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What Is Brainspotting? A Guide for Women Considering Trauma Therapy

What Is Brainspotting? A Guide for Women Considering Trauma Therapy

by | Feb 7, 2026 | Therapy Tools & Methods, Working with Me

What is Brainspotting? It is one of the most common questions I hear from women who have been referred to me, or who have found their way here through their own research. They have heard the term, they are curious, and they want an honest answer before they decide whether it is something they want to try.

So here it is – a clear, plain-language answer to what Brainspotting is, how it works in practice, and what it might offer you if you are carrying something that talking alone has not been able to move.

What Is Brainspotting: The Simple Answer

Brainspotting is a therapy approach developed by American psychotherapist Dr David Grand in 2003. It is based on the observation that where you look affects how you feel – and that specific positions in the visual field appear to correlate with stored trauma, emotional activation, and unprocessed experience.

In a Brainspotting session, a therapist helps you locate what is called a brainspot – an eye position that activates the material you are working on. Once that position is found, you hold your gaze there while staying with whatever arises internally: sensations, emotions, images, or simply a physical sense of something shifting. The therapist stays present and attuned throughout, but does not direct or interpret what happens. The processing is yours.

The theoretical framework suggests that this process accesses brain structures involved in emotional memory and trauma that are not easily reached through language and conscious thought alone. It is important to be clear that this remains a working hypothesis – the precise neurological mechanism has not been definitively established. What is established, through clinical experience and a growing body of research, is that many people find it produces a quality of change that other approaches have not.

Where Did Brainspotting Come From?

David Grand developed Brainspotting from his work with EMDR – Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing – another eye-position-based trauma therapy. During an EMDR session with a client, he noticed that when her eye position reached a specific point, she had a significant therapeutic breakthrough. He began to investigate whether eye position itself was carrying information, and Brainspotting grew from that observation.

Since 2003, Brainspotting has been taken up by therapists internationally and used across a wide range of presentations – from single-incident trauma through to complex trauma, anxiety, burnout, grief, and performance blocks. It is now taught across multiple training phases and used by practitioners in many countries, including Australia.

What Does a Brainspotting Session Actually Involve?

Sessions begin with settling – slowing down, noticing what is present in the body, and identifying what you are bringing to work on. From there, I will ask you to locate where you feel the activation in your body, and we will use that as an anchor for finding the brainspot.

Finding the brainspot involves slowly moving a pointer across your visual field while you stay connected to the body sensation. At certain points, there will be a response – a blink, a shift in breathing, an increase or decrease in activation. That is where we stop. That is the brainspot.

Once located, you hold your gaze at that position and simply stay with what is there. There is no need to narrate, analyse, or make sense of what arises. I stay present and attuned, tracking what I observe externally while you follow what is happening internally.

Sessions typically run for 50 to 60 minutes. Online sessions work well – the pointer is adapted to a screen pointer, and the depth of the work is not diminished by the online format in my experience.

What Does Brainspotting Feel Like from the Inside?

This is the question I find most useful to answer honestly, because expectations can significantly affect how someone approaches a first session.

Brainspotting sessions are often quieter than people expect. There is a focused, inward quality that can feel a little like deep concentration or meditation – though you are fully conscious and in control throughout. Nothing is being done to you. The processing is happening inside your own system, at its own pace.

What people notice varies. Some experience a gradual movement of sensation through the body – warmth, tingling, a sense of something releasing. Others notice emotions arising and passing. Some experience imagery or memories. Some simply feel a slow settling, without being able to name what shifted. All of these are valid. There is no right way for a Brainspotting session to unfold.

What clients most consistently report is that something moves that has not moved before. Not dramatically, and not all at once – but in a way that feels real and different from anything they have experienced in more cognitive approaches.

Who Is Brainspotting For?

Brainspotting tends to suit women who are ready to work at a body level, not just a cognitive one. You do not need to have experienced identifiable trauma to benefit. Many of the women I work with come with chronic anxiety, burnout, emotional patterns that persist despite good self-awareness, or a felt sense that something is held in the body that talking has never quite reached.

It works particularly well for women who are psychologically minded but have found purely cognitive approaches incomplete. If you understand yourself well and still feel stuck in the body, Brainspotting may be what has been missing.

It is also well-suited to women who have found other trauma therapies helpful but not quite enough, or who struggled with the more structured format of EMDR. Brainspotting is more open and less protocol-driven, which many clients find easier to settle into.

