When Your Mind Won't Slow Down
Even when life is going well, it can be difficult to relax.
Anxiety isn't always obvious from the outside. Many people with anxiety are high functioning. They show up for work, care for their families, meet deadlines, and appear calm to others while feeling exhausted inside.
What Anxiety Can Look Like
Anxiety looks different for everyone.
For some people, it feels like constant worry or overthinking. For others, it shows up physically through muscle tension, digestive concerns, headaches, fatigue, or difficulty sleeping.
You may notice:
• Constant overthinking
• Racing thoughts
• Feeling "on edge"
• Difficulty relaxing
• Muscle tension
• Trouble sleeping
• Irritability
• Difficulty making decisions
• Avoiding situations because they feel overwhelming
• Feeling responsible for everything
• Physical symptoms such as stomach aches, headaches, nausea, or a racing heart
How Anxiety Can Affect Your Life
Anxiety doesn't only affect your thoughts.
It can influence your relationships, work, confidence, health, and ability to enjoy everyday life. You may spend so much time preparing for the future that it's difficult to be present in the moment.
You may second-guess yourself long after making a decision.
You might avoid opportunities because they feel too uncertain, or constantly seek reassurance before moving forward.
Why This Happens
Anxiety doesn't have one single cause. For some people, it develops after stressful or unpredictable experiences. For others, years of putting pressure on themselves, anticipating problems, or feeling responsible for everyone else can contribute to it.
Understanding what triggers your anxiety and what keeps it going can help us figure out how to address it.
How Therapy
Can Help
In therapy, we'll look at what's contributing to your anxiety and what might be keeping it going. For some people, that means constantly worrying about what could go wrong, avoiding uncomfortable situations, or needing reassurance before making decisions. For others, it's perfectionism, overthinking, or feeling responsible for everyone around them.
We'll work on practical ways to manage anxiety, become more comfortable with uncertainty, and change behaviors that may be making things harder. I want you to understand what's happening and develop skills you can use outside of our sessions.
My Approach
I don't use the same treatment plan for everyone. I often use Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) to help clients manage anxious thoughts and make decisions without getting caught up in every "what if." We may also work on the physical side of anxiety, such as tension, restlessness, or feeling constantly on edge.
If past experiences are contributing to your anxiety, EMDR may also be helpful. We'll decide together what makes sense for you and adjust our approach as we go.
Is anxiety something I'll always have?
Is anxiety something I'll always have?
Everyone experiences anxiety from time to time. Therapy isn't about eliminating anxiety altogether, it's about helping anxiety take up less space in your life so it no longer controls your decisions.
What if my anxiety feels mostly physical?
What if my anxiety feels mostly physical?
Do I need medication?
Do I need medication?
Some people benefit from medication, while others make significant progress with therapy alone. If medication seems like it may be helpful, we can discuss that as part of your overall treatment plan.
What if I don't know why I'm anxious?
What if I don't know why I'm anxious?
That's okay. Many people don't. Part of therapy is understanding the factors that contribute to your anxiety while developing practical tools that help you move forward regardless of where it began.
You Don't Have to Let Anxiety Make the Decisions
Anxiety can make you feel like you need to have everything figured out before making a decision or trying something new. Unfortunately, waiting until you feel completely certain can keep you from doing things you actually want to do.
Therapy can help you become more comfortable with uncertainty and make decisions without letting anxiety dictate every choice.
If you're interested in working together, let's have a conversation and see if we're a good fit.