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Nerves before a big event are normal, but worry that keeps disrupting sleep, work or friendships deserves attention. Here is how a first conversation can start.

Ordinary nerves or something more persistent?

Most of us feel jittery before a job interview, a hard conversation or a big swim at Manly. That kind of nervousness usually passes. It is different when worry keeps returning, broken sleep becomes the norm, or you begin turning down plans with friends because the anxiety feels too heavy to carry into the room.

Bodily sensations matter too. A racing heart, chest tightness or stomach upset should not automatically be put down to nerves; your GP can check whether something physical needs attention.

Talking it through with Christine

Dr Christine Shen, Acupuncturist, also holds qualifications in psychotherapy and sees people for psychological support at the Freshwater clinic, close to Balgowlah and the wider Northern Beaches. You do not need to arrive with a label for what you are feeling. Concrete examples are often more helpful, such as:

• a place or activity you have started avoiding;
• a worry that circles back at the same time each day;
• changes in how long it takes you to fall asleep, or how often you wake.

Together you can look at what has become harder and what you have already tried. That discussion helps decide whether psychotherapy suits your situation, and whether a medical review with your GP would be sensible alongside it.

Setting a direction that reflects your priorities

Good psychological care makes room for what you want from it. You might want to understand a pattern, feel more at ease in particular situations or simply have a space to think aloud. It is fair to ask how the work will be reviewed, how you will both notice whether it is heading somewhere useful, and what support is available if things change between sessions.

A first step that stays in your hands

Starting therapy does not mean committing to a long story on day one. You can share as much or as little as feels right, and decide the pace from there. Picking a single example from this week to talk about is often enough to get a first session in Freshwater moving.