Brainspotting and IFS: How I Use Them Together

In my practice I use Brainspotting alongside Internal Family Systems therapy. IFS provides the relational and psychological scaffolding – helping you understand the inner parts that carry your patterns, what they are protecting, and what they need. Brainspotting provides the somatic depth – processing what those parts are holding in the body and brain at a level that language alone cannot reach.

Not every session uses both. Sometimes the work is primarily IFS. Sometimes it is primarily Brainspotting. Often the two weave together naturally within a session. I follow what the work needs rather than applying a fixed formula.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Brainspotting the same as EMDR?

No, though they share roots. Both involve eye position and were developed from related observations. EMDR uses bilateral stimulation and a structured protocol. Brainspotting uses a fixed eye position and is less directive – the therapist locates the brainspot and then largely holds space while the client’s system processes. Many clients describe Brainspotting as feeling less effortful and more organic than EMDR, though both can be effective.

Do I need to talk about my trauma in a Brainspotting session?

No. One of Brainspotting’s distinctive features is that it does not require a narrative. You do not need to describe what happened in detail, find the right words for your experience, or construct a coherent account of your history. The processing happens below the level of language, which is part of why it can reach material that talking has not.

Can Brainspotting make things worse?

Any trauma-informed therapy can stir things up if moved too quickly. Brainspotting is designed to be titrated – paced carefully to what the nervous system can tolerate. I always work with stabilisation before processing, and the approach respects the protective parts of the system rather than bypassing them. If something feels like too much in a session, we slow down or stop.

Is Brainspotting available online?

Yes. I offer Brainspotting online via secure video call. The pointer work is adapted for screen, and in my experience the depth and effectiveness of the sessions is not diminished. Online access also means women across Australia can work with a Brainspotting practitioner without being limited by geography.

Ready to Find Out if Brainspotting Is Right for You?

If you are curious about Brainspotting and wondering whether it might be the right next step, I would welcome a conversation. I work exclusively with women, fully online, using Brainspotting alongside IFS to work at the level where patterns, trauma, and emotional activation actually live.

You can read more about how I work on my approach page. When you are ready, get in touch directly to ask a question or enquire about availability. I aim to respond to all enquiries within two business days.

You do not have to fully understand it before you try it. Most people find that the first session answers the question better than any explanation could.

Further Reading

What an IFS Therapy Session Actually Feels Like

What an IFS Therapy Session Actually Feels Like

by | Jan 24, 2026 | Therapy Tools & Methods, Working with Me

One of the most common things I hear from women before their first IFS therapy session is some version of: I am not sure what to expect. They have read about the model, they are drawn to it, but they cannot quite picture what it looks like in practice. Is it like regular talk therapy? Will it feel strange? What do I actually do?

Those are exactly the right questions to ask. IFS does have a different quality to most therapy people have experienced before, and I think it helps to know what you are walking into. So here is an honest account of what an IFS therapy session actually feels like – from the inside.

It Starts with Slowing Down

Most of the women I work with arrive at a session running at full speed. There is a lot happening in their lives, a lot they want to talk about, and often a strong pull to get straight into problem-solving. One of the first things an IFS therapy session does is interrupt that momentum – gently, but deliberately.

We begin by settling. Taking a breath. Noticing what is present – not in a performative mindfulness way, but practically. What are you arriving with today? What do you notice in your body? What is asking for attention?

This is not wasted time. It is actually the beginning of the work. IFS is an inside job, and everything depends on being able to turn attention inward rather than outward.

We Follow What Is Present, Not What You Think Should Be There

One of the things that surprises people about an IFS therapy session is that we do not always work on what seems most logical to address. Instead, we follow what is actually alive in the system right now.

You might come in planning to talk about a difficult conversation with your partner, and then notice that underneath that, something else is pulling at you – a heaviness, a tightness in your chest, a sense of dread you cannot quite name. In IFS, that is not a distraction. That is where we go.

This can feel unfamiliar if you are used to therapy that follows a more structured agenda. But most clients find quite quickly that it produces something more meaningful than talking about the surface issue ever did.

Getting to Know a Part

Once we have identified something – an emotion, a reaction, a sensation, an inner voice – the IFS therapy session moves into what the model calls working with a part. This is where IFS becomes genuinely different from other approaches.

