Break the cycle of overthinking and persistent worry with tailored, evidence-based support.
It’s natural to feel worried from time to time. But when that worry becomes persistent, excessive, and difficult to control, even about about everyday things like health, work, relationships, or money, it may be a sign of Generalised Anxiety Disorder (GAD).
At Rose Park Psychology, we work with children, teenagers, and adults experiencing GAD to help them break the cycle of chronic worry, manage physical symptoms, and regain a sense of calm and control in their day-to-day lives.
What Does GAD Feel Like?
People with GAD often describe feeling “on edge” or as though their mind never switches off. Common signs include:
- Excessive worry about various aspects of life, even when there’s no immediate threat
- Restlessness or feeling keyed up
- Difficulty concentrating or making decisions
- Muscle tension, headaches, or jaw clenching
- Trouble sleeping or staying asleep
- Constant need for reassurance
- Fatigue or irritability
GAD can impact many areas of life, including school, work, relationships, and overall wellbeing. It often leads to burnout, fatigue, sleep difficulties (including insomnia), fatigue, and even school refusal in children and teens. It’s also common for GAD to co-occur with other conditions such as depression, social anxiety, or health anxiety.
What Causes GAD?
There’s no single cause of GAD. It often develops due to a combination of biological, psychological, and environmental factors, including:
- Family history of anxiety or mental health conditions
- Long-term stress (e.g. work demands, caregiving, academic pressure)
- Perfectionistic or all-or-nothing thinking patterns
- Chronic illness or physical health issues
- Past trauma or adverse experiences
Our psychologists work with you to explore the underlying patterns that keep worry going, such as catastrophising, intolerance of uncertainty, and excessive future-focused thinking, and support you in developing new ways to respond.
How We Help at Rose Park Psychology
Effective treatment for GAD involves learning how to manage your thoughts, emotions, and physical responses to worry. Our psychologists use a combination of evidence-based approaches, tailored to your age, needs, and goals:
- Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) – to identify and challenge unhelpful thought patterns and build problem-solving confidence
- Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) – to reduce the struggle with anxious thoughts and help you stay grounded in your values
- Mindfulness-based interventions – to strengthen present-moment awareness and reduce mental overactivity
- Psychoeducation – to understand how anxiety works and learn how to manage it
- Lifestyle support – improving sleep, nutrition, movement, and daily structure to regulate stress
Resources to Support your Progress
Therapy is the most effective way to reduce excessive worry and promote long-term emotional wellbeing. However, many people find additional value in practising small daily strategies between sessions, such as worry scheduling, thought tracking, or grounding techniques, which your psychologist can guide you through.
You may also wish to explore reliable mental health resources to complement your therapy:
These resources can reinforce the work you’re doing in therapy and offer added support between appointments.
Book a session today
You don’t have to manage constant worry alone. With the right support, many people learn to feel more at ease, less reactive, and more in control of their thoughts.
Contact our friendly team or book an appointment online to speak with a psychologist experienced in treating GAD. We provide both in-person therapy in Adelaide and telehealth sessions across South Australia and beyond.
