Don't worry, I'm not going to tell you it's all in your head, or sell you another quick fix. I'm a health anxiety psychologist in Amsterdam and online, and I've been stuck in that checking loop myself. I help women in their late 20s and 30s step out of the cycle of Googling, checking and reassurance, so health anxiety stops running the show and your life can come off pause.
I'm Szofi Németh, NIP Psychologist®
Been there myself
Amsterdam & online
Health anxiety looks different for everyone, but it runs on the same cycle. Pick the one that sounds most like you.
A twinge, a skipped beat, a headache that won't quit. Before you know it, it's 2 a.m., you're ten tabs deep (or asking ChatGPT), and you're convinced it's something serious. The relief from a “probably nothing” lasts about five minutes. Then the next symptom shows up.
You check your pulse, press on the lump again, look at your smartwatch, ask your partner “does this look normal to you?” Every check calms you for a moment, so it feels like it's helping. But the more you check, the louder your body seems to get.
Clear bloodwork, a normal ECG, a doctor telling you you're fine. You feel lighter for a few days, and then the doubt creeps back in: “What if they missed something?” So you book another appointment, or start looking for a second opinion.
Or maybe it's the opposite. You haven't had bloodwork in years because you're too scared of what you'll find. You skip the appointment, leave the results unopened, change the channel when illness comes up. Different behavior, same fear underneath.
I'm a NIP Psychologist® in Amsterdam who works with health anxiety. And I've been there myself.
For years I had what I call “traveling” health anxiety: every day a new symptom popped up, with my heart and blood clots as the main characters. I Googled, I checked, I looked for reassurance, and the relief never lasted. At some point I realized I couldn't run away from it forever. I had to stop Googling and step out of the reassurance loop.
It's not perfect, and I'm not saying nothing scares me anymore. I might get scared for a second, but I don't fall into the loop. I don't fear the fear anymore.
Today I have a Master's in Health and Medical Psychology from Leiden University, and I work mainly with Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), plus CBT and exposure where they help. In Amsterdam and online, in English or Hungarian.
More about me ›
We don't just work on calming you down. We work on the cycle that keeps health anxiety going. Here's what that looks like.
A relaxed 25-minute chat. You tell me what's going on (no, your case isn't “too much”), I explain how I work, and we see if we're a good fit.
We map your personal cycle: sensation, worry, checking, relief, doubt. We make sense of why your body produces real sensations, and why paying attention makes them louder. Often the first relief: “So I'm not crazy.”
You learn to notice anxious thoughts without obeying them, and we cut back on checking and reassurance step by step, at your pace. Think smartwatch off for a week, booking the bloodwork, planning the trip.
The goal: life off pause. You leave with your own toolkit and a flare-up plan. Flare-ups can still happen, but they don't put you back at zero.
Always alongside your GP, never instead of medical care. Sessions are online or walking through Amsterdam's parks. Sessions & pricing
Doubts are completely normal (health anxiety is great at producing them). Here are the ones I hear most.
Booking a call doesn't mean admitting nothing's wrong. I work alongside your GP, so your physical health stays looked after. Therapy isn't about ignoring your body. It's about not letting fear decide every single day.
I believe you. Anxiety creates real sensations, and I'll never tell you it's all in your head. You don't need to prove it's anxiety before you can start feeling better.
If tests worked, the first clear result would have been enough. The relief fades because the cycle feeds itself. So we work on the cycle, not on the next test.
Health anxiety has its own cycle of checking and reassurance, and general anxiety support often doesn't target it. Health anxiety is what I focus on, and I've been through it myself.
Long-standing health anxiety can still change. Progress doesn't mean anxiety never shows up again. It means it stops running your life.
Getting help is one of the most capable things you can do, for you and for your kids. Our sessions are confidential.
Women usually reach out when health anxiety has started to take over: the Googling, the body checking, the doctor visits, or the tests you keep putting off. Maybe a clear result only calms you down for a week. Maybe you're scanning your kids for symptoms too, or your partner has quietly become your reassurance service.
Whatever it looks like for you, we'll work on getting your life off pause, at your pace, in English or Hungarian, in Amsterdam or online. Read more about health anxiety.
The easiest first step is a free intro call, with no commitment. We'll talk about what's going on and see if we're a good fit. (Your health anxiety is welcome to come along.)