Rather than analysing the feeling or trying to change it, I will ask you to turn towards it with curiosity. How do you feel towards this part, right now? Where do you sense it in your body? What does it look like, if it had a form? How old does it feel?

These questions are not metaphorical exercises. They are a direct way of accessing inner material that thinking and talking alone cannot reach. Parts often communicate through images, physical sensations, emotions, or a kind of inner knowing – and each person finds their own way of experiencing them.

Some people are very visual. Others are more somatic – they feel everything in their body before they see or hear anything. Some people are initially sceptical that this will work for them, and then find themselves surprised by what emerges. There is no right way to do this. My job is to follow your process, not impose one.

What the Conversation with a Part Actually Feels Like

When I describe IFS to people who have not experienced it, the idea of having a conversation with an inner part can sound a little abstract. In practice, it tends to feel remarkably natural.

You might connect with the part of you that is always braced for something to go wrong, and ask it: what are you afraid will happen if you relax? The answer that comes – and an answer usually does come – often carries information that no amount of cognitive analysis has been able to surface.

What makes this process different from simply thinking about these things on your own is that you are approaching the part from your Self – that calm, clear inner resource that IFS holds as central. When you meet a part from that place, rather than from another reactive part, the quality of the exchange is completely different. It becomes less of a battle and more of a genuine encounter.

It Is Not Always Intense – and That Is Fine

People sometimes expect IFS sessions to be emotionally overwhelming, particularly if they are working with trauma. In my experience, that is rarely how it goes – and when it does, it is because we have moved too fast, which is something I am always watching for.

IFS has a strong emphasis on working at the pace that the system can tolerate. The protective parts – the ones that have been managing and guarding for years – are respected, not steamrolled. We do not go near an exile until the system is ready. This is one of the reasons IFS is considered particularly safe for trauma work.

Some sessions are quietly profound. Others feel more exploratory – getting to know the landscape, building trust with parts that are not yet ready to open up. Both are valuable. The process is not linear, and I have learned not to measure a session’s worth by how much emotional movement happened.

How You Might Feel After an IFS Therapy Session

This varies, and I always encourage clients to notice without expectation. Some women leave a session feeling genuinely lighter – like something has shifted that they have been carrying for a long time. Others feel a little tender or reflective, particularly after making contact with a part that has been hidden away.

Occasionally a session stirs things up, and the real integration happens in the days that follow. I ask clients to be gentle with themselves after sessions – to allow some quiet time if possible, to journal if that helps, and not to over-schedule the afternoon.

What I hear most consistently is that IFS sessions feel different from other therapy. Not more difficult, necessarily – just more real. Like something is actually being addressed, rather than discussed.

What If I Am Sceptical?

Good. Scepticism is a perfectly sensible response to something unfamiliar, and I would rather you bring it into the room than leave it at the door. In IFS terms, scepticism is often itself a part worth getting curious about – and many of the most sceptical clients I have worked with have had some of the most meaningful experiences once they allowed themselves to try.

If you have had therapy before that felt superficial, or found that insight alone did not produce change, IFS may be worth exploring seriously. It asks something different of you – and it tends to offer something different in return.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to have done therapy before to try an IFS therapy session?

No. IFS works well as a first experience of therapy as well as for those who have done significant work before. In fact, women who come without strong prior therapy frameworks sometimes find the model particularly freeing – there are fewer habits to unlearn.

Will I be expected to visualise things?

Not necessarily. While some people access parts visually, many do not. Somatic experience – sensations in the body – is equally valid, as is simply having a felt sense or an internal knowing. I follow however your system communicates naturally.

Is an IFS therapy session the same as hypnotherapy?

No. You are fully present and conscious throughout. IFS involves turning attention inward, which can have a quietly focused quality, but you are always in control of the process. There is no trance state and no suggestion from the therapist.

How many IFS sessions will I need?

This depends on what you are bringing and what you are hoping to shift. Some women notice meaningful change within a few months. For those working with deeper or more complex material, the work unfolds over a longer period – and most find they do not want to stop once real movement begins. We can discuss what feels right for your situation when we first connect.

Curious About Working Together?

If reading this has made you want to experience an IFS therapy session for yourself, I would love to hear from you. I work exclusively with women, fully online, and I bring together IFS, Brainspotting, and an understanding of the physiological dimensions of mental health that most therapy does not address.

