The Anxiety Specialist

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The Anxiety Specialist

I specialise in helping men and women battling anxiety to overcome their symptoms for good!

19/03/2026

When someone goes from “I can’t switch my thoughts off”
to “I feel calm again”…

That’s everything.

These are real words from real people over the last few weeks 👇

If this feels close to home, find out more at:
👉 https://anxietyspecialist.org/overcoming-anxiety/

18/03/2026

A few weeks ago, he came to me signed off work and completely overwhelmed.

Panic attacks.
Racing thoughts.
That constant spiral that felt impossible to switch off.

He said he didn’t feel like himself anymore — the focus had gone, the energy had gone, and that “bouncy, happy” version of him felt a long way off.

A few days ago, he shared these powerful words in the image👇

This isn’t about “managing” or "coping with" anxiety.

It’s about understanding your thoughts, changing your perspective, and getting back in control of how you feel.

If you’re reading this and thinking “this is me”… don’t wait until it gets worse.

Start here:
👉 https://anxietyspecialist.org/overcoming-anxiety/

Abi 🤍

14/03/2026

Sometimes a message lands in your inbox that makes you stop and smile (and maybe even a little tear to my eye!)

I reached out to someone a while ago when they were having a tough time, and we’ve reconnected and worked together since. Today he sent me this:

“Wow just wow!! But you have to take uber credit for getting me started and guiding me!! You seriously know your s**t! I’m eternally grateful.”

Messages like this mean so much to me.

Not because of the praise - but because it shows someone has started to understand their mind, regain perspective, and feel more in control again and it’s a privilege to see!

That change always belongs to the person doing the work… but I feel incredibly proud to walk alongside people while it happens 💜

05/03/2026

Let's talk about how thoughts turn into emotions...

Something happens - an experience/a thought/a situation
Your brain interprets it.
That interpretation creates a feeling.
That feeling drives a reaction/emotion.

The problem is that we skip recognising the interpretation step!

We only notice the end point emotion:
“I just felt anxious.”
“I don’t know why I reacted like that.”

But there was always a thought first.

If you don’t question the thought, the emotion feels like the reality.

And when emotions feel like truth, they feel powerful. But thoughts are not facts.

This isn’t about blaming yourself.
It’s about recognising your influence.

You have more influence than you think.

04/03/2026

What if the goal isn’t “calm down”?

What if the skill is catching the thought sooner?

When have you noticed your mind escalating?

03/03/2026

Why Peppa Pig is banned in our house 🐷🚫

And why I talk about her with my clients…

Peppa Pig is not welcome in our house.

Not because she’s loud.
Not because she’s pink.
Not even because of the snorting.

But because of her thinking.

Peppa is bossy.
She catastrophises.
She blames.
She gets cross when things don’t go her way.
She decides she’s right and everyone else is wrong.

And nobody ever really challenges her thinking.

Now before you panic — this isn’t about cartoon policing.

It’s about patterns.

As a psychologist (and a mum of two very opinionated small humans!), I’m always watching how thoughts become emotions… and how emotions become behaviour.

Peppa models something I see every single week in my clinic:

• “This isn’t how I expected it to go.”
• “That’s not fair.”
• “You’ve ruined it.”
• “I can’t cope.”
• “It shouldn’t be like this.”

Those thoughts create the feeling.
The feeling drives the reaction.

And if nobody slows the thinking down… it escalates.

This is why I don’t talk about “triggers”.
This is why I don’t talk about “your nervous system hijacking you”.

I talk about thinking, beliefs and emotional responses.

Because when we don’t recognise our thoughts escalating, it feels like our emotions are out of control.

But they’re not random.
They’re created.

And here’s the empowering bit…

If thoughts create emotions…
we can learn to spot them, question them, and change them!

That’s what I teach adults.
That’s what I teach leaders.
And yes… that’s what I teach my children.

Not:
“Calm down.”
Not:
“Stop overreacting.”

But:
“What were you telling yourself just then?”

Because that’s where the power is.

Peppa isn’t the problem.

Unchallenged unhelpful thinking is.

And when you start noticing your patterns,
when you understand the beliefs underneath (about coping, control, being right, being good enough),

You stop feeling at the mercy of your emotions.

You start feeling in control of your mind.

And that changes everything.

If you’re stuck in anxiety that feels like it “just happens” to you… It doesn’t.

And that’s good news!

Abi x
The Anxiety Specialist

Evidence-based anxiety support — helping you understand your mind and take back control.

01/03/2026

Enter March!

Anyone else suddenly want to throw open the windows (in between the rain showers), start reorganising cupboards and throw loads of stuff away?

