“I can’t switch off.”

Maybe your mind won’t stop spiralling, or you’re constantly bracing for something you can’t name.

You’re tired of feeling on alert, tired of second‑guessing yourself, tired of carrying tension that never fully settles.

You’re here because you just can’t seem to slow down.

Your thoughts race, your heart feels like it’s galloping, and your whole body goes into a kind of freeze. There’s a constant sense that something awful is about to happen — even when nothing around you looks dangerous. People tell you to “chill out” or that you’re “overreacting”, but they don’t understand how overwhelming it feels inside your mind.

You plan for everything. You prepare for every possibility. And somehow it still doesn’t feel like enough. The thoughts keep coming at you a million miles an hour, and you can’t switch them off.

For some people, anxiety is also connected with years of adapting, masking, perfectionism or trying to anticipate what other people need. If you've spent a long time monitoring yourself, trying to get things “right”, or preparing for every possible outcome, it can be difficult to know what it feels like to simply switch off.

For many people, anxiety comes from a deep sense of not feeling safe. Your mind tries to protect you by imagining the worst‑case scenario, as if preparing for it might stop it from happening. It’s exhausting, and it can leave you feeling like you can’t trust yourself or the world around you.

Making Sense of Anxiety

Anxiety can be your mind and body trying to protect you, even when there isn't an immediate danger.

Sometimes it develops in response to experiences that have felt unpredictable, overwhelming or outside your control. Sometimes it becomes a learned pattern of anticipating what might go wrong, preparing for every possibility, or staying constantly alert.

You may find yourself scanning for problems, rehearsing conversations, checking and rechecking things, or imagining worst-case scenarios. You might know logically that you're safe while your body still feels as though something is wrong.

Understanding where these patterns come from can help reduce the shame around them. Rather than seeing yourself as “overreacting” or somehow failing to cope, we can become curious about what your anxiety is trying to do for you — and whether those strategies are still helping.

You don't have to fight your anxiety or force yourself to stop worrying. We can begin by understanding it.

You might experience Anxiety as:

• racing or intrusive thoughts
• constantly anticipating what might go wrong
• difficulty switching off
• overthinking conversations or decisions
• physical tension or a racing heart
• feeling restless or unable to relax
• needing certainty before you can feel comfortable
• avoiding situations because they feel overwhelming
• repeatedly checking, preparing or seeking reassurance
• feeling exhausted from being “on alert”

How Therapy Helps

Therapy gives you a space where you don’t have to hold everything together. A space where you can slow down, breathe, and begin to understand what’s happening inside you without judgement or pressure. Instead of fighting your thoughts or trying to outrun them, we explore them gently, at a pace that feels safe.

Together, we look at what your anxiety is trying to protect you from, and why it feels so urgent. As you begin to understand the patterns and fears underneath, you may find that the intensity becomes easier to manage. You learn how to recognise what your body is doing, how to ground yourself, and how to respond to your anxiety rather than be overwhelmed by it.

Therapy doesn’t make you “stop worrying” overnight. But it helps you feel less alone with it. It helps you build trust in yourself again. And over time, it creates more space — space to breathe, to rest, to think clearly, and to feel more like yourself.

My Approach

My approach to anxiety isn’t about forcing you to “think positively” or trying to shut your thoughts down. It’s about understanding what your anxiety is trying to protect you from, and creating a space where you don’t have to manage it alone.

I work gently and collaboratively. We move at a pace that feels safe for you, paying attention to what’s happening in your body as well as your thoughts. I’m interested in the parts of you that are trying so hard to keep you safe, even when their methods feel overwhelming. Together, we explore where these patterns began, what they’re trying to do for you, and how you can begin to respond differently.

My work is relational and grounded. I don’t sit above you or analyse you from a distance — we’re in this together. Over time, therapy can help you feel more settled, more connected to yourself, and more able to trust your own internal signals.

What Sessions With Me Feel Like

Sessions with me are calm, steady, and centred around you. You don't need to arrive knowing exactly what you want to say or have everything figured out. We can start wherever you are and take things at a pace that feels manageable.

You can bring the parts of yourself that feel anxious, overwhelmed, frightened, confused, or difficult to make sense of. You won't be judged or told how you should feel. I'll sit alongside you, helping you explore what's happening with curiosity and compassion, and making space for both your thoughts and your emotional experience.

No two sessions need to look the same. Some may involve talking through what's been happening; others might be more reflective, emotional, or focused on understanding a particular pattern. We work together to find what feels useful for you in that moment.

Over time, therapy can become a place where you don't have to manage everything on your own — a space to be honest about how things really are, understand yourself more deeply, and begin to feel more able to trust yourself.

Practical Details

I offer counselling in person in Greenwich, South East London, as well as online across the UK. You can choose whichever feels more comfortable and accessible for you.

My therapy room is quiet, private, and easy to reach by public transport. If we work together in person, I'll share the full address when we arrange your first session. Online sessions take place via a secure video platform, so you can join from somewhere you feel comfortable and have sufficient privacy.

Sessions last 50 minutes, usually at the same time each week. There's no pressure to commit to a set number of sessions — we'll review the work together regularly and make sure it continues to feel supportive and manageable.

Getting Started

If any of this resonates with you, you don’t have to keep navigating it alone. Reaching out can feel like a big step, but it’s often the beginning of things feeling a little more manageable. If you’re considering starting therapy, you’re welcome to email me to arrange a free initial consultation. It’s simply a chance for us to meet, talk about what you’re experiencing, and see whether working together feels right for you.

You can contact me at contact@kellyannefreemancounsellingservices.com, and I’ll reply within 48 hours.

Other pages you may find useful:

Counselling for Trauma

Counselling for Burnout & Overwhelm

Neurodivergent Affirming therapy

Identity, Belonging and Self-Esteem

How I work

A monthly letter with reflections, grounding thoughts, and gentle support.

For when you’re not ready for therapy, but you don’t want to navigate everything alone.