Specific Phobias Support at Lakeside Rooms Gold Coast
Supporting Confidence, Safety, and Everyday Living
Fear is a natural human response - our body’s way of keeping us safe. But when fear becomes persistent, overwhelming, or out of proportion to the actual danger, it can start to shape daily life in unhelpful ways. Specific phobias occur when a particular object, situation, or experience triggers intense anxiety or avoidance. These reactions can feel sudden and out of control, especially when the fear interferes with activities, relationships, or work. Support from a psychologist or psychiatrist can make a meaningful difference.
Specific phobias can appear in many forms. Some people experience acute fear of animals or insects, heights, needles, storms, or flying. Others may feel intense fear in enclosed spaces, around vomiting, or during medical procedures. These responses are not a reflection of weakness—they are learned patterns of protection that have become overactive. Many people describe feeling frustrated or embarrassed by their fear, even while knowing logically that they are safe. The challenge lies not in the object itself, but in the body’s automatic, deeply conditioned response.
Specific phobias are also very common. Many Australians will experience a significant phobia at some point in their lives, with women and children particularly affected. Although phobias can be incredibly distressing, they are also highly treatable. With the right support, many people experience substantial relief in a relatively short period of time.
Around 6–12% of people will experience a specific phobia at some point in their lives — making it one of the most common anxiety disorders worldwide (Eaton et al., 2018). Professional support can help individuals regain confidence, reduce avoidance, and reclaim everyday functioning.
How Lakeside Rooms Can Help
At Lakeside Rooms, our psychologists and psychiatrists work gently and collaboratively to understand each person’s fear response—what triggers it, how the body reacts, and how it limits everyday life. Our approach focuses on building confidence, restoring a sense of safety, and helping individuals regain freedom in their daily routines.
Evidence-based therapeutic approaches may include:
• Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) – understanding fear patterns and building practical coping skills
• Graduated Exposure Therapy – slowly and safely reducing fear by approaching triggers at a manageable pace
• Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) – learning to respond differently to anxious thoughts and sensations
• Relaxation and grounding strategies – supporting the nervous system during moments of heightened fear
• Trauma-informed interventions – helpful when the phobia is linked to a past frightening event
• Psychoeducation – understanding how the brain learns and unlearns fear
• Psychiatric consultation – offering medical insight or guidance when anxiety is significantly impacting daily functioning
Support may also include building confidence around travel, medical appointments, school or workplace participation, and reducing avoidance that has built up over time. Many individuals begin to feel improvement as they learn how to gently retrain their brain’s fear response.
Lakeside Rooms practitioners are experienced in supporting children, adolescents, and adults with a wide range of specific phobias. Treatment is unique to each person’s experience and approached with curiosity, respect, and compassion—helping individuals build a sense of safety, capability, and ease in the situations that matter most to them.
Take the first step towards support.
