Driving Anxiety

TESTIMONIALS

CBT for anxiety driving a car after an accident

I am currently preparing a relapse prevention plan with Sarah and I cannot believe I have come so far in such a short time. Before starting this, I was 100% cynical about CBT and doubted it would work for me personally. I had heard from some people I know that CBT hadn’t worked for them. 

I am amazed at the mental and physical changes in me. It has improved my relationship with my husband, especially in the car! My issues because of the accident had been causing a huge strain in our relationship. I am now able to drive in and around the area of the crash and I have no ill feelings about it. 

Before the first meeting I was really nervous. I didn’t know if it was going to be like a classroom. I even imagined it might be like an interrogation environment, all compact and dark with a spotlight looking at me. Within seconds of being there, Sarah put me at ease. I felt like I could say anything and it felt a safe environment. 

(Female, aged 30)

CBT for the treatment of anxiety and depression following a car accident

I was scared to start CBT because I didn’t want to open up and I dreaded talking about the accident.

After 5 sessions I noticed a real difference even though I had stopped my anti-depressants, because I became pregnant. It surprised me how well I coped coming off the medication. 

I am now confidently driving again. Sarah has helped me so much. I even applied what I learnt to deal with a previous trauma which no longer haunts me.  I feel a better and stronger person. I’m glad that the accident happened so that I could work with Sarah. 

(Female, aged 33, December 2019)

CBT for Travel Anxiety

I found myself avoiding driving and before this I was a very confident driver. I was having sleepless nights and thoughts of the accident were consuming me. I was very anxious as a passenger and even on public transport. 

To my total surprise the therapy has been amazing. This past week for the first time I have driven every day with no problems whatsoever. I no longer feel anxious as a driver, passenger or on public transport. Thoughts of the accident rarely cross my mind and if they do, I hardly notice them. 

The therapy has proved me wrong and I thank Sarah. 

(Female, aged 46, February 2020)

CBT and EMDR treatment for panic attacks whilst driving and heightened anxiety

I came to see Sarah following a severe panic attack whilst driving and finding myself in a state of constant anxiety. This heightened anxiety was not typical for me but had quietly built up over a period of approximately a year, without me fully realising. I didn’t know what to expect from CBT but Sarah put me at ease instantly and explained everything very clearly.

Over a course of sessions, we looked at what was maintaining my heightened anxiety level. We successfully reduced this and I now only experience anxiety when appropriate.

I mentioned to Sarah that the memory of the panic attack was still vivid and I could still recall physically how it felt. At this point I was still avoiding driving any significant distance and was sticking to local journey. The mere thought of driving could incite the same symptoms. Using EMDR we were successfully able to neutralise the memory of the panic attack. I am now returned to my status as a confident driver.

Female, aged 45 (September 2019)

CBT for anxiety driving a car after an accident.

I am currently preparing a relapse prevention plan with Sarah and I cannot believe I have come so far in such a short time. Before starting this, I was 100% cynical about CBT and doubted it would work for me personally. I had heard from some people I know that CBT hadn’t worked for them. 

I am amazed at the mental and physical changes in me. It has improved my relationship with my husband, especially in the car! My issues because of the accident had been causing a huge strain in our relationship. I am now able to drive in and around the area of the crash and I have no ill feelings about it. 

Before the first meeting I was really nervous. I didn’t know if it was going to be like a classroom. I even imagined it might be like an interrogation environment, all compact and dark with a spotlight looking at me. Within seconds of being there, Sarah put me at ease. I felt like I could say anything and it felt a safe environment. 

(Female, aged 30)

CBT for the treatment of anxiety and depression following a car accident

After my car accident my insurance company provided 9 sessions of CBT with Sarah to help with my increased anxiety and the reoccurrence of my depression. I was scared to start CBT because I didn’t want to open up and I dreaded talking about the accident.

After 5 sessions I noticed a real difference even though I had stopped my anti-depressants, because I became pregnant. It surprised me how well I coped coming off the medication. 

I am now confidently driving again. Sarah has helped me so much. I even applied what I learnt to deal with a previous trauma which no longer haunts me.  I feel a better and stronger person. I’m glad that the accident happened so that I could work with Sarah. 

(Female, aged 33, December 2019)

CBT for travel anxiety

Before I started the sessions with Sarah I was very cynical about CBT.  I came to see her following a car accident where I was stationary and hit from behind. I was very surprised about how much the accident affected me in every day life. I found myself avoiding driving and before this I was a very confident driver. I was having sleepless nights and thoughts of the accident were consuming me. I was very anxious as a passenger and even on public transport. 

To my total surprise the therapy has been amazing. This past week for the first time I have driven every day with no problems whatsoever. I no longer feel anxious as a driver, passenger or on public transport. Thoughts of the accident rarely cross my mind and if they do, I hardly notice them. 

The therapy has proved me wrong and I thank Sarah. 

(Female, aged 46, February 2020)

Treating PTSD with EMDR and CBT following a bad car accident

After being in a bad car accident, I was in a mess. I was diagnosed with PTSD.  The diagnosis made me feel better however I could not figure out how not to have PTSD.  I simply did not know how to feel better. My solicitor recommended some therapy and I came to see Sarah for some EMDR and CBT.

I thoroughly enjoyed the treatment. It was good to start with exploring what was maintaining my symptoms, as I could begin to see how I could break the cycle. The CBT techniques are helpful and I have used them in other areas of my life. The EMDR was fascinating. One part of the memory had been continually affecting me with nightmares and flashbacks. I thought I would never get past this. The EMDR really helped as the nightmares and flashbacks are gone. In fact, I have to really work hard to remember the incident, which is such a relief. I have now moved on with my life. 

