Does any of this sound familiar?

• Worrying that a symptom means something serious.

• Checking your body repeatedly for changes.

• Searching for health information and feeling more frightened afterwards.

• Finding it difficult to feel reassured, even after an appointment or test.

• Feeling anxious about needles, examinations, procedures or test results.

• Putting off healthcare appointments because you dread them.

• Feeling distressed by memories of an illness, treatment or hospital experience.

• Worrying about someone else’s health, particularly after a frightening experience.

Or perhaps it is healthcare itself that feels frightening. Booking an appointment, having a blood test or walking into a hospital can leave you feeling overwhelmed.

These worries can take up a surprising amount of your time and energy. You may know that the anxiety feels out of proportion, but knowing that does not make it easy to switch off.

I offer a calm, understanding space to talk about what is happening and find ways to make it more manageable.

You do not need a diagnosis, or to be at a crisis point, to ask for support. If these worries are affecting your life, that is enough.

Health anxiety and medical anxiety

Health anxiety is often a fear of being seriously ill or becoming unwell. You might notice a sensation, worry about what it means and become increasingly alert to every change in your body. Checking and reassurance can bring temporary relief, only for the worry to return.

Medical anxiety is more about the experience of healthcare. You might fear needles, examinations, treatment, hospitals or feeling out of control. Sometimes this follows a difficult experience. Sometimes there is no obvious starting point.

You may experience both. You may also have a diagnosed health condition and find that anxiety adds another layer of difficulty.

Counselling is not about dismissing your symptoms or telling you that everything is “just anxiety”. It is about helping you with the worry, fear and uncertainty you are carrying.

When a medical experience stays with you

An illness, procedure or hospital stay can affect you long after the immediate situation has passed. So can witnessing someone close to you go through frightening treatment.

If you felt helpless, unheard or unsure what was going on you might now feel on edge around healthcare, avoid reminders or find that memories return when you least expect them. You do not have to decide whether your experience was “bad enough” to deserve support. We can start with how it has affected you.

How I can help

My approach is person-centred: it is your experience and your priorities that guide our work. We can talk things through and use practical tools where they are helpful. There is no set script and no expectation that you will be ready to tackle everything at once. Instead, we just start very simply with what feels the most important to you.

Our work together might include:

• Making sense of your fears and any experiences behind them.

• Understanding what happens when anxiety builds.

• Exploring checking, reassurance seeking or avoidance without judging yourself.

• Finding practical ways to manage moments of distress.

• Preparing for appointments and thinking about what would help you feel heard.

• Taking manageable steps towards healthcare you have been putting off.

• Making more room for everyday life alongside uncertainty.

A counsellor with a nursing background

I am Mara Fraser, an accredited counsellor and registered nurse.

My nursing background gives me an understanding of healthcare settings and how vulnerable people can feel within them. As a counsellor, I offer space for the emotional impact: the fear, uncertainty, loss of control and feelings that can be difficult to explain to other people.

You do not need to minimise how you feel or worry about being seen as difficult.

Counselling supports the emotional side of health worries and healthcare experiences. It does not replace medical assessment or treatment

Rewind therapy

Where a particular memory or phobia is part of the difficulty, we can also discuss whether Rewind therapy might be suitable.

Rewind is an approach I offer for trauma-related distress and phobias. It does not require you to describe the distressing experience to me in detail. We would talk about what it involves and whether it fits your needs before deciding together.

What to expect

You are welcome to begin with a free 15-minute introductory call. This gives you a chance to tell me a little about what you are looking for, ask questions and see how you feel about working with me.

Counselling sessions last 60 minutes and cost £55. I offer appointments online and in-person in Glastonbury, Somerset.

You do not need to prepare anything or have the right words. We can start wherever you are.