Join the Authentic Movement event with Dr Hillary McBride on Friday, October 18, 7:30pm, at Elgin Hall in South Surrey.
If you’ve found your way here, chances are you or someone you care about has felt the sudden, overwhelming wave of a panic attack. Maybe it started with a racing heart, tight chest, or a dizzy disconnected feeling. Maybe it came out of nowhere, leaving you terrified and unsure if you were losing control. And now, a quiet fear lingers: what if it happens again? If this sounds familiar, please know that you are not alone, and this can be changed. Panic attacks can be disorienting and deeply unsettling, but healing is possible. At Love This Therapy, we offer a compassionate and grounding space to help you understand what’s happening, reconnect with your inner resilience, and feel safe in your body again.
Schedule your free intake call to ensure we're a good fit!
Panic attacks are intense episodes of fear or discomfort that peak within minutes. While they can look different from person to person, some of the most common symptoms include:
These symptoms can be so intense that many people end up in the emergency room believing they’re having a heart attack. The experience is real and so is the relief that comes with understanding what’s happening and how to treat it.
Panic attacks don’t just disrupt your life for a few minutes; they can disrupt your entire sense of safety and well-being. Many people begin to fear situations where an attack might happen, leading to avoidance behaviours that shrink their world. You might stop going to the grocery store, turn down social invitations, or feel unable to drive, travel, or speak in public. The unpredictability of panic can lead to constant hypervigilance, sleep disruptions, and low self-esteem. It can also impact relationships, work, and overall quality of life. Over time, the fear of the fear itself can become more debilitating than the attacks. But it doesn’t have to stay this way. With the right support and tools, your world can expand again.
The causes of panic attacks can be complex and layered. Sometimes they’re triggered by acute stress, trauma, or a specific phobia. Other times, they seem to come out of the blue. For some, panic attacks are linked to past experiences where the body and brain learned to associate certain sensations or situations with danger. For others, they may stem from chronic anxiety, unresolved grief, or physiological imbalances. Genetics, brain chemistry, and temperament can all play a role. What’s important to know is this: panic attacks are a response to a perceived threat, not a sign that something is wrong with you. Therapy can help uncover and heal the roots of panic while also equipping you with practical tools to respond when symptoms arise.
Panic attacks thrive in isolation, confusion, and avoidance. Therapy offers the opposite: safety, understanding, and connection. Through counselling, we help you:
You don’t have to figure this out alone. Therapy provides a steady hand and a non-judgmental space where your healing can unfold at your own pace.
At Love This Therapy, we believe in personalized care—no one-size-fits-all approach here. We draw on a variety of evidence-based modalities that have been shown to reduce and prevent panic attacks, including:
Helps you identify and challenge the unhelpful thoughts and beliefs that fuel panic and avoidance, while also building practical coping strategies to reduce the intensity and frequency of attacks.
A gentle, step-by-step process of facing feared situations or bodily sensations in a safe and supportive way, helping your nervous system relearn that these experiences are not dangerous.
Encourages present-moment awareness and self-compassion, teaching you how to notice anxious thoughts and body sensations without judgment, and to respond in a calmer, more grounded way.
Especially helpful when panic is connected to trauma, EMDR uses bilateral stimulation to help the brain safely reprocess distressing memories, so they no longer trigger overwhelming fear.
Supports you in understanding and expressing emotions that may have been suppressed, uncovering unmet needs, and transforming emotional patterns that contribute to panic.
Works directly with the body to release stored stress and tension, improve body awareness, and create a felt sense of safety and stability.
Your therapist will work collaboratively with you to create a treatment plan that fits your needs, preferences, and pace.
Beginning therapy can be both hopeful and nerve-wracking, especially if you’re used to feeling out of control. Here’s what you can expect at Love This Therapy:
There are many counselling clinics out there, but here’s what makes us different:
We combine proven therapeutic approaches with genuine, compassionate care.
We’re not here to fix you—we’re here to walk with you on your journey. Our clinicians are deeply invested in your growth and wellbeing.
We understand that panic often lives in the body and can stem from past experiences. Our work honours the full complexity of who you are.
We welcome all identities, backgrounds, and life stories with compassion and care.
We offer direct billing, in-person counselling in South Surrey, BC, as well as virtual therapy for those across British Columbia.
If panic attacks have taken hold of your life, you don’t have to keep bracing for the next one. There is another way forward; one that includes calm, confidence, and a renewed sense of agency in your own body and mind. Whether you’ve just had your first panic attack or have been struggling for years, it’s never too early or too late to seek support.
Call our clinic today to speak with our administrative team. We’d be happy to help you find the right therapist and set you up with a free discovery call if you’d like. You don’t have to keep navigating this alone.
Schedule your free intake call to ensure we're a good fit!
