Anxiety Counselling in Bolton

If worry has started to run your days, you don’t have to keep managing it on your own. I offer private counselling for adults who feel anxious, on edge or unable to switch off, in a quiet therapy room at Douglas House in Bolton, or online.

You don’t need a diagnosis, and you don’t need to explain it perfectly. We can start with whatever is happening for you now.

Book a free introductory call WhatsApp me

Free introductory call
£50 for 60 minutes
In person, online or outdoors

Recognising anxiety

What anxiety can look like day to day

Anxiety doesn’t always look like panic. Often it’s quieter, and easy to explain away. People describe things like:

Your mind keeps running, especially at night
Going over conversations before and after they happen
Saying yes when you’d rather say no, then worrying you’ve let someone down
Feeling you have to get everything right, and do it quickly
A constant sense of being on edge, without knowing why
Putting off plans, calls or situations that used to feel manageable
Looking calm on the outside while working hard to hold it together
Always putting other people’s needs first

Many people wait until things feel “serious enough”, or worry they’d be wasting a counsellor’s time because someone else has it worse. You don’t need to wait. Counselling can help at the point where your usual ways of coping aren’t keeping up with everyday life.

Andrea’s perspective

When old ways of coping stop working

“They fall into old patterns of behaviour and they realise it’s not serving them now.”Andrea Long

People often come to counselling when the ways they’ve always coped stop working. Patterns that once helped you get by, such as keeping the peace, trying harder, getting things exactly right or rushing to be ready, can start to cost more than they give.

I work with Transactional Analysis (TA), which gives us simple language for this. TA describes common “drivers”: please others, try hard, be perfect and hurry up. They usually develop for understandable reasons, often as a way of being liked or accepted. When they’re running the show, it’s easy to feel you’re never quite doing enough.

TA also talks about different parts of us. Something small in the day can leave you feeling young, fearful and scared, the part TA calls the Child. Recognising when that’s happening is often the first step towards responding differently.

How Transactional Analysis Therapy works

In sessions

What counselling for anxiety may involve

Every person’s counselling is different, and there’s no set order. Depending on what you bring, sessions may involve some of the following.

Everyday moments
Start with an ordinary moment
You don’t have to arrive with a full explanation. We can begin with something that happened that day: a message you put off answering, a meeting that left you wound up. How you handled it can tell us a great deal about how you cope.
Feelings
Notice and name the feeling
Anxiety often moves fast. In sessions we slow it down, so you can begin to recognise what you’re feeling as it happens, rather than only afterwards.
Patterns
Make sense of the pattern
Together we look at where a pattern came from and what it may be protecting you from, with curiosity rather than blame.
Responses
Practise a steadier response
The aim is to respond more often from the grounded, here-and-now part of you that TA calls the Adult: making informed decisions, feeling more confident and setting boundaries that protect your time and energy.

“It is a process and it’s giving the client the tools to deal with everyday situations…”Andrea Long

This isn’t a quick fix. We go at a pace that suits you, because everybody’s story is different. The number of sessions varies depending on what you would like to work on. We can discuss this during the introductory call.

Progress

What progress can look like

Progress with anxiety is rarely a straight line, and no counsellor can promise particular results. When counselling helps, the changes are often practical. You may find you:

notice sooner when worry is building
make decisions with more confidence
say no, or not yet, with less guilt
put your own needs on the list, not always at the bottom
handle everyday situations without the same old fear

A first step

Not sure whether counselling is right for you?

You don’t need to make a big decision now. The free introductory call is a chance to tell me a little about what’s happening, ask any questions and see whether working together feels right.

Arrange a free introductory call

Prefer to start with a message? WhatsApp me

Free introductory call
No obligation to book
Sessions are £50 for 60 minutes

Ways to meet

Where we can meet

In person · Bolton BL1

Face-to-face counselling in Bolton

A private, quiet room at Douglas House on Belmont Road, with free parking nearby. Press button 3 when you arrive.

Visiting the room

Andrea’s therapy room at Douglas House in Bolton, with two armchairs and a window

Anywhere in the UK

Online Counselling

If leaving the house feels like a hurdle right now, you can start from somewhere familiar, at the same £50 fee.

Explore online sessions

Outdoors

Walk and Talk Therapy

Some people find it easier to talk side by side than face to face. We agree a location in advance, weather permitting.

Explore walking sessions

Andrea Long, counsellor and psychotherapist

Who you’ll be talking to

I’m Andrea Long

“Everybody has an individual and unique story and journey in life.”

I’m a BACP-registered counsellor and psychotherapist (MBACP 414595). I work using Transactional Analysis and see adults in Bolton, online and outdoors. My preference is to work in person, and I’ll always go at a pace that feels manageable for you.

More about Andrea

Questions

Questions about anxiety counselling

For general questions about starting counselling, see what to expect.

Do I need a diagnosis of anxiety to come?

No. You don’t need a diagnosis, a GP letter or the right words for what you’re feeling. If worry, fear or overthinking is affecting your everyday life, that’s enough to get in touch.

What if I feel anxious about the first call?

That’s very common. The introductory call is free and relaxed, and you’re welcome to tell me at the start that you’re nervous. If a phone call feels like too much, you can begin with a short WhatsApp message instead.

What kind of counselling is best for anxiety?

There isn’t one approach that suits everyone. Some people prefer structured, skills-based therapy; others want to understand the patterns underneath. I offer Transactional Analysis, which looks at how you’ve learned to cope and how to respond differently. The introductory call can help you decide whether that feels right for you.

Can I self-refer for counselling in Bolton?

Yes. You can contact me directly, with no referral needed. You can also refer yourself online to Bolton Talking Therapies, the free NHS service for people aged 16 and over in Bolton.

How many sessions will I need?

The number of sessions varies depending on what you would like to work on. We can discuss this during the introductory call.

Can I have counselling for anxiety online?

Yes. Online sessions are available to adults anywhere in the UK, at the same £50 fee as face-to-face sessions. More about Online Counselling

What if my anxiety feels severe or overwhelming?

Counselling isn’t an emergency service. If you feel mentally unsafe or severely distressed, you can call NHS 111 and choose the mental health option, any time of day or night. If there’s an immediate risk to life, or you need urgent physical care, call 999 or go to A&E. Samaritans are also available free on 116 123.

Free intro call

Anxiety Counselling in Bolton

What anxiety can look like day to day

When old ways of coping stop working

What counselling for anxiety may involve

Start with an ordinary moment

Notice and name the feeling

Make sense of the pattern

Practise a steadier response

What progress can look like

Not sure whether counselling is right for you?