School and exam anxiety counsellingWhen school weighs on you, you’re not alone.
The night before a test, the mind races through every topic that might come up. In the exam hall, a question that seemed easy during revision suddenly goes blank.
Online in English, with a therapist from our team, wherever you live · Sessions in Greek are with Matina Ladikou.
Each session lasts 45 minutes and costs 70 €. All fees
At Art of Mind, a centre founded by psychotherapist Matina LadikouAt a glance
- Format
- Online by video on Google Meet, 45-minute sessions.
- Who you work with
- A therapist from our team, in English. In Greek, Matina Ladikou.
- Getting started
- Send an enquiry; we reply within 24 hours.
There is help
You don’t have to face this on your own
Over weeks, the dread starts earlier: a tight stomach on Sunday evening, headaches before lessons, a growing temptation to stay home. For many teenagers and students, school and exams are where anxiety first becomes impossible to ignore, and for families living abroad, a new school system, a new language of instruction or a move mid-year can add an extra layer of pressure.
At Art of Mind, a psychotherapy centre founded in Patras, Greece in 2019, our therapists offer counselling in English for school and exam anxiety, online by video. We work with teenagers aged 12 and over and with adult students, including those at university.
When nerves turn into something heavier
A certain amount of nervousness before an exam is part of being human. It sharpens attention and gives us the energy to prepare. School and exam anxiety is different in degree and in effect: it lasts longer, feels bigger, and starts to shape what a young person does. The NHS lists common signs of exam stress as constant worry and tension, headaches and stomach pains, poor sleep, irritability, changes in appetite, losing interest in things they used to enjoy, low mood and feeling hopeless about the future (NHS).
In practice, school anxiety can look like:
- difficulty falling asleep before school days or tests;
- physical complaints such as nausea or headaches that ease at weekends;
- avoiding homework, revision or particular lessons;
- going blank during exams despite knowing the material;
- harsh self-criticism after any mark that is less than perfect;
- reluctance or refusal to go to school.
Not every teenager will say "I am anxious". Many describe feeling stupid, tired or angry instead, and some only show it through behaviour.
What the research says
What research tells us about test anxiety
A meta-analysis of 238 studies spanning three decades found that test anxiety was significantly and negatively related to a wide range of educational outcomes, including standardised tests, university entrance exams and grade point average (von der Embse et al., 2018). The same review found that lower self-esteem was a strong predictor of test anxiety, and that tests seen as difficult or high-stakes were linked to higher anxiety. The effects were in the small to moderate range, which is a useful reminder: anxiety is one factor among many, and it can be worked on.
Globally, the WHO estimates that one in seven 10–19-year-olds experiences a mental health condition, with anxiety the most common emotional difficulty in this age group and more common among older adolescents (WHO). Early support matters, because patterns of avoidance and self-doubt tend to grow when they are left unaddressed.
What tends to keep exam anxiety going
Several patterns often work together. Perfectionism sets a bar that can never quite be reached, so every result feels like a near miss. Catastrophic thinking jumps from "this test went badly" to "my future is ruined". Avoidance brings short-term relief, since not opening the book means not feeling the fear, but leaves less time to prepare and more reason to worry. Poor sleep and skipped meals add physical strain. And well-meant pressure from adults, or comparison with classmates, can make a young person feel that their worth depends on their grades.
Understanding these patterns helps both the young person and their family see where change is possible.
Our approach
How our therapists help
Our therapists use an evidence-informed, integrative approach, adapted to the age and needs of each person. Counselling for school and exam anxiety commonly includes:
Understanding the anxiety
Learning what anxiety does in the body and why the mind goes blank under pressure, which often makes it less frightening.
Calming the body
Practising breathing and grounding techniques that can be used during revision and in the exam room.
Working with thoughts
Drawing on CBT techniques where helpful to notice catastrophic or all-or-nothing thinking and find more balanced alternatives.
Study and routine
Building realistic revision plans, breaks and sleep habits that reduce last-minute panic.
Facing rather than avoiding
Gradually approaching the situations that feel hardest, such as practice papers under timed conditions.
Self-worth beyond grades
Exploring perfectionism and fear of failure, and building a sense of value that does not rise and fall with every mark.
With the young person's agreement, we may also suggest a session with parents or guardians, focused on how to support without adding pressure.
