Anxiety Isn’t All in Your Head—Here’s What’s Really Going On

If you've ever been told you're "just too sensitive" or that you "worry too much," you're not alone—and you're not broken.

Anxiety isn’t just a racing mind or a tight chest before a meeting. It’s a nervous system that’s doing its best to protect you—but has learned to be too alert, too often.

What anxiety really is (and isn’t)

Anxiety is your body’s alarm system. It’s meant to alert you to danger so you can respond. The problem is, for many of us, that alarm system gets stuck in the “on” position—even when nothing dangerous is happening.

You might experience:

  • Racing thoughts or spiraling "what ifs"

  • Tension in your chest, shoulders, or stomach

  • Difficulty sleeping or constantly overthinking

  • Feeling shaky, overwhelmed, or disconnected from your body

  • Trying to control everything just to feel okay

Anxiety shows up in patterns—thoughts, sensations, and behaviors—and over time, it can chip away at your confidence, joy, and energy.

woman sitting up in bed turned away and looking through an open window with one hand clutching the window sill suggesting she feels anxious

Why high-achieving women feel it so intensely

Many of the women I work with are used to performing at a high level. They’re organized, smart, and strong. But underneath that success is often a nervous system in overdrive—trained by trauma, early pressure, or impossible expectations to never relax.

You may have learned that being prepared, helpful, or “on” keeps you safe or earns approval. But that constant vigilance becomes exhausting.

Healing anxiety means retraining—not ignoring—your system

You can’t think your way out of anxiety. But you can learn to:

  • Regulate your nervous system so you don’t stay stuck in fight-or-flight

  • Understand your patterns so you can respond instead of react

  • Use somatic and cognitive tools to interrupt spirals and soften the pressure

  • Build trust in yourself so you no longer have to micromanage every outcome

Therapy can help you shift from self-blame to self-understanding. I use EMDR, somatic work, breathwork, and nervous system education to help you feel calmer—not just in your head, but in your whole being.

There is nothing wrong with you

Anxiety doesn’t mean you’re weak or broken. It means your system learned to protect you—and now it’s time to help it feel safe again.

You don’t have to hustle for peace anymore. With support and the right tools, you can feel grounded, clear, and free. You can live without that constant undercurrent of dread.

Your body wants to exhale. Let’s help it get there. Book a free consult call here or start with my Anxiety Workbook here.

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Understanding Stress and How It Shows Up in Your Body