Phobias
A phobia is an intense (usually excessive) fear that occurs in the presence of an animal, object, or situation. Phobias are very common and most people can manage in their lives without ever seeking treatment because when they are not in front of the feared stimulus, they are not thinking about it. This works so long as it does not seem to cause any significant disruptions in your life.
Phobias are very common and are generally fairly simple to treat. People generally only come to get treatment for phobias when they ‘have to’. For instance, if you fear snakes and live in the city, your phobia is unlikely to ever get triggered.
However, phobias can cause problems when people do need to come into contact with the feared object / situation – like having a fear of flying (Or like Shane Warne’s phobia of spiders)! Having a fear of flying is a very common phobia, and can be problematic if you need to fly for work or pleasure. A quick-fix may be to take a sedative, but this may leave you feeling groggy, and this does not actually get rid of the Anxiety. Similarly, avoiding spiders – or having others ‘deal with’ the spider so you do not have to – may reduce your anxiety in the short term, but it does not actually eliminate your anxiety.
More debilitating phobias include:
Having an extreme fear of an activity, object or situation due to a past unresolved trauma that gets in the way of you being able to function or live a meaningful life. This is definitely something to seek professional help for because it is unlikely that the fear will resolve itself untreated, and worse – it may generalize to other situations that are not currently threatening. For instance, sometimes people who have had a serious car accident can develop fears about being in cars that can later generalize to being in any vehicle (bus, train, ferry, or even escalator or lift).
Other common phobias include: having a fear of driving over specific things such as bridges (fear of heights) or driving through tunnels (Claustrophobia). Or, a fear of leaving the house or being in open or public spaces (Agoraphobia). Note. A fear of having a Panic Attack is different to a specific phobia – but it is also treatable (see here).
Treatments for phobias, trauma and anxiety are very effective and include Exposure (ERP), Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT), and Acceptance & Commitment Therapy (ACT). Read more about these treatments here.
I can help you with all Anxiety Disorders and can help you get your life back on track. If you would like to contact me, I would love to hear from you. I am a PhD Clinical Psychologist with over 10 year’s experience trained in Mindfulness & Compassion Focused Therapies.
To book in a session with me:
I will typically respond to you within 12-24 hrs.
Resources
To read more about ‘What is Anxiety?’
Access free self-help resources here
What is Mindfulness?
Calm yourself with this powerful breathing technique
Learn about your Brain’s 3 Emotion Regulation Systems
Understanding the Physiology of Self-Criticism
Other Anxiety Disorders:
- Intense excessive worry about social situations (Social Anxiety Disorder)
- Persistent, excessive or unrealistic worries (Generalized Anxiety Disorder)
- Obsessive thoughts and repetitive behaviours that you can’t seem to control (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder)
- Panic attacks (Panic Disorder)
- Upsetting memories and agitation or numbness following a traumatic event that interferes with ability to function in life (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder).
I can help you with all Anxiety Disorders and can help you get your life back on track. If you would like to contact me, I would love to hear from you. I am a PhD Clinical Psychologist with over 10 year’s experience trained in Mindfulness & Compassion Focused Therapies.
To book in a session with me:
I will typically respond to you within 12-24 hrs.
Resources
To read more about ‘What is Anxiety?’
Access free self-help resources here
What is Mindfulness?
Calm yourself with this powerful breathing technique
Learn about your Brain’s 3 Emotion Regulation Systems
Understanding the Physiology of Self-Criticism
Other Anxiety Disorders:
- Intense excessive worry about social situations (Social Anxiety Disorder)
- Persistent, excessive or unrealistic worries (Generalized Anxiety Disorder)
- Obsessive thoughts and repetitive behaviours that you can’t seem to control (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder)
- Panic attacks (Panic Disorder)
- Upsetting memories and agitation or numbness following a traumatic event that interferes with ability to function in life (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder).
Understanding Covid-19 Vaccine Hesitancy
We are all faced with a forced-choice: Get vaccinated, or risk being infected. Some people are more challenged by this than others. This page draws on the official data to explore the risk-to-benefit (for both choices), and discusses the psychological processes involved in vaccine hesitancy, denial, and conspiracy beliefs.
How to Get the Most Out of Therapy
Are you new to therapy? Working with a psychologist is very different to visiting a doctor. Learn what to expect and learn how you can get the most out your therapy experience, here.
How Your Attachment Style Affects Your Emotion Regulation & Relationships
Our earliest attachments with parents and caregivers shape our abilities and expectations for relationships throughout life. Early attachment experiences impact on a child’s developing brain, and can result in protective behaviours and difficulties with emotion regulation that can continue into adulthood. Learn about attachment and how you can recover from the wounds of your past, here.