You can read more about how I work on here. If you are ready to take the next step, you are welcome to get in touch directly to ask a question or enquire about availability. I aim to respond to all enquiries within two business days.

The first session is often where it begins to make sense. You do not have to understand it fully before you try it.

Further Reading

IFS Therapy in Australia: A Guide for Women Who Are Ready to Go Deeper

IFS Therapy in Australia: A Guide for Women Who Are Ready to Go Deeper

by | Jan 20, 2026 | Therapy Tools & Methods, Working with Me

If you have been searching for IFS therapy in Australia, this guide is for you. You have probably spent years learning how to handle yourself. How to calm down, push through, stay composed, not need too much. And for a long time, it has worked – at least on the surface. But underneath, something still feels unsettled. Like there is a part of you that keeps getting in the way, no matter how much insight you have accumulated.

IFS therapy offers a different way of understanding that. Not as a flaw to be corrected, but as a system of inner parts – each with its own logic, its own history, its own role. And in Australia, it is one of the most sought-after approaches for women doing serious inner work.

This post is a thorough introduction to IFS therapy in Australia – what it is, how it works, and whether it might be what you have been looking for.

What Is IFS Therapy in Australia?

Internal Family Systems – IFS – is a therapeutic model developed by Dr Richard Schwartz in the 1980s. It is based on the idea that the mind is naturally multiple. We are not one unified self but a collection of inner parts, each carrying its own feelings, beliefs, and motivations.

You might recognise this in yourself. There is the part that wants to rest, and the part that says you cannot. The part that longs for deeper connection, and the part that stays guarded. The part that is exhausted by always being responsible, and the part that does not know how to stop.

IFS does not try to eliminate these parts or silence them. Instead, it helps you build a relationship with them — to understand what they are protecting you from and what they need in order to finally relax their grip.

At the centre of the IFS model is the concept of the Self – a core state of clarity, compassion, and calm that exists in every person, regardless of their history. The therapeutic work of IFS is essentially about helping the Self lead, rather than letting wounded parts run the show.

The Three Types of Parts

IFS identifies three categories of parts:

  • Managers – parts that work proactively to keep you functioning and protect you from pain. These are often the high-achieving, perfectionist, controlling parts. They keep life running, but at significant cost.
  • Firefighters – parts that react when pain breaks through. They act fast and without much nuance – overeating, scrolling, drinking, dissociating, snapping at people you love. Their only goal is to put out the fire.
  • Exiles – the vulnerable parts that carry the original wounds. Shame, grief, loneliness, fear. These parts are often hidden away because they feel too raw to be seen, but they are at the root of what the managers and firefighters are trying so hard to contain.

Understanding your own internal system through this lens can be genuinely revelatory. It shifts the question from ‘what is wrong with me?’ to ‘what happened to this part of me, and what does it need?’

Why IFS Therapy Is Different from Other Approaches

Most therapy models work with thoughts, behaviours, or narratives. You explore your patterns, understand where they came from, develop better coping strategies. That is valuable work. But for many women, insight alone does not move the needle. You can know exactly why you over-function in relationships and still be unable to stop.

This is where IFS works differently. It goes beneath understanding to direct experience. Rather than talking about your inner critic, you turn towards it – and have an actual conversation with it. Rather than analysing your anxiety, you get curious about the part of you that is anxious, what it is carrying, and what it is afraid will happen if it stops.

This is not a metaphor. It is a structured, evidence-informed process that produces real, lasting change – particularly for women who have already done significant intellectual and emotional work and are ready to go deeper.

What IFS Therapy Is Particularly Good For

IFS is a versatile model that has strong research support for trauma, but it is just as effective for the more diffuse patterns that many high-functioning women live with – the ones that do not look like trauma from the outside.

It tends to be particularly powerful for:

  • High-functioning anxiety – the kind that coexists with achievement and looks fine from the outside
  • Emotional exhaustion from carrying too much responsibility
  • Patterns of over-functioning in relationships
  • Perfectionism and the inner critic
  • Difficulty feeling settled or present, even when life looks good
  • Trauma – both single-incident and the more complex relational kind
  • Self-worth and identity, particularly during life transitions

What Does the Research Say About IFS?

IFS has a growing body of peer-reviewed research behind it. Studies have demonstrated its effectiveness for post-traumatic stress, depression, and physical health conditions including rheumatoid arthritis. A 2021 study published in the Journal of Aggression, Maltreatment and Trauma found significant reductions in PTSD symptoms and improvements in overall psychological wellbeing following IFS treatment. The model continues to be the subject of active clinical research, and the evidence base is expanding steadily.

