and isolation.

Social anxiety is less about what others think and more about how you imagine they’ll respond, often based on fears you already hold about yourself. Overcoming it involves learning to tolerate ambiguity, challenge negative expectations, and practice engaging in social situations with curiosity rather than fear. This helps reframe interactions as opportunities for connection and growth, rather than threats to your self-worth.