Processing Traumatic Experiences with EMDR Therapy
EMDR Therapy is a unique and powerful approach that can free you from the pain of the past. Developed over 30 years ago to treat Trauma, EMDR Therapy now has far-reaching applications and is useful whenever memories are causing a person significant physical, or psychological upset.
Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs)
Toxic stress from ACEs can change the brain, effectively narrowing our Window of Tolerance and making us susceptible to chronic mental health and medical conditions. Effects of toxic stress can be passed on intergenerationally, but can also be significantly lessened by protective factors. Learn about ACEs and what you can do to help yourself, here.
Your Window of Tolerance
Your Window of Tolerance is the zone of arousal in which you are able to function most effectively. The size of your Window of Tolerance depends on how much you can tolerate mild fluctuations in mood, energy levels, and the challenges and demands of life, whilst remaining in the Optimal Zone. Lean to work with your Window of Tolerance, here.
Towards vs Away Moves: Get Clear on What You Want
Are you stuck making the same choices over and over, even though this is not helping you move towards what you want in life? Learn practical ways to decide what is most important to you and how to keep yourself on track, here.
Your Brain’s 3 Emotion Regulation Systems
The majority of mental health problems relate to an imbalance of 3 very important systems. From anxieties about the future, or shame and rumination about the past; to attacking one’s self for our failures with harsh self-criticism. There is no peace when being driven by Threat! Learn how to soothe your Threat system so that you can comfort, soothe & support yourself.
Your Brain’s Threat System
Your threat system is designed to protect you from danger. It is about SURVIVAL! However, excessive threat can overwhelm us and can spiral into hopelessness & self-criticism. Learn about how to manage your threat system here.
Negative Thinking – What your poor brain doesn’t know…
When we are on ‘autopilot’ we are often unaware that our mind’s focus can be threatening and that this is contributing to psychological distress. Conversely, the information from our 5 senses is generally an untapped haven of calm, soothing, stillness and peace – Learn how you can use this knowledge to your advantage to free yourself from overthinking.
The Physiology of Self-Criticism
Self-criticism activates the threat system and is a common problem across all mental health difficulties. Learn about the powerful effects of self-criticism on your emotions, your brain, and your physiology. Also learn about your most powerful antidote: Self-compassion.
Compassion – A brief overview
Compassion is one of the most beneficial things from psychological science that you can learn – but unfortunately it is also poorly misunderstood. Compassion does NOT mean ‘being nice’ or ‘having empathy’ – This article will discuss what compassion is and how it can help you reduce your suffering.
The Benefits of Self-Compassion
Self-compassion is one of most helpful (but most difficult) of all psychological skills. Self-compassion can help you work with difficult feelings such as anger and intense shame or harsh self-criticism, and unlike your inner-critic, self-compassion can help you soothe and nurture yourself when you are at your most distressed. However, often due to our upbringing and due to commonly held myths around it – self-compassion is typically misunderstood, feared, avoided or blocked. Learn what self-compassion is, how it gets blocked, & how you can help yourself, here.
Fears, Blocks & Resistances to Compassion
Compassion requires awareness, immense courage and specific skills. However, often due to our emotional learning, many of us react with fears, blocks & resistances. Learn about why this is, and how you can allow more of this light in.
Dealing with Your ‘Inner-Critic’
‘Self-talk’ is great when it helps us – but self-criticism can be painful and destructive! If you speak to yourself in judgmental, shaming, self-critical, or hurtful ways – this is likely the voice of your ‘inner-critic’. Learn helpful ways of responding to your ‘inner-critic’ here…
What is Mindfulness ?
Mindfulness can increase self-awareness, can help you self-regulate & can help you choose how best to respond to challenging situations. But Mindfulness is hugely misrepresented and many false claims abound. Although mindful awareness is essential, Mindfulness alone is not enough. Learn what Mindfulness is, how to make use of it, and what else you need in order to make positive changes, here…
Mindfulness & Your DNA
People who engage in a regular mindfulness practice are more likely to process (than avoid) their emotions, and report less stress and increased happiness. The benefits of regular mindfulness practice can now be measured at the DNA level. Take a closer look here.
Common Obstacles in Learning Mindfulness
People encounter common obstacles when trying to learn Mindfulness. You can save yourself time, effort & frustration by understanding and planning for these difficulties. Enjoy the maximal benefits of Mindfulness with least amount of effort, here.
Guided Mindfulness Audio Exercises
Access guided Mindfulness exercises here. Increase your awareness, improve your resilience. Learn how to respond (vs react). Cultivate inner-peace, now.
Soothing Rhythm Breathing
Many clients report that this breathing technique is one of the most helpful emotion-regulation skills that they learn in therapy. Learn to quickly deactivate your ‘fight/flight’ response & activate your soothing system with this powerful breathing technique.