The model also has a strong and growing international community of trained therapists, with rigorous training pathways across Levels 1, 2, and 3.

What to Expect from IFS Therapy in Practice

IFS sessions have a distinctive quality. They tend to move more slowly and more inwardly than traditional talk therapy. Your therapist will not be rushing to reframe your thinking or give you tools to manage your symptoms. Instead, you will be guided to turn your attention inward, notice what is present, and gradually get to know the parts that are there.

This can feel unfamiliar at first, particularly if you are someone who is more comfortable being analytical. But most people find that the experience quickly becomes intuitive. Parts communicate in different ways – through images, body sensations, words, emotions – and your therapist will help you find your own way of accessing them.

One of the most consistent things I hear from clients who come to IFS having tried other therapies is that it finally feels like they are getting somewhere. Not just understanding their patterns, but actually feeling them shift.

Is IFS Therapy in Australia Right for You?

IFS therapy in Australia tends to suit women who are psychologically minded, willing to turn inward, and ready for something more than symptom management. If you are someone who has done reading, perhaps tried therapy before, and knows there is something deeper going on that has not yet been reached – this model was built for exactly that.

It is also well suited to women who have had difficulty with therapy in the past. Because the model is non-pathologising and deeply respectful of each part’s protective function, it rarely feels confrontational or destabilising. The pace is led by you.

IFS and Brainspotting: A Powerful Combination

In my practice, I use IFS alongside Brainspotting – a body-based trauma processing method that works with the nervous system directly. The two approaches complement each other well. IFS helps clients understand and connect with their inner system. Brainspotting helps process what those parts are carrying at a physiological level, reaching the places that language alone cannot access.

For women dealing with complex trauma or deeply entrenched patterns, this combination can create a quality of change that feels genuinely different from anything they have experienced before.

Frequently Asked Questions About IFS Therapy

Is IFS therapy available online in Australia?

Yes. IFS works very well in an online format. The core of the work is internal, so the therapeutic relationship and the quality of the process are not diminished by working via video. Many clients across Australia access IFS therapy online, including those in regional and rural areas where specialist practitioners may not be locally available.

How long does IFS therapy take?

This depends on the depth of work and what you are bringing. Some people notice significant shifts within a few months. For those working with complex trauma or longstanding patterns, a longer therapeutic relationship tends to produce the most lasting results. IFS is not a quick-fix model – it is designed for real transformation.

Do I need to have experienced trauma to benefit from IFS?

Not at all. While IFS has strong evidence in trauma treatment, it is equally valuable for anxiety, burnout, perfectionism, relational difficulties, and identity work. Many of the women I work with do not identify as trauma survivors – they simply feel stuck in patterns they cannot shift through willpower or understanding alone.

What is the difference between IFS and parts work?

Parts work is a broader term used across several therapeutic modalities. IFS is the most structured and extensively researched of these models, with a specific framework, defined roles for different parts, and a clear therapeutic pathway. When people refer to parts work in a clinical context, they are most often referring to IFS or an approach closely informed by it.

Work with Sallyanne: IFS Therapy for Women in Australia

If something in this post has landed, I would welcome hearing from you. I work exclusively with women, fully online, bringing together IFS, Brainspotting, and an understanding of the physiological dimensions of mental health that most therapy approaches do not address.

You can read more about how I work and what to expect here. If you are ready to enquire, you are welcome to get in touch directly – I aim to respond to all enquiries within two business days. If you would prefer to go straight to booking, you can request a session through the contact page and we can find a time that works.

This kind of work is not about fixing yourself. It is about finally understanding the parts of you that have been working so hard – and offering them something different. If you are curious about whether IFS therapy might be right for you, I am glad you found your way here.

Further Reading

What Kind of Therapist Should I See for Anxiety in Australia?

What Kind of Therapist Should I See for Anxiety in Australia?

by | Aug 5, 2025 | Working with Me

What kind of therapist should I see for anxiety in Australia?

If you’re feeling anxious and unsure where to start, you’re not alone. The mental health system can feel confusing, with counsellors, psychologists, psychiatrists, and therapists all offering support in different ways.

If you’re feeling anxious and you’re ready for support, one of the first hurdles is surprisingly practical.

