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Everyday nerves differ from worry that keeps disrupting sleep, work or relationships. Here is how to prepare for a first psychotherapy conversation with Christine.

Ordinary nerves or something more persistent?

Butterflies before a job interview or a hard conversation are part of being human. It is different when worry keeps returning, disturbs sleep night after night, or starts to shape which places you visit and which people you see. A racing heart, tight chest or unsettled stomach also deserves a proper look rather than being put down to anxiety every time, and your GP can help check for physical causes.

A calm space to talk it through

Many people know this website for hands-on relaxation and skin care, yet Dr Christine Shen, Acupuncturist, also holds qualifications in psychotherapy and offers talking therapy at the Lane Cove clinic. The setting is quiet and unhurried, which some people find makes a first conversation easier to begin.

You do not need to arrive with a label for what is happening. Instead, bring a few concrete examples:

• an activity or place you have started avoiding;
• a particular worry that keeps circling back;
• changes in sleep, appetite or concentration;
• things you have already tried, and what helped or did not.

From there, Christine can talk with you about which kind of psychological support may suit, and whether a medical assessment would be sensible alongside it.

Shaping the work around your priorities

Therapy should reflect what you care about. You might want to understand a pattern, feel steadier at work, or manage a specific situation that has become difficult. Discuss what feels hardest to change, how you would notice progress in everyday terms, and how often the approach will be reviewed. It is also reasonable to ask what happens if your needs shift between sessions, including who to contact.

If anxiety ever leaves you feeling unsafe, contact your GP or emergency services without delay.

Taking that first step can be as simple as writing down one recent moment when worry got in your way and bringing the note along to your appointment.