Anxiety That Won't Quiet Down
You function. By most measures, you function pretty well. You get things done, you show up, you hold it together. Until you don’t. Because underneath the surface, your nervous system is rarely at rest, and at some point, you crash.
The worry is almost always running about what you said, what you didn't say, what might go wrong, and what people think. What to do if this happens, or that happens, anticipating problems before they arrive. You lie awake, finally a chance to stop doing—but then you start running through tomorrow's list or last week's regrets. Trying to fix problems before they happen—and oftentimes, those problems don’t even happen. Yet trying to control everything—because that’s what anxiety drives us to do. Fix it all, so the anxiety doesn’t get any worse.
Even good things can feel inaccessible. Like the anxiety overpowers the calm, the good, the spontaneity of life.
Or maybe your anxiety doesn't look like worry at all. Maybe it looks like irritability — a short fuse that ignites over small things and leaves you flooded with shame afterward. Maybe it looks like perfectionism so relentless that it keeps you from finishing anything, being proud of anything. Maybe it looks like constant busyness, maybe it’s hard to concentrate on just one thing. Maybe it looks like a body that is always braced — tight chest, shallow breath, a jaw you clench without noticing, feeling sick to your stomach.
Anxiety is one of the most common mental health struggles there is, and also one of the most misunderstood — particularly when it is chronic, high-functioning, or tangled up with depression, mood cycles, or a nervous system that learned long ago that it wasn't safe to relax.
You don't have to keep white-knuckling it. Therapy can help you understand where the anxiety is rooted — and give you real tools for turning down the volume.
You're Not Just "A Worrier"
Some anxiety is normal — even useful. It's the thing that pushes us to prepare, meet deadlines, and take risks seriously. In the right amount, anxiety is a signal worth listening to.
But when anxiety becomes amplified, that same signal flips. What once helped you navigate stress now becomes a barrier to it. The alarm stays on even when there's no fire. The thoughts loop. The body stays braced. And the gap between what you're feeling and what the situation actually calls for keeps widening.
And it's worth noting: the external world is a real contributor. Climate crisis, political and economic unrest, rising healthcare costs, barriers to jobs and educational opportunity — these aren't imagined stressors. For many people, anxiety isn't a distortion of reality. It's a reasonable response to genuine uncertainty and stress that has nowhere to go.
And sometimes anxiety isn’t just anxiety. It can overlap with depression, mood cycles, and obsessive thought patterns — the kind where you know the loop is irrational but can't stop it anyway. For people living with ADHD or life on the autism spectrum, anxiety is often woven in as well. Understanding what's actually driving yours matters — because it shapes what will actually help.
Types of Anxiety I Treat
Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) Persistent, difficult-to-control worry across multiple areas of life — work, relationships, health, and the future. Often accompanied by restlessness, fatigue, difficulty concentrating, and sleep disruption. If your mind is always braced for something, this may be what's driving it.
Social Anxiety More than shyness — a persistent fear of being judged, embarrassed, or evaluated negatively. Can show up in work settings, relationships, or any situation where you feel observed. Often masked by high performance or people-pleasing.
Panic Disorder Recurrent, unexpected panic attacks — surges of intense fear with physical symptoms like racing heart, shortness of breath, chest tightness, or dizziness — along with persistent worry about when the next one will come.
High-Functioning Anxiety No formal diagnosis — but a constant internal hum of dread, pressure, and self-doubt beneath a capable exterior. Common in high achievers and people who have learned that productivity is how you manage fear.
Anxiety Alongside Depression or Mood Cycles Anxiety rarely shows up alone. It is frequently woven together with depression, bipolar disorder, and the stress of managing a demanding life. If your anxiety feels bigger or more stubborn than the usual advice has touched, that complexity is exactly what I work with.
Adjustment Disorder with Anxiety Sometimes anxiety isn't chronic — it's situational. A job loss, a divorce, a health diagnosis, a move, a relationship falling apart. The event itself may have passed, but your nervous system hasn't caught up. You're still braced, still waiting for the next thing to go wrong, still unable to find your footing in what your life looks like now. Adjustment disorder is real, it's common, and it responds well to targeted therapy — often more quickly than people expect.
How I Work
My approach is individualized — what drives your anxiety shapes what will actually help. Depending on what you need, I draw on:
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) — identifying and challenging the thought patterns that keep anxiety running
DBT (Dialectical Behavior Therapy) — practical skills for tolerating distress and regulating emotions without making things worse
Somatic and body-based approaches — working directly with the nervous system through breathwork, grounding, and body awareness
Mindfulness-based approaches — learning to observe anxious thoughts without being pulled under by them
Expressive arts therapy — for when the anxiety is hard to access through words alone
Values clarification — getting clear on what actually matters to you, which often does more to quiet anxiety than any coping skill.
What to Expect
We'll start by creating a space that feels safe and supportive. Together we'll explore where your anxiety comes from, how it shows up in your body and your relationships, and what specifically keeps it running. Then we'll build real tools: both for the immediate (what do I do when the panic hits?) and the longer arc (why does this keep happening, and what needs to change?).
Progress isn't always linear. But over time, most people find that anxiety becomes less automatic, less consuming, and less in charge. Your nervous system can learn a different way of moving through the world.
In my work, anxiety rarely shows up alone. It is frequently woven together with depression, mood cycles, perfectionism, and the particular stress of managing a demanding life — or managing someone else's. If your anxiety feels bigger, more stubborn, or more complex than the usual advice has been able to touch, that is exactly the kind of work I do.
If you're ready to understand what's actually driving it — and build a life where your nervous system isn't running the show — I'd be glad to talk.
Book a Free 15-Minute Consultation
Still On the Fence?
I've always been anxious. Can that actually change? Yes — though it rarely disappears entirely. The goal isn't the absence of anxiety; it's anxiety that's proportionate, manageable, and no longer running your life. Most people are surprised by how much is actually possible.
I function fine. Is therapy really necessary? You function fine — but how much energy does that cost you? High-functioning anxiety is exhausting precisely because it's invisible. If you're spending an enormous amount of effort holding it together, you deserve support.
I've tried therapy, and it didn't help. Anxiety treatment has a wide range, and a lot of general therapists aren't trained in the approaches that actually move the needle for anxiety. If you've worked with someone before and felt like you just talked without getting anywhere, that's worth naming in a consultation.
You Don't Have to Keep Running on Adrenaline
Anxiety isn't a personality flaw. It isn't a weakness. It's a nervous system that learned to stay on guard — and it can learn something different.
Therapy can give you back the ability to be present, to rest, to feel like yourself without dread running underneath everything.
I work with adults in Colorado, both in person and online, and with California residents online. My office is located in Wheat Ridge, CO. If you're ready to take a first step — or just curious whether this might help — I'd be glad to talk. Contact me today.
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