When panic takes over
A panic attack can come on suddenly and feel completely overwhelming, including a racing heart, difficulty breathing, dizziness, and a sense that something is seriously wrong. For many people, the experience is frightening enough that they begin to organise their life around avoiding another one.
You might recognise some of these:
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Sudden surges of intense fear or physical distress that seem to come out of nowhere
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A racing or pounding heart, shortness of breath, chest tightness, or dizziness during an episode
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A feeling of losing control, or that something terrible is about to happen
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Becoming hyperaware of your body between episodes, watching for signs that another one is coming
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Avoiding situations, public places, driving, being alone, in case you can't manage if one happens
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Feeling embarrassed or reluctant to tell people how much it's affecting your day-to-day life
Panic attacks are a real and distressing experience, but they're also one that responds well to the right kind of support.
What's happening during a panic attack
Panic attacks are the nervous system's threat response, the same physiological process that would help you react quickly in a genuinely dangerous situation, activating when there isn't an actual threat present.
For many people, this response becomes connected to past experiences. A difficult event, a period of prolonged stress, or an earlier experience that felt unsafe can leave the nervous system in a state of heightened alertness, primed to interpret certain situations, sensations or environments as dangerous, even when they're not.
This is why techniques that focus only on managing symptoms in the moment, including breathing exercises and grounding strategies, can help but don't always resolve the pattern. If the nervous system hasn't processed what's driving the response, it tends to keep activating.
EMDR works at that deeper level, helping the brain and body process the experiences that may be keeping the panic response active.
How EMDR can help with panic attacks
EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing) is a structured, evidence-based therapy that helps the brain process distressing experiences that haven't fully resolved, including those that may be contributing to panic.
Rather than focusing on managing panic attacks when they happen, EMDR works with the experiences and memories that the nervous system may still be responding to. Over time, this can reduce both the frequency and intensity of panic episodes, as well as the anticipatory anxiety and avoidance that often builds up around them.
The process is steady and structured; you won't be pushed into anything before you're ready, and stabilisation strategies are always built before any deeper processing begins.
What can we support
Nick works with adults experiencing a range of panic-related presentations, including:
Panic Attacks
Sudden, intense episodes of fear or physical distress, often without a clear or obvious trigger. These can happen in specific situations or feel completely unpredictable, which can make them particularly difficult to manage.
Avoidance and Withdrawal
A common response to panic is to start avoiding the situations, places or activities where an attack has happened, or where one feels possible. Over time this can become its own limitation, quietly shrinking the things a person feels able to do. EMDR can help address both the panic itself and the avoidance that's built up around it.
Panic Disorder
When panic attacks occur repeatedly and the fear of having another one starts to shape how you live, what you do, where you go, what you avoid. Panic disorder often develops gradually, and people frequently don't realise how much it's narrowing their world until they take a step back.
If you're not sure whether what you're experiencing fits one of these descriptions, that's okay, a discovery call is a good place to start.
What to expect from
EMDR Therapy
EMDR therapy at Mind The Way follows a clear and structured process. Nothing happens without you understanding what's involved and feeling ready to proceed.
We begin by taking time to understand your history and the concerns that have brought you to therapy. Before any memory processing begins, we build coping strategies and stabilisation skills to ensure you feel grounded and supported throughout.
From there, treatment is tailored to your individual presentation and delivered at a pace that feels manageable. Sessions are collaborative, where you remain informed and in control at every stage.
Our approach is:
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Clinically grounded and structured
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Calm, collaborative and never rushed
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Tailored to your individual history and needs
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Delivered at a pace that feels safe for you
Hi there and thanks for connecting! It’s great you’re putting yourself first in getting the support you need to function at your best. I'm an accredited EMDR practitioner, recognised by the EMDR Association of Australia (EMDRAA), with focused experience supporting adults experiencing panic and anxiety-related distress.
My approach is steady, structured and collaborative, where you'll always understand what we're doing and why, and we'll move at a pace that feels right for you.
I offer:
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In-person sessions in Caloundra, QLD
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Online therapy available across Australia
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Evening appointments available
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A free 15-minute discovery call to see if we're the right fit
Ready to take the next step?
If panic attacks are affecting your day-to-day life, a free 15-minute discovery call is a good place to start. It's a chance to ask questions, understand the process, and get a sense of whether this approach and working with Nick feel like the right fit.
There's no obligation to proceed, and no pressure to have it all figured out before you get in touch.