Who do you book with?

In Australia, people often search for a psychologist when what they really mean is someone qualified who can help me with anxiety. The good news is you have options.

This article will help you understand the common titles, what they generally mean, and how to choose someone who is a good fit for you.

What kind of help do you need from a therapist for anxiety?

Anxiety can show up in a lot of ways. You might be:

  • Overthinking and second-guessing everything
  • Feeling on edge in your body, even when life looks fine
  • Having panic symptoms or sudden spikes of fear
  • Avoiding situations because it all feels too much
  • Carrying a constant sense of dread, pressure, or self-doubt

If you relate to this experience, you may find it helpful to read my in-depth guide on High-Functioning Anxiety in Women: Why You’re Successful but Always On Edge, where I explore the deeper drivers behind constant internal pressure.

You don’t need the perfect label for your anxiety to start therapy. But it helps to know whether you’re looking for:

  • Practical tools for managing symptoms
  • Deeper work with patterns, emotions, and old experiences
  • Support with nervous system regulation and body-based stress
  • A steady relationship where you can be honest and work things through

What kind of therapist should I see for anxiety in Australia: Psychologist, counsellor or psychotherapist?

Psychologist

A psychologist is trained in assessment and therapy, and is registered with AHPRA.

Some psychologists provide Medicare rebates through a Mental Health Treatment Plan (from your GP). Some do not, depending on their setting and the type of service.

Counsellor

A counsellor is trained to support people through emotional and relational difficulties, stress, life transitions, and mental health concerns.

In Australia, counsellors are not registered with AHPRA, but many are members of professional bodies with standards and ongoing professional development requirements.

Psychotherapist

A psychotherapist is typically trained in longer-form, depth-oriented therapy. Psychotherapy often focuses on patterns, attachment, trauma, identity, and the underlying drivers of distress, not just symptom management.

Like counselling, psychotherapy in Australia is not AHPRA-registered, but many psychotherapists are members of professional bodies with strong clinical standards.

What matters more than the title

Titles can be useful, but they don’t tell you everything.

When you’re choosing someone for anxiety, the most important questions are usually:

  • Do I feel safe enough with this person to be honest?
  • Do they understand anxiety in a way that fits me (not just a one-size approach)?
  • Do they work in a way that feels grounded and ethical?
  • Do they have training and supervision that supports good clinical judgement?

Research consistently shows that the quality of the therapeutic relationship is a major factor in whether therapy helps.

Questions to ask before you book

If you’re unsure who to choose, these questions can help:

  • What’s your approach to working with anxiety?
  • Do you work online, and how do you support safety and privacy in sessions?
  • Do you work with panic, health anxiety, or trauma-related anxiety?
  • What does a typical first session look like?
  • How long are sessions, and how often do people usually come?

You’re not being difficult by asking. You’re doing good screening.

A note on psychologist searches

If you’ve been searching for a psychologist because that’s the word you know, it doesn’t mean you must see a psychologist.

Many people are looking for a particular kind of work: trauma-informed, relational, depth-oriented, and practical enough to support real life.

The right fit depends on what you need, what you respond to, and what kind of support helps you stay engaged.

How I work with anxiety

I’m a counsellor and psychotherapist offering 90-minute online psychotherapy sessions for women who are holding a lot together on the outside, while feeling anxious, overwhelmed, or disconnected inside.

My work is trauma-informed and non-pathologising. Depending on what you need, sessions may include:

  • Understanding the protective patterns behind anxiety
  • Body-based approaches to support nervous system regulation
  • Internal Family Systems (IFS) and Brainspotting when appropriate
  • Building practical capacity without turning your life into a self-improvement project

Frequently asked questions about seeing a therapist for anxiety in Australia

Do I need a referral to see a therapist for anxiety in Australia?

No. You can book directly with many counsellors and psychotherapists. If you would like to access Medicare rebates with a psychologist, you will usually need a Mental Health Treatment Plan from your GP.

Is a psychologist better than a counsellor for anxiety?

Not necessarily. What matters most is the therapist’s training, experience with anxiety, and whether you feel safe and understood in the therapeutic relationship.

How do I know if therapy is working?

You may notice small shifts first: feeling more regulated, less reactive, clearer in your thinking, or more able to respond rather than react. Therapy is often gradual rather than dramatic.

If you’d like to explore whether this is a fit, you can read more about my services or ask a question.

