Therapy for Women
A Day in the Life of Anxiety
Life can feel overwhelming. On the surface, you might appear to have it all together—setting and achieving goals, excelling in your job, and being the dependable rock for friends and family. However, beneath that composed exterior, the reality can be very different. You might be experiencing a whirlwind of emotions, feeling the weight of your own and others' feelings, and constantly battling fears of things going wrong. Despite your best efforts to suppress these feelings, the stress and anxiety can become increasingly difficult to manage. So you try to stuff it all in a box never to be seen again.
Well-meaning advice from family and friends, such as “Just relax” or “It’s all in your head,” can feel dismissive and unhelpful when you’re exhausted and struggling. You might experience worsening headaches, a deepening pit in your stomach, and a relentless cycle of self-doubt and worry about past mistakes and future tasks. But you stuff it all in that box and keep moving forward. You struggle to fall asleep at night, toss and turn, and wake up exhausted. Even though you’re tired you push yourself to do better than the day before. By lunchtime, you just want to make it through the day. Self-help attempts like books or podcasts only remind you of what you can’t do. And again you shove it all into that box that is not bursting at the seams. This is the vicious cycle of anxiety.
Common Experiences
Constant Worry: You find yourself stressing endlessly about everything from work deadlines and family issues to minor social interactions, leading to over-preparation for every possible scenario.
Restlessness: You feel unable to sit still or relax, always on edge with a nagging sense that something is off.
Muscle Tension: Persistent tightness in your shoulders or jaw clenching, often without realizing it.
Sleep Problems: Difficulty falling asleep, frequent awakenings, and waking up feeling exhausted, as if your energy reserves are depleted.
Irritability: Minor issues that usually wouldn’t bother you start to trigger frustration and make you feel on edge more frequently.
Trouble Focusing: Difficulty concentrating on tasks, remembering details, and a tendency to lose track of what you’re doing, leading to frustration.
Physical Pain: Headaches, back pain, stomach issues, or a racing heart that seems to appear out of nowhere.
Avoiding Things: Steering clear of social situations or spending excessive time on activities like doom-scrolling or binge-watching, even if it means missing out on things you once enjoyed.
Dread: A persistent sense that something bad is going to happen, despite a lack of concrete evidence.
Indecisiveness: Difficulty making decisions, feeling as though every choice you make is wrong.
People-Pleasing: Prioritizing others' needs to avoid conflict or fear of judgment, often at your own expense.
Perfectionism: Focusing only on your failures and shortcomings, constantly striving for an unattainable ideal.
Imposter Syndrome: Feeling unworthy of your achievements and fearing that you’re merely pretending to hold it all together.
Busyness: Struggling to say “no” and taking on more than you can handle, driven by a desire to be helpful and kind, even when it’s exhausting.
How Therapy Can Help
This doesn’t have to be your reality. With the right support, you can break this cycle, regain control of your mind, and find balance in your life. Through personalized therapy, we can work together to uncover and address the mental blocks keeping you trapped in stress. We'll challenge unrealistic expectations and develop strategies to manage your mental load, set healthy boundaries, and communicate your needs assertively.
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT): ACT helps you stop avoiding uncomfortable emotions and teaches you to view them as valuable guides rather than obstacles. By embracing your emotions, you can connect more deeply with yourself and uncover hidden truths.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT): CBT is based on the idea that your thoughts shape your emotions and behaviors. While you can’t control the external world, you can learn to manage your thoughts and beliefs. CBT techniques will help you identify and challenge negative thoughts, replacing them with constructive and accurate ones. This process helps train your brain to focus on what’s helpful and let go of what’s not.
What to Expect in Therapy
If you’re new to therapy, you might feel pressure to “be perfect” in session or to approach therapy in a certain way. Perhaps you've seen therapy on TV, where clients lie on a couch, pouring out their deepest emotions while the therapist asks probing questions or confronts their life choices. In reality, therapy here is much more straightforward and collaborative.
You won’t be expected to “do therapy the right way.” I aim to create a comfortable, judgment-free space where we work together to address what matters most to you. While I may occasionally ask for clarification on how you're feeling, my approach is always centered around you—why you’ve chosen therapy and how I can best assist you in your journey toward growth and healing.
Our sessions are designed to be flexible, and you control the conversation. We may dive into significant challenges you’ve been hesitating to address or simply talk about everyday frustrations—like the driver who cut you off in traffic. No topic is too small, and everything you share is valuable. It’s all about what’s on your mind and how I can best support you.
During your first session, we’ll go over some intake paperwork. This helps me get a comprehensive understanding of your needs, your goals, and how we can tailor our work together. We’ll also take time to discuss any questions or concerns you might have about the process.
Each session typically lasts 45-50 minutes, and payment is collected at the beginning of each session using the credit card you have on file.
Your Path to Well-Being
The journey to feeling better is not always straightforward, and while it may be challenging, it is possible. You are capable of handling difficult situations and achieving genuine peace and joy. I am here to support you every step of the way, helping you transition from feeling overwhelmed to experiencing a more balanced and fulfilling life.
I’m excited to work with clients who are ready to embrace positive change, build healthy relationships with themselves, and are committed to their future. Our work together is completely confidential, and you will have control over the pace, what you choose to share, and how we approach solutions. I will challenge you and provide the tools to become a happier, more balanced version of yourself.
Let’s work together to enhance your overall well-being and create a path to a more peaceful and joyful life.