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Stress and Overwhelm

When life runs hot for too long, everything starts to blur – work, family, health, expectations. You might notice tension in your body, poor sleep, irritability, slipping motivation, or avoiding things because you’re already at capacity.

I’m a qualified and accredited therapist with over 15 years’ clinical experience in NHS Talking Therapies services and private practice, specialising in high-intensity CBT and Interpersonal Psychotherapy (IPT) for stress, overwhelm and related difficulties. My approach is warm and practical: we’ll map what’s driving the overload and make space for steadier days.

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Together, we’ll untangle the pressures you’re facing and how they interact with your mood, habits and relationships. We’ll create simple, sustainable steps – clearer priorities, kinder self-talk, steadier routines, boundaries that protect your time, and calmer communication – so you can lower the noise, regain a sense of control, and make space for energy and connection again.

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Is this you?

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  • “Always on” with no real off-switch

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  • Tight jaw/shoulders, headaches, shallow breathing

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  • Restless sleep or wired-and-tired nights

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  • Snapping at loved ones or avoiding tricky chats

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  • Decision fatigue; procrastination followed by frantic catch-up

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  • Feeling guilty when you rest, but too drained to do more

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Why it sticks


Too many demands → urgency + perfectionism → skip recovery →

more errors/irritability → fire-fighting → even less time/energy

 

We’ll make your loop visible so we can reduce demands, adjust standards, and add real recovery—not just “try harder”.

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How I help

  • Pressure map: a clear picture of your load (tasks, rules you live by, hidden “shoulds”)
     

  • Prioritising that works: value-led goals, “must/should/could” sorting, and done-for-now standards
     

  • Boundaries & scripts: simple phrases to protect time and manage expectations
     

  • Energy routines: micro-breaks, movement, and wind-down habits you’ll actually use
     

  • Thinking traps: spotting all-or-nothing and “I must do it all” beliefs—and replacing them with workable alternatives
     

  • Procrastination to progress: tiny first steps and time-boxing to get momentum back

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What sessions look like

  • Session 1–2: understand your pressure points, agree goals, find quick wins
     

  • Between sessions: small experiments that fit your week (no perfection needed)
     

  • Online via Microsoft Teams
     

  • Pace: steady, compassionate, and realistic

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Tools we may build together

  • A one-page weekly plan (priorities, limits, recovery blocks)
     

  • A 2-minute reset for in-the-moment calm (breath + body + focus)
     

  • A boundary toolkit: scripts for saying no, renegotiating deadlines, and asking for help
     

  • A sleep wind-down (screens off, cueing routine, stimulus control basics)
     

  • A “good-enough” checklist to loosen perfectionism without dropping quality

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FAQs

Will therapy just add more to my plate?

No. We keep it light and targeted—tiny actions that reduce pressure, not add to it.
 

How many sessions will I need?

Some people feel a shift in 4–6 sessions; others prefer longer. We’ll review together.


Do I need a diagnosis to start?

No. If stress is impacting life, that’s enough reason to get support.
 

Next steps

  • Send me a message with a line about what’s most stressful right now and when you’re free.
     

  • I’ll reply within 24 hours with times for a brief, no-obligation chat.
     

  • If it feels right, we’ll book your first session and start creating breathing room.

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