Heart Rate Variability & Mental Health
Heart Rate Variability (HRV) is a measure of your ability to handle psychological stress. Low HRV is related to negative emotions such as anger, depression, anxiety, rumination, and self-criticism. Learn about HRV and how you can easily improve it and increase your ability to handle stress and difficult emotions, here.
How to Get a Good Night’s Sleep
Having trouble sleeping? Poor sleep increases irritability, reduces concentration & can negatively affect our mood. Use the following tips to improve your sleep today!
The Mental Health Benefits of Nature
Nature is good for our mental and physical health. Exposure to Nature can have powerful restorative effects that promote recovery from physiological and psychological stress. Discover ways you can immerse yourself in nature, and cultivate a state of mind that is most receptive to its benefits.
Understanding Covid-19 Vaccine Hesitancy
We are all faced with a forced-choice: Get vaccinated, or risk being infected. Some people are more challenged by this than others. This page draws on the official data to explore the risk-to-benefit (for both choices), and discusses the psychological processes involved in vaccine hesitancy, denial, and conspiracy beliefs.
How to Get the Most Out of Therapy
Are you new to therapy? Working with a psychologist is very different to visiting a doctor. Learn what to expect and learn how you can get the most out your therapy experience, here.
How Your Attachment Style Affects Your Emotion Regulation & Relationships
Our earliest attachments with parents and caregivers shape our abilities and expectations for relationships throughout life. Early attachment experiences impact on a child’s developing brain, and can result in protective behaviours and difficulties with emotion regulation that can continue into adulthood. Learn about attachment and how you can recover from the wounds of your past, here.
Processing Traumatic Experiences with EMDR Therapy
EMDR Therapy is a unique and powerful approach that can free you from the pain of the past. Developed over 30 years ago to treat Trauma, EMDR Therapy now has far-reaching applications and is useful whenever memories are causing a person significant physical, or psychological upset.
Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs)
Toxic stress from ACEs can change the brain, effectively narrowing our Window of Tolerance and making us susceptible to chronic mental health and medical conditions. Effects of toxic stress can be passed on intergenerationally, but can also be significantly lessened by protective factors. Learn about ACEs and what you can do to help yourself, here.
Your Window of Tolerance
Your Window of Tolerance is the zone of arousal in which you are able to function most effectively. The size of your Window of Tolerance depends on how much you can tolerate mild fluctuations in mood, energy levels, and the challenges and demands of life, whilst remaining in the Optimal Zone. Lean to work with your Window of Tolerance, here.
Towards vs Away Moves: Get Clear on What You Want
Are you stuck making the same choices over and over, even though this is not helping you move towards what you want in life? Learn practical ways to decide what is most important to you and how to keep yourself on track, here.
Your Brain’s 3 Emotion Regulation Systems
The majority of mental health problems relate to an imbalance of 3 very important systems. From anxieties about the future, or shame and rumination about the past; to attacking one’s self for our failures with harsh self-criticism. There is no peace when being driven by Threat! Learn how to soothe your Threat system so that you can comfort, soothe & support yourself.
Your Brain’s Threat System
Your threat system is designed to protect you from danger. It is about SURVIVAL! However, excessive threat can overwhelm us and can spiral into hopelessness & self-criticism. Learn about how to manage your threat system here.
Negative Thinking – What your poor brain doesn’t know…
When we are on ‘autopilot’ we are often unaware that our mind’s focus can be threatening and that this is contributing to psychological distress. Conversely, the information from our 5 senses is generally an untapped haven of calm, soothing, stillness and peace – Learn how you can use this knowledge to your advantage to free yourself from overthinking.
The Physiology of Self-Criticism
Self-criticism activates the threat system and is a common problem across all mental health difficulties. Learn about the powerful effects of self-criticism on your emotions, your brain, and your physiology. Also learn about your most powerful antidote: Self-compassion.
Compassion – A brief overview
Compassion is one of the most beneficial things from psychological science that you can learn – but unfortunately it is also poorly misunderstood. Compassion does NOT mean ‘being nice’ or ‘having empathy’ – This article will discuss what compassion is and how it can help you reduce your suffering.
The Benefits of Self-Compassion
Self-compassion is one of most helpful (but most difficult) of all psychological skills. Self-compassion can help you work with difficult feelings such as anger and intense shame or harsh self-criticism, and unlike your inner-critic, self-compassion can help you soothe and nurture yourself when you are at your most distressed. However, often due to our upbringing and due to commonly held myths around it – self-compassion is typically misunderstood, feared, avoided or blocked. Learn what self-compassion is, how it gets blocked, & how you can help yourself, here.
Fears, Blocks & Resistances to Compassion
Compassion requires awareness, immense courage and specific skills. However, often due to our emotional learning, many of us react with fears, blocks & resistances. Learn about why this is, and how you can allow more of this light in.