(Male aged 38, Jan 2019).

Trauma-Focused CBT following a tragic accident

I first came to see Sarah 18 months after being involved in a horrific accident. In this accident, which was not my fault a motorcyclist was killed. I struggled with the trauma of this on my own, not realising how badly affected I had become. I finally sought help and came to see Sarah in 2018. 

When I started therapy I was in a really black hole and I could not see any light at the end of the tunnel. After a few sessions, during which I often thought ‘how is this going to help’, I began to see light at the end of the tunnel. A few sessions further in, we began processing the trauma itself. After only a couple of sessions of this, I felt that a light had actually been switched on. I was out of the dark, dark space. Actually it seemed fairly miraculous. 

So at the conclusion of the treatments, I feel 100% recovered. 

(Female, aged 58).

CBT for the treatment of travel anxiety following a car accident

I used to be a very confident driver. I thought nothing of driving cars of all sizes and vans. Then I had an accident where I was hit from behind when I was stationary. I was shocked to find this accident affected me so much, because I had been so confident. 

I went to see a doctor regarding my physical symptoms and I broke down into tears, which is uncharacteristic of me. I told him I had been sleeping badly, having dreams about the accident which were waking me up and I was avoiding travelling on the road where the accident occurred. Plus, I felt anxious in a car. The doctor suggested therapy. 

When I started CBT, I thought it would never work. Instead, it has proved to be fantastic. It has had helped me massively in just 8 weeks. My confidence has returned.  The dreams stopped after the first session.  I now drive on the road where the accident happened without thinking about it.

I can’t thank Sarah enough for all her help.

(Female, aged 43).

CBT for the treatment of travel anxiety and anger following an accident

After an initial assessment, CBT was recommended for me. I didn’t think therapy would benefit me in any way. I thought people who needed therapy were weak. I went to the first session quite closed minded about the whole thing. But after meeting Sarah for the first time, she made me feel very relaxed and I found myself opening up to her much easier than I thought I would. It surprised me how much talking I actually did.

The practical techniques Sarah taught me gave me a completely different perspective on all the thoughts about the accident I was experiencing.  We used a trauma processing technique, that enabled me to see the negative aspects of the accident which I had been focussing on, in a more positive way. My anxiety and anger have decreased significantly. I am extremely grateful for Sarah’s professional and personable approach. 

(Female, aged 46)

Trauma-Focussed CBT following a car accident

Having had some sessions of CBT with Sarah as a result of being in a car accident, I feel a different person. Sarah made me feel relaxed from the start and her approach is very warm and understanding. The therapy was ideal for me as we started slowly and built up to the point where I could talk about the accident in detail and then finally let it go properly. I can laugh and have fun again. I am enjoying life to the full with my family rather than being frightened to get in a car. I would definitely recommend Trauma-Focussed CBT. 

(Female, aged 58)

CBT for travel anxiety and low mood

Sarah really helped me to move forward with many things such as driving confidently again and reducing my procrastination. My car accident resulted in difficulties that affected many areas of my life and it was hard to overcome the emotional strain it had caused. Sometimes you don't realise how much something is affecting you without help from a third party. I now feel happier, more productive and able to acknowledge and reduce my road anxiety. Even though our sessions have been completed, the resources Sarah provided me with remain useful and accessible to me at anytime.

(Female, aged22)

CBT following a car accident

I didn't realise I needed any help until it was offered to me.  I just thought it was normal to feel anxious after a car accident but I didn't realise how bad my symptoms were until it was pointed out to me that I could do with some help to get over the impact of the accident. I had become a different person without knowing it. I put off driving and was a frightened passenger. I kept thinking I will get over it soon, but in reality this wasn't happening. 

I found the CBT has worked wonders for me. It has set me up for life because I had learnt some great techniques in how to manage my worrying and anxiety. I am back to being a normal driver and a better passenger. It is all thanks to Sarah.

(Female aged 35)

CBT for travel anxiety and depression following a car accident

I was in a car accident as a passenger. Having been in the Services for most of my life, I thought the discipline of mind I had, would help me cope with what happened.  Unfortunately, it didn’t work this time and I went into a downhill spiral of despair and this affected my personal life. I stopped taking care of myself properly and lost my self-respect. This impacted on my partner as she saw me neglecting myself. I was heading towards a dark place with no visible signs of being able to counteract it. 

My insurance company provided me with some therapy and I came to see Sarah for some CBT sessions. My problem came in two parts. On the one hand, I had been trying to suppress memories of the accident and on the other hand I was over-analysing aspects of it.  Sarah helped me deal with both parts and helped me put my life into perspective. 

During the period of our sessions, I experienced some upsetting and challenging life events. Having regained my self-discipline and self-confidence, this gave me the strength to cope and support others. 

(Male aged 70)

I came for CBT sessions nearly 2 years after my accident. My symptoms seemed to be getting worse and worse. I was stuck in the past dwelling on what had happened to me and I couldn’t find a way to move on. I felt very anxious and depressed. As the months went by I felt more and more anxious and depressed.  I had flashbacks every day, felt irritable and slept badly.  I felt trapped in a vicious cycle.

Through CBT I have learnt to manage and significantly reduce my feelings of anxiety. I no longer feel depressed. I have learnt how to deal with flashbacks and intrusive thoughts about the accident.  I am now able drive past the scene of the accident without it bothering me.  I feel confident to drive long distances and I have actually started to enjoy driving once again.

I actually feel happier and more confident than I did before the accident. I have learnt some amazing techniques on how to focus my attention and concentrate in all areas of my life. 

(Female aged 27)