What would help you feel confident about choosing the right kind of support for your anxiety?

Is Online Therapy Effective for Anxiety?

Is Online Therapy Effective for Anxiety?

by | Jul 5, 2025 | Working with Me

If you’re considering therapy for anxiety, it makes sense to wonder whether online therapy for anxiety will actually help.

For many people, online therapy for anxiety can be genuinely effective. Not because it’s a quick fix or because anxiety is something to get rid of, but because meaningful change can still happen through a secure video session: a steady relationship, careful attention to patterns, and practical ways to work with what your nervous system is doing.

Anxiety isn’t the enemy

Anxiety is a normal human response. It’s part of how we notice threat, prepare, and protect what matters.

The problem usually isn’t that anxiety exists.

If you’ve ever wondered why anxiety shows up even when life looks stable, you may also find it helpful to read Why Do I Feel Anxious When Nothing Is Wrong?

It’s that it becomes too loud, too frequent, or too costly. It starts narrowing your life, draining your energy, or keeping you in constant self-monitoring.

If you relate to this experience, you may find it helpful to read my in-depth guide on High-Functioning Anxiety in Women: Why You’re Successful but Always On Edge, where I explore the deeper drivers behind constant internal pressure.

Therapy isn’t about removing a human capacity. It’s about helping anxiety return to a proportionate role, so you have more steadiness and choice.

What “effective”really mean?

When anxiety is involved, “effective”often means things like:

  • You understand what’s driving the anxiety, not just how to override it
  • You can recognise early signs and respond sooner
  • You have tools that help in the moment (without relying on them as the only answer)
  • Your body settles more easily after stress
  • You feel more choice in how you respond, rather than being pulled around by worry

It’s less about never feeling anxious again, and more about being able to live your life without anxiety running the whole system.

What does research say about online therapy for anxiety?

In Australia, telehealth therapy has become a standard and evidence-informed option for anxiety support.

Research over the past decade has consistently found that online therapy can be comparable to in-person therapy for many common mental health concerns, including anxiety.

What seems to matter most isn’t whether therapy happens on a screen or in a room. It’s the quality of the therapeutic relationship: feeling safe enough to be honest, feeling understood, and working with someone you trust.

Modalities like Internal Family Systems (IFS) and Brainspotting can be used effectively online when they’re applied thoughtfully and paced well. But the foundation is still the same: a steady, collaborative relationship that supports real change over time.

When online therapy for anxiety can be a good fit

Online therapy can work especially well if:

  • Your anxiety makes it hard to leave the house, drive, or be in public spaces
  • You’re time-poor and need therapy to fit around work, parenting, or caring roles
  • You live rurally or can’t access the kind of therapy you want locally
  • You feel more comfortable opening up from your own space
  • You want consistent support while travelling or living internationally

Many people find that being in their own environment actually helps. We can work with what’s real in your day-to-day life, not just what you can remember once you arrive at a clinic.

When might in-person therapy be better?

There are times when online therapy may not be the right starting point, or may need to be combined with other supports.

For example:

  • If you’re in immediate crisis or at risk of harm
  • If you need urgent medical support (for example, severe sleep disruption, panic that feels unmanageable, or significant weight loss)
  • If your home environment isn’t private or safe enough for sessions

In those situations, it can still be helpful to talk, but we’d want to make sure you also have the right level of support around you (GP, local services, crisis supports if needed).

How does online therapy for anxiety actually work?

I offer 90-minute online psychotherapy sessions for women seeking online therapy for anxiety who are holding a lot together on the outside, while feeling anxious, overwhelmed, or disconnected inside.

My work is trauma-informed and depth-oriented. Depending on what you need, sessions may include:

  • Helping you understand the protective patterns behind anxiety (rather than treating you like you’re broken)
  • Body-based work to support nervous system regulation
  • Approaches such as Internal Family Systems (IFS) and Brainspotting when appropriate
  • Practical tools you can use between sessions, without turning your life into a self-improvement project

Frequently Asked Questions

Is online therapy as effective as in-person therapy for anxiety?

For many people, yes. Research suggests that when the therapeutic relationship is strong and sessions are consistent, outcomes can be similar to in-person therapy. What matters most is fit, pacing, and feeling safe enough to engage honestly.

A simple way to decide

If you’re still unsure about the kind of support that would suit you, you might find this guide helpful: What Kind of Therapist Should I See for Anxiety in Australia?

