Insights and articles.
Practical, evidence-based writing on anxiety, trauma, therapy, and the everyday work of looking after your mental health.
Recent writing.
Trauma & EMDR · 10 min readThe 8 Phases of EMDR Therapy, Step by Step
EMDR therapy follows eight phases, from history and preparation to reprocessing, closure and reevaluation. This guide explains what happens in each step, how the phases fit across your sessions, what Australian guidelines say, and how to start with a GP and a trained psychologist.
Read article
Anxiety & CBT · 9 min readCan Anxiety Be Cured, or Only Managed?
Many people wonder whether anxiety can ever be cured or only managed. This guide explains remission, recovery and relapse, how the answer differs by type of anxiety, what treatment can realistically change, and how to start getting support in Australia.
Read article
Anxiety & CBT · 10 min readWhen Anxiety and Depression Happen Together
Anxiety and depression often show up together, and it can be hard to tell which one is driving. This guide explains how the two overlap, what Australian data shows, signs to act on, and how to begin with your GP and a registered psychologist.
Read article
Anxiety & CBT · 9 min readBreathing Exercises for Anxiety That Actually Work
Breathing exercises for anxiety may ease how anxiety feels in your body, but they are a coping skill, not a treatment. This guide gives four step-by-step techniques, explains when breathing can backfire, and shows how to get support through your GP and a registered psychologist.
Read article
Anxiety & CBT · 9 min readThe Difference Between a Psychologist and a Counsellor for Anxiety
Not sure whether to book a psychologist or a counsellor for anxiety? This guide explains how each is regulated and trained, how Medicare rebates apply, and which questions to ask before you book, so you can choose with more confidence.
Read article
Anxiety & CBT · 10 min readHow to Support a Partner With Anxiety
Supporting a partner with anxiety is hard when nothing you try seems to land. This guide covers what to say, what to ease off, how to encourage professional support, and how to look after yourself, with Australian pathways through your GP and Medicare.
Read article
Anxiety & CBT · 9 min readHealth Anxiety in the Age of Symptom-Googling
Googling a symptom can start as a quick check and end in hours of worry. This article explains cyberchondria, why searching can backfire, and five steps to try when the urge hits. It also covers when to see a GP and how a registered psychologist can help.
Read article
Anxiety & CBT · 10 min readIs Anxiety Genetic, Learned, or Both?
Anxiety often runs in families, but that does not mean it is written in your genes. This article explains what Australian research says about genetics, learned habits and life events, why they usually work together, and how to start with a registered psychologist.
Read article
Anxiety & CBT · 12 min readGrounding Techniques for When Anxiety Peaks
Anxiety can peak fast, and it is hard to think clearly when it does. This guide shares five simple grounding techniques you can try, explains which suit different moments, covers when grounding does not help, and outlines when to talk to a GP or psychologist.
Read article
Anxiety & CBT · 13 min readThe Link Between Anxiety and Overthinking
Overthinking is not a diagnosis, but it often goes hand in hand with anxiety. This guide explains how the two feed each other, five skills that may help, and when to talk to a GP or psychologist in Australia.
Read article
Anxiety & CBT · 14 min readPerfectionism and Anxiety: When High Standards Hurt
High standards can quietly turn into anxiety, self-criticism and burnout. This article explains how perfectionism develops, the signs to watch for, and how Australians can access psychologist support through Medicare.
Read article
Anxiety & CBT · 12 min readManaging Anxiety at Work Without Burning Out
Anxiety at work can build quietly until it affects your sleep, focus and confidence. This guide covers practical coping strategies, how to talk to your manager, and how Australia's Medicare system supports access to a psychologist when you need extra help.
Read article
Anxiety & CBT · 12 min readWhy Avoidance Makes Anxiety Worse Over Time
Avoidance brings fast relief, but it quietly trains your brain to see feared situations as more dangerous, not less. Here's why anxiety avoidance backfires over time, what the Australian data shows, and what genuinely helps.
Read article
Anxiety & CBT · 10 min readExposure Therapy: Facing Fear Without Being Overwhelmed
Exposure therapy is a structured, evidence-based treatment that helps you face feared situations gradually rather than avoiding them. This guide explains how a fear hierarchy is built, the different types of exposure used, and what a session actually involves.
Read article
Anxiety & CBT · 12 min readWhat a Panic Attack Really Feels Like (and What Helps)
A panic attack can feel like a heart attack, but it isn't dangerous and it does pass. This guide explains what a panic attack feels like, how it differs from panic disorder, and the grounding techniques and treatment options that genuinely help, including how Medicare rebates work in Australia.