For the people around you
Guidance for parents and guardians
Parents often feel torn between encouraging effort and protecting their teenager from stress. The NHS suggests offering support and involving young people in decisions, protecting sleep, keeping household expectations flexible during revision periods, encouraging physical activity, avoiding criticism, and focusing on what went well after each exam (NHS). It also advises seeking help if anxiety or low mood is severe, persistent or affecting daily life.
If you are contacting us on behalf of a teenager under 18, please tell us their age and your time zone in the enquiry. We will explain how consent, confidentiality and your involvement work before any session begins.
Online, by video
Starting counselling online
Get in touch
A parent or guardian (for under-18s) or the student (if 18 or over) sends a short message through our enquiry form, including time zone and usual availability. Please keep health details for the first session. We reply within 24 hours.
Agree the arrangements
For teenagers, we confirm consent and explain how privacy works. Sessions in English are with a therapist from our centre, online via Google Meet, Monday to Friday between 09:00 and 21:00 Athens time.
The first session
The therapist gets to know the young person: their school situation, what triggers the anxiety, what has helped so far and what they would like to change. Together they agree a first plan.
Continuing sessions
Sessions last 45 minutes and cost 70 € per 45-minute session; details are on our pricing page.
Video therapy has a reassuring evidence base. A 2021 meta-analysis found that live psychotherapy by video produced substantial improvement and differed negligibly in outcome from in-person therapy, with the strongest effects for anxiety and depression (Fernandez et al., 2021). Most of the research involved adults, so we pay particular attention to making sessions comfortable for younger clients.
Is it time?
When to seek help
Consider reaching out if a teenager or student:
- has had persistent worry, poor sleep or physical complaints for several weeks;
- is avoiding school, lessons or exams;
- seems withdrawn, hopeless or unusually irritable;
- is not eating properly or is exhausted most of the time;
- talks about feeling worthless or that things will never get better.
If a young person talks about harming themselves or not wanting to be alive, take it seriously and seek urgent help straight away. Online counselling is not an emergency service.
If you need urgent help. In an emergency call 112. In Greece you can also call 1018 (suicide prevention) or 10306 (mental-health support). For helplines in your country, see findahelpline.com.
If you need urgent help
In an emergency call 112. In Greece you can also call 1018 (suicide prevention) or 10306 (mental-health support). For helplines in your country, see findahelpline.com.
Our founder
Art of Mind, founded by Matina Ladikou
A centre where you can talk without fear of judgement, at your own pace.
Matina Ladikou, psychotherapist and founder of Art of Mind, set up the centre in Patras, Greece, in 2019. Sessions in English are with a therapist from our team; sessions in Greek are with Matina, and you can book Greek sessions directly.
We don’t promise a “guaranteed” or “instant” result; we offer a space of trust and work at your own pace.
Trained in Biothymic Psychotherapy and Clinical Hypnosis, in Mental Health Counselling and in NLP, with an MSc in Criminology from Panteion University.
About Matina and the centreNext step
Enquire about a session
Whether you are a student who wants to feel calmer about exams, or a parent worried about your teenager, you are welcome to get in touch. Tell us briefly what is happening and when you are available, and we will reply within 24 hours.
Related pages: anxiety therapy · social anxiety therapy · panic attack therapy · pricing
Before you start
Frequently asked questions
What ages do you work with?
We work with teenagers from 12 years old and with adults, including university students. For anyone under 18, a parent or legal guardian contacts us first and gives consent before sessions begin.
Are some exam nerves normal?
Yes. A degree of nervousness before an exam is normal and can even help concentration. It becomes a problem when worry is constant, disrupts sleep or appetite, leads to avoiding school or study, or makes it hard to show what you actually know.
Will parents be involved in the sessions?
For teenagers, a parent or guardian is involved at the start to agree the arrangements and consent. After that, sessions are usually with the young person on their own, with occasional joint conversations if they help. We explain at the outset what stays private and when we would need to share information for safety reasons.
How quickly can counselling help before an important exam?
It depends on the person and the timing. Some practical techniques, such as managing physical tension and unhelpful thoughts during revision, can be learned in a few sessions. Deeper patterns, such as perfectionism or fear of failure, usually take longer. We cannot promise a particular result, but we can help you prepare more calmly.
Do online sessions work for teenagers?
Many young people find video sessions comfortable because they are used to talking online. A 2021 meta-analysis found that live video psychotherapy differed negligibly in outcome from in-person therapy, although most studies involved adults.