Funny how spring highlights all the things we’ve been ignoring all winter.

Sometimes it’s not just the clutter in the cupboards — it’s the clutter in your mind too.

If you’re ready for a different kind of spring clean, read my March blog here:

https://anxietyspecialist.org/2026/03/01/spring-clean/

28/02/2026

Weekend Reminder 🤍

You are allowed to make time for yourself.

Not when everything is finished.
Not when everyone else is sorted.
Not when you’ve “earned it.”

Now.

Anxiety thrives on constant doing.
On hyper-responsibility.
On the belief that slowing down is selfish.

But here’s the truth:

Rest isn’t selfish.
Space isn’t indulgent.
Looking after yourself is not optional — it’s essential.

When you pause…
When you relax…
When you choose something that fills you up instead of drains you…

You don’t become less available to others.
You become more grounded. More patient. More you.

So this weekend, ask yourself:

✨ What would feel kind right now?
✨ What would help my mind relax, even slightly?
✨ What do I need — not what does everyone else need?

Even 20 minutes counts.

And if you’re realising that “self-care” feels impossible because your mind just won’t switch off — that’s not a personal failure. That’s a pattern. And patterns can change.

If you’re ready for more than bubble baths and temporary fixes, I offer evidence-based anxiety support that helps you understand your mind — and take back control.

You don’t have to stay stuck in survival mode.

🔗 Find out more about working with me here:

https://anxietyspecialist.org/product/the-steady-mind-programme/

Have a lovely weekend 🤍

25/02/2026

Managing isn’t working anymore

Be honest with yourself.

How long have you been managing this?

Deep breaths.
Podcasts.
Pushing through.
Telling yourself “it’s not that bad”.

And yet…

The inner voice still wakes you up.
The overthinking still runs the show.
The tension still sits in your chest.

Managing anxiety isn’t the same as transforming it.

Transformation requires structure.
It requires guidance.
It requires someone showing you what you can’t see alone.

That’s where real change happens.

24/02/2026

Comparison is keeping you stuck

We compare our insides to other people’s outsides.

Their calm.
Their success.
Their “coping”.

Meanwhile your inner voice is racing.

So you assume:
“They’re fine.”
“I’m the problem.”
“I should be better than this by now.”

That belief keeps anxiety alive.

Because if you think everyone else has it sorted…
you’ll keep trying to fix yourself alone.

You don’t need to cope better.

You need support that actually changes the pattern.

👉 Quick poll:
Do you ever feel like you’re faking it?
• Yes
• Always
• I’m learning not to

(And if you voted yes… you’re exactly who I work with.)

23/02/2026

Overthinking feels responsible, doesn’t it?

Like if you just analyse it one more time…
replay it once more…
prepare for every possible outcome…

you’ll finally feel safe.

But let’s be honest.

Has it ever actually made you feel safe?

Overthinking isn’t problem solving.
It’s your brain trying to predict danger so you don’t get caught out.

And it’s exhausting.

You don’t need more thinking.
You need a way to interrupt the loop.

That’s a skill.
And skills can be learned.

If you’re tired of living inside your head, keep reading this week.

13/02/2026

Why is it so easy to praise other people…
and so uncomfortable to speak kindly to ourselves?

We cheer everyone else on.
Then shrink when it’s our turn.

Self-love isn’t arrogance.
It isn’t indulgence.
It’s a relationship — and most of us were never taught how to have one with ourselves.

So today, try this:
speak to yourself like someone you genuinely care about.

And if you’re ready to deepen that relationship,
the Steady Mind Programme offers seven weeks of 1:1 support
to help you finally trust yourself again.
Find out more at: https://anxietyspecialist.org/product/the-steady-mind-programme/

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Uttoxeter
ST104EE

Telephone

+447730465855

Website

https://www.flowcode.com/page/anxietyspecialist

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About Us...

Chanya Emotional Health and wellbeing Services were created in 2020 by Abi Twomlow (BA Hons, PGCE, MSc, MBPsS, IAEBP) to offer a REAL solution to mental health for individuals, businesses and schools.

With a background in Primary Education, Abi retrained in Psychology and worked in mental health for several years before setting up Chanya Emotional Health and Wellbeing Services.

Chanya Emotional Health and Wellbeing Services offers specifically tailored courses to individuals, schools, and businesses that enable them to meet their highest potential and be the best version of themselves!

Using evidence-based research and psychological approaches such as applied positive psychology and metacognition our courses teach you how to create and maintain long-lasting mental wellbeing without the need for medication or therapy.