Read article
Anxiety & CBT · 11 min readCognitive Distortions: The Thinking Traps That Fuel Anxiety
If your mind keeps jumping to the worst outcome, a cognitive distortion might be behind it. This guide explains ten common thinking traps that fuel anxiety, how to spot them, and simple steps to start questioning them for yourself.
Read article
Anxiety & CBT · 9 min readThe Anxiety Cycle and How to Break It
Anxiety often follows a repeating pattern of trigger, worry, and avoidance that brings short-term relief but keeps the cycle going. This article explains the five stages behind it, why avoidance makes anxiety harder to shake, and what evidence-based approaches can help you gradually break the pattern.
Read article
Anxiety & CBT · 8 min readWorry vs Anxiety: Is There Actually a Difference?
Worry and anxiety can feel similar, but they're not the same. This article explains the key differences, when ordinary worry may have become an anxiety disorder, and what support looks like in Australia, including Medicare rebates and how to get a referral to a psychologist.
Read article
Anxiety & CBT · 10 min readHow CBT Rewires Anxious Thinking, Explained Simply
Anxious thinking can feel automatic and hard to shift. This guide explains how CBT works in plain English, what a typical course looks like, and how Medicare can help cover the cost for people across Australia.
Read article
Anxiety & CBT · 8 min readPhysical Symptoms of Anxiety You Might Not Recognise
Racing heart, jaw pain, or a stomach that never settles. The physical symptoms of anxiety often go unrecognised until they are connected to the mind. Here is how to spot them, and what to do next.
Read article
Anxiety & CBT · 9 min readGeneralised Anxiety Disorder: When Worry Never Switches Off
Persistent, hard-to-control worry that won't switch off could be generalised anxiety disorder. Here's how to tell the difference from everyday stress, what treatment involves, and how Medicare rebates work for psychology support in Perth and WA.
Read article
Anxiety & CBT · 7 min readWhat Is CBT and How Does It Help Anxiety?
A plain-English explanation of Cognitive Behaviour Therapy: the anxiety cycle, what happens in a session, and why it is so widely recommended.
Read article
Anxiety & CBT · 5 min read5 Signs It Might Be Time to See a Psychologist for Anxiety
There is no severity threshold for therapy. Five signs worth taking seriously, and the one thought that keeps most people waiting too long.
Read article
Anxiety & CBT · 6 min readTherapy, Medication, or Both? Understanding Your Options for Anxiety
A balanced overview of what the research shows, so you can have a better-informed conversation with your GP. Not a recommendation either way.
Read article
Therapy & Getting Started · 6 min readHow Many Therapy Sessions Do You Actually Need?
The honest answer: it depends. Here is what it depends on, what the research suggests, and how Medicare's ten rebated sessions fit in.
Read article
Trauma & EMDR · 8 min readWhat Is EMDR Therapy and How Does It Work?
A therapy that sounds implausible until you understand the mechanism. The eight phases explained, what a session feels like, and what it treats.
Read article
Trauma & EMDR · 7 min readSigns of Unresolved Trauma in Adults
Unresolved trauma does not always look like flashbacks. A careful, non-diagnostic look at how it can quietly shape adult life.
Read article
Trauma & EMDR · 6 min readEMDR vs Talk Therapy for Trauma: Which Is Right for You?
How they differ, what each does well, and why the choice is less either-or than it appears. Most trauma work draws on both.
Read article
Trauma & Anxiety · 6 min readIs It Trauma or Anxiety? Understanding the Difference
From the inside they can feel identical, but the treatments differ. Where each is pointing, and why the distinction changes what helps.
Read article
Therapy & Getting Started · 6 min readFinding the Right Psychologist in Fremantle: A Practical Guide
How to choose a psychologist in Fremantle: checking registration, matching the approach to the problem, the questions worth asking, and the one factor that matters most.
Read article
Therapy & Getting Started · 6 min readHow Medicare Mental Health Care Plans Work
The main way Australians access subsidised psychology. How to get a plan, how the six-plus-four sessions structure catches people out, and what you will actually pay.
Read article
Therapy & Getting Started · 5 min readWhat Your First Psychology Session Actually Feels Like
The honest version: the ten minutes before, the fears people rarely mention, what the hour actually feels like, and how you might feel afterwards.
Read article
When reading is not enough.
If something you have read here resonates and you would like to talk it through properly, Jacob is available for individual sessions in East Fremantle and by telehealth across Western Australia. You can book an appointment or get in touch with a question.