Do you start getting anxious as soon as you buy a ticket, when you get to the gate, or not until you fasten your seat belt? Is your fear about being cooped up with strangers or about enduring take-offs and landings? Just learning to notice the anxiety when it starts can help you cope. It’s easier to blow out a match than to put out a forest fire.
If you are afraid of crashes, it’s helpful to educate yourself on how planes work and how safe they are. Flying is not only much safer than driving, it’s also less likely to kill you than dogs, lightning or choking on food.
When you notice your symptoms, tell yourself, ‘It’s OK I’m feeling this way. I expect to be nervous right now. I can handle this’. It’s better to expect and accept your anxiety than to fight and deny it.
When anxiety starts, learn how to control your breathing. Here’s how: Completely exhale, then take a long, deep breath and hold it to the count of three. Then exhale slowly, saying the word “relax,” under your breath. Rest 15 seconds, while letting your muscles go limp. Repeat two more times.
Once you acknowledge your anxiety, try shifting your attention to a low-effort diversion, such as a magazine, or a funny podcast. Be sure to pack some options in your carry-on bag.
While one or two drinks might help some people, too many flyers drink too much, which can actually make you feel more anxious. Some doctors will prescribe a small number of pills, to help anxious flyers through a trip. But those may come with side effects, such as drowsiness and unsteadiness, that may linger after you get off the plane.
Known as the best psychologist around, Wendy’s an obvious choice to be featured on the show’
Cheshire Housewives
As an ex-athlete I’ve always advocated the benefits of keeping in shape physically, but it’s just as important to look after your mental wellbeing. Book a session with Wendy, she’s the person to help you look after your brain just as you would your body.
Graham Bell
5 x Olympic Skier and presenter of BBC Ski Sunday.
Amazing!
Rachel Lugo
Cheshire Housewives
Dare to dream big and Wendy’s THE person to help get you there.
Sam Bailey
X Factor winner with a long list of sell out tour successes under her belt.
The most exciting thing in the world is getting a chance to tear it all up and start again. Keep all the things you want and throw out everything you don’t. Wendy will help you do just that!
Becky Sheeran
Beauty, lifestyle and fashion blogging sensation Becky Sheeran (TalkBeckyTalk)
It’s great to have a leading psychotherapist such as Wendy in the Cheshire area, outside of her Harley Street practice. After publicly raising awareness of mental health issues and myself recovering from depression, I know how immensely life-changing expert intervention can be.
Jason Jarrett
Retired ex-professional football who played for Bury, Wigan, Stoke, Preston, Norwich, Leicester and Brighton during a 14 year career. After leaving professional football, Jason battled depression and recovered with the help of therapy and family support.
Wendy is great at what she does; she made me feel at ease immediately and really helped me work through some issues.
Tara Costello
It’s funny but from the minute I met her I felt so relaxed and she was so easy to talk to. Thank you!
Stevie Brown
Wendy isn’t only really good at what she does, she’s also really easy to talk to.
Gabriel Wilson
I want to thank you Wendy from the bottom of my heart for guiding me through what must have been the most difficult time of my life.
Raza Syed
I was told she was the best and they were right.
Noelle Dray
Although I consider myself a confident person, I was really nervous when I met Wendy for the first time. I had only emailed her before so it was really nerve wracking walking up the stairs to her office. I can honestly say it’s one of the best things I have ever done. Wendy is really normal, no in fact she isn’t normal as she is unfailingly bright and smiley even when she has to listen to me moan on about how awful my life was. It feels like having a chat with somebody who just gets you and you can trust with things you have never trusted anybody else with before. The magic bit comes when things you have talked about just pop up into your head and you start to do things differently. Wendy once joked about not having a magic wand, but I think she has.
Paul Hendry
I came to Wendy with a set of problems I have never been able to fully explain to anyone, which included grief, many family issues and alcohol problems. Wendy truly has an active listening style and absorbs everything you are saying, whilst not making you feel analysed, it is an incredible skill. She astounded me at how she got to the crux of the issues so fast. So much so that we both agreed I only needed one session with her, obviously this may not be the case with everyone but I would confidently recommend her to anyone, regardless of your problems. There was no awkwardness or even clock watching, she is wonderful at what she does, take the plunge and make an appointment, you will not regret it. Life is a direction not a destination and she will get you on the path again.
JB
