Physical symptoms
- Palpitations or a racing heart
- Shortness of breath or changed breathing
- Dizziness or feeling light-headed
- Trembling, sweating or chills
- Chest pressure or tense muscles
Do you regularly struggle with intense anxiety, physical tension or panic attacks? Maybe you are constantly on alert for signals from your body, afraid that something serious will happen or that you will lose control.
With Nadia El Amrani, psychologist, you learn to understand how anxiety and panic develop, and how avoidance, control and reassurance seeking unintentionally keep the symptoms alive. With a personal treatment plan, you work step by step toward more confidence and freedom.
Anxiety is a normal reaction to danger. In anxiety and panic disorders, however, the alarm system reacts strongly even when there is no immediate danger.
Anxiety is a natural reaction that helps you recognize danger and respond to it. Your body prepares to fight, flee or freeze: your heart rate rises, your breathing changes and your muscles tense.
In an anxiety disorder, this reaction is stronger or more frequent than needed. You can feel tense for long periods, worry a lot or avoid situations out of fear that something will go wrong. The anxiety can focus on your health, social situations, travel, crowded places or other specific circumstances.
A panic attack is a sudden wave of intense anxiety with strong physical sensations. Because these sensations can feel so overwhelming, people sometimes think they will faint, lose control or have a serious physical problem.
During a panic attack, bodily signals are often interpreted as dangerous. A racing heart, for example, can be seen as proof that something is wrong. That thought increases the fear, which makes the physical reactions even stronger. This is how the anxiety cycle begins.
Anxiety and panic can show up physically, mentally and in your behavior. Not everyone experiences exactly the same symptoms.
Anxiety and panic usually have no single clear cause. They often arise from a combination of predisposition, stressful events and the way you respond to anxiety. When you start avoiding fearful situations or constantly try to stay in control, the anxiety can unintentionally keep itself alive.
Long-term tension, overload or burnout can make your body’s alarm system more sensitive, so anxiety appears more quickly.
A traumatic experience, a loss, an illness or another overwhelming event can trigger anxiety symptoms or panic attacks.
Bodily signals such as palpitations or dizziness can be interpreted as dangerous, which increases the anxiety even more.
Avoiding situations seems to reduce anxiety temporarily, but your brain never gets the chance to learn that the situation is actually safe.
Constantly checking your heart rate, always looking for an exit or endlessly seeking reassurance can actually strengthen the anxiety.
Some people are more sensitive to developing anxiety symptoms. That does not mean recovery is not possible.
Treatment focuses not only on reducing anxiety symptoms, but also on breaking the patterns that keep the anxiety alive. This way you regain trust in yourself and in your body.
During the first consultation we carefully map out which anxiety symptoms you experience, when they started and which situations you have begun to avoid. We also examine which thoughts and behaviors unintentionally keep the anxiety alive.
Treatment uses scientifically proven methods, such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), exposure, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and, when anxiety is linked to a traumatic experience, EMDR. Treatment is always tailored to your symptoms, your pace and your personal situation.
You learn that physical anxiety reactions are not dangerous in themselves and, step by step, you rebuild trust in your own ability to cope with tension. The goal is not to never feel anxiety again, but to prevent anxiety from running your life.
You learn to understand how anxiety and panic arise and why the symptoms keep repeating.
Together we examine thoughts such as "I will have a heart attack", "I will lose control" or "I cannot handle this".
Through exposure you practice step by step with situations you have started to avoid, so your brain learns again that they are safe.
With ACT techniques you learn to make room for tension without letting it decide what you do or do not do.
You learn to recognize early warning signs and develop skills to cope with anxiety in the long term.
Anxiety and panic can make your world smaller and smaller. That is why it is important to treat not only the symptoms, but also the processes that keep the anxiety alive. Together we work on lasting recovery, so you can do what matters to you again.
Broad experience in treating anxiety disorders, panic disorder, social anxiety, health anxiety and other anxiety-related difficulties.
Treatment based on CBT, exposure, ACT and, when needed, EMDR, depending on your needs.
Consultations available in French, English and Moroccan Arabic (Darija), online, wherever you are.
Treatment is tailored to your personal situation, background, values and goals. No standard program, but truly personal care.
Amsterdam and online
FR · EN · AR · Darija
CBT · EMDR · ACT
Personal and goal-oriented
Anxiety and panic can make your world smaller and smaller. With the right treatment it is possible to break this vicious circle and stand in daily life again with more confidence, freedom and calm. You are welcome for a first consultation online.
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