A useful question is: Do I have enough privacy and stability to show up honestly for 90 minutes?

If yes, online therapy is often a very workable option.

If you’re unsure, you’re welcome to ask a question first.

If you’re considering online therapy for anxiety and would like to explore whether this is a fit, you can read about how I work, contact me with a question, or book a session when you feel ready.

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What would make online therapy feel like a safe and realistic next step for you?

Therapy for Women: Emotional Labour, Burnout and Being Unseen

Therapy for Women: Emotional Labour, Burnout and Being Unseen

by | Feb 25, 2025 | Women's Lives, Working with Me

Therapy for women often begins long before a crisis.

It begins in the quiet exhaustion that doesn’t look dramatic.

In the invisible responsibility no one else quite sees.

In the tension of holding everything together while appearing fine.

Many women carry more than they ever name.

Careers. Families. Expectations.

Emotional temperature. Household logistics. Relational stability.

And much of it is invisible.

The Invisible Work No One Sees

Women carry a mental and emotional load that rarely gets tracked.

The calendars. The birthday gifts.

The follow-up messages.

The remembering.

The anticipating.

The unpaid logistics.

The silent regulating.

The constant tending.

This kind of work rarely gets acknowledged, but it accumulates.

Over time, that invisible labour contributes to:

• Chronic stress

• Irritability

• Anxiety

• Emotional burnout

• Quiet resentment

I explore this more deeply in my writing on the invisible mental load and emotional labour in relationships, because this pattern is not individual weakness. It is structural and relational.

When “Looking Fine” Masks Something Else

Many of the women who seek therapy for women are functioning well by most standards.

They show up.

They perform.

They keep things moving.

But beneath that competence, there is often:

• Exhaustion

• Loneliness

• Feeling unseen

• A sense of carrying more than feels fair

Sometimes there is a history that shaped how they cope.

Sometimes the pressure just builds year after year.

Because it does not look like crisis, it often gets dismissed.

But high-functioning does not mean unaffected.

Why Therapy for Women Is Different

Therapy for women often includes conversations that are rarely centred elsewhere.

We look at:

• Emotional labour

• Boundary patterns

• Over-functioning

• Relational imbalance

• Identity shifts across life stages

According to Beyond Blue, women are more likely to experience anxiety and depression during periods of prolonged stress and life transition. When responsibility accumulates without restoration, the nervous system responds.

Therapy becomes a place to slow that pattern down.

Not to blame.

Not to pathologise.

But to understand.

Therapy for Women Who Are Strong, Not Falling Apart

I do not focus on women because they are fragile.

I focus on them because they are strong and often unsupported.

Not everyone who needs therapy is collapsing.

Some are simply tired of holding everything together.

They are thoughtful, capable and committed to growth.

But ready for something deeper than coping strategies.

They want:

• Real change

• Real connection

• Real self-understanding

Not just functioning.

Not just managing.

But recalibrating.

Common Reasons Women Seek Therapy

Women often reach out when they notice:

• Increased irritability

• Feeling constantly on edge

• Night-time waking or racing thoughts

• Disconnection in relationships

• Resentment they cannot easily explain

• Feeling stuck despite external success

These are not signs of failure.

They are signals.

Often, they are signs that emotional labour has been carried alone for too long.

You Do Not Have to Explain It Away

You do not need to justify why you feel tired, disconnected or quietly overwhelmed.

You carry so much.

That matters.

Therapy for women is not about proving something is wrong.

It is about recognising what has been carried and creating space for something different.

No woman should have to do that work alone.

Frequently Asked Questions About Therapy for Women

Why do women experience burnout differently?

Women often carry emotional labour and invisible mental load alongside professional roles. This combination increases chronic stress and reduces opportunities for recovery.

Is therapy for women different from general therapy?

Therapy for women often includes exploring relational patterns, emotional labour, boundaries and identity shifts that may not be addressed in generic approaches.

Do I need to be in crisis to seek therapy?

No. Many women seek therapy not because they are falling apart, but because they are tired of over-functioning.

Invitation to Connect

If you recognise yourself in this — the invisible load, the quiet exhaustion, the strength that goes unseen — therapy can offer space to pause and recalibrate.

You can learn more about working with me here.

Or reach out via my contact page to begin a conversation.

You deserve to feel supported, not only when it becomes unbearable, but precisely because you have carried so much for so long.