Dealing with Your ‘Inner-Critic’
‘Self-talk’ is great when it helps us – but self-criticism can be painful and destructive! If you speak to yourself in judgmental, shaming, self-critical, or hurtful ways – this is likely the voice of your ‘inner-critic’. Learn helpful ways of responding to your ‘inner-critic’ here…
What is Mindfulness ?
Mindfulness can increase self-awareness, can help you self-regulate & can help you choose how best to respond to challenging situations. But Mindfulness is hugely misrepresented and many false claims abound. Although mindful awareness is essential, Mindfulness alone is not enough. Learn what Mindfulness is, how to make use of it, and what else you need in order to make positive changes, here…
Mindfulness & Your DNA
People who engage in a regular mindfulness practice are more likely to process (than avoid) their emotions, and report less stress and increased happiness. The benefits of regular mindfulness practice can now be measured at the DNA level. Take a closer look here.
Common Obstacles in Learning Mindfulness
People encounter common obstacles when trying to learn Mindfulness. You can save yourself time, effort & frustration by understanding and planning for these difficulties. Enjoy the maximal benefits of Mindfulness with least amount of effort, here.
Guided Mindfulness Audio Exercises
Access guided Mindfulness exercises here. Increase your awareness, improve your resilience. Learn how to respond (vs react). Cultivate inner-peace, now.
Soothing Rhythm Breathing
Many clients report that this breathing technique is one of the most helpful emotion-regulation skills that they learn in therapy. Learn to quickly deactivate your ‘fight/flight’ response & activate your soothing system with this powerful breathing technique.
Heart Rate Variability & Mental Health
Heart Rate Variability (HRV) is a measure of your ability to handle psychological stress. Low HRV is related to negative emotions such as anger, depression, anxiety, rumination, and self-criticism. Learn about HRV and how you can easily improve it and increase your ability to handle stress and difficult emotions, here.
How to Get a Good Night’s Sleep
Having trouble sleeping? Poor sleep increases irritability, reduces concentration & can negatively affect our mood. Use the following tips to improve your sleep today!
The Mental Health Benefits of Nature
Nature is good for our mental and physical health. Exposure to Nature can have powerful restorative effects that promote recovery from physiological and psychological stress. Discover ways you can immerse yourself in nature, and cultivate a state of mind that is most receptive to its benefits.
Dr Andreas Comninos
PhD Clinical Psychologist & Board Approved Supervisor
I am a warm and compassionate PhD Clinical Psychologist with over 10 years’ experience. My aims are to help you feel safe and respected while listening carefully for stuck patterns and unexpressed needs, and to help you resolve your struggles by teaching you new ways of responding to the challenges in your life.
My expertise is in tailoring the latest evidenced-based treatments to people’s specific needs, and in teaching practical skills to enable people to take actions that will enable them to live more meaningful lives. This includes helping people to clarify their values (i.e., what is most important?), helping people identify what is getting in the way (strong emotions, the mind, and unhelpful behaviors), and helping to people understand how psychology can help (i.e., what to do about it!).
I provide therapy in person at several locations and offer Telehealth consultations for people in remote areas. Depending on your requirements, we can also arrange for me to visit you. If you are eligible, Medicare rebates at the highest level apply with the appropriate paperwork.
For immediate self-help, I have written practical articles containing tools to help you with a wide-range of topics. This will introduce you to some of the ways that we might work together and are available here.
Dr Andreas Comninos
Clinical Psychologist & Board Approved Supervisor
B.Psych (Hons), PhD (Clin Psych), ACBS, MAPS
Dr Andreas Comninos
PhD Clinical Psychologist & Board Approved Supervisor
B.Psych (Hons), PhD (ClinPsych), ACBS, MAPS
About me.
I am a warm and compassionate PhD Clinical Psychologist with over 10 years’ experience. My aims are to help you feel safe and respected while listening carefully for stuck patterns and unexpressed needs, and to help you resolve your struggles by teaching you new ways of responding to the challenges in your life.
My expertise is in tailoring the latest evidenced-based treatments to people’s specific needs, and in teaching practical skills to enable people to take actions that will enable them to live more meaningful lives. This includes helping people to clarify their values (i.e., what is most important?), helping people identify what is getting in the way (strong emotions, the mind, and unhelpful behaviors), and helping to people understand how psychology can help (i.e., what to do about it!).
I provide therapy in person at several locations and offer Telehealth consultations for people in remote areas. Depending on your requirements, we can also arrange for me to visit you. If you are eligible, Medicare rebates at the highest level apply with the appropriate paperwork.
For immediate self-help, I have written practical articles containing tools to help you with a wide-range of topics. This will introduce you to some of the ways that we might work together and are available here.