How I approach working with anxiety
Many people live with anxiety quietly — sometimes for years. You might appear to be managing just fine on the outside, while inside, it feels like a constant hum of discomfort, self-doubt, or pressure.
This page offers a closer look at what anxiety can feel like, where it often begins, and how therapy might help.
What does anxiety feel like?
You might notice:
Constant self-doubt or fear of making mistakes
Racing thoughts that are hard to calm
Feeling on edge, tense, or unable to relax
Physical symptoms like a racing heart, stomach tightness, or headaches
Not everyone’s experience looks the same. Your version of this may be subtle, loud, situational, or lifelong. All of it is valid.
Where does it come from?
Anxiety can emerge from a number of places:
When our needs and emotions were met with neglect, dismissal, or even shaming, rather than care
Ways we’ve tried to stay safe — through perfectionism, self-criticism, or over-responsibility — that now weigh heavily.
Cultural and social messages about success, worth, or identity that can fuel self-doubt and pressure.
You don’t have to know why it’s there — we can explore that together, gently.
How therapy can support you with anxiety
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Understanding and naming what’s going on
Putting words to your emotional and physical experiences can help reduce overwhelm and increase clarity.
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Making sense of patterns that once kept you safe
Exploring how past coping strategies developed, and how they might be showing up now in ways that no longer serve you.
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Listening for what anxiety is trying to signal
Rather than pushing anxiety away, therapy helps uncover the wants and needs behind it, offering a foundation for self-understanding and connection.