In today’s nonstop news cycle, constant notifications, and increasingly polarized political climate, many people across North Carolina, South Carolina, and Florida are experiencing a persistent sense of fear, tension, and emotional overload. For some, this stress has developed into what clinicians often describe as political anxiety. While political anxiety is not a formal diagnosis, the emotional and physiological responses people experience are real and valid. If political stress is affecting your sleep, focus, relationships, or sense of safety, you deserve support.

Growing up with emotionally immature parents can shape how you see yourself, relate to others, and handle stress well into adulthood. Many adult children of emotionally immature parents describe feeling hyper-responsible, emotionally neglected, or chronically “not enough.” Even when you understand where these patterns come from, your nervous system may still react as if you are back in those early family dynamics.

If you’ve ever left a family dinner feeling shaky, furious, or emotionally hungover after “just one comment” about politics, you’re not imagining it. Political conversations can activate our nervous systems in a way that feels intensely personal, especially when the people across the table are our parents.

Sex and intimacy can be meaningful parts of a marriage, yet they are also common sources of stress, pressure, and misunderstanding. Many people struggle not because they do not love their partner, but because they do not feel emotionally safe or free to express boundaries around sex. If you have ever felt obligated to be intimate, avoided closeness because it felt pressured, or struggled to explain why you need emotional connection before physical intimacy, you are not alone.

Many women today are carrying a deep emotional heaviness that feels hard to name. It shows up as tension in your chest, worry that lingers even when the day is quiet, difficulty sleeping, irritability, and a sense of being mentally on edge. You feel overwhelmed by the news, exhausted from constant crises, and unsure how to stay grounded while the world feels unpredictable.

Making medication decisions during motherhood particularly about mental health can feel scary and overwhelming. There is so much information out there - what is right? By definition motherhood means there is a little one to also consider - the stakes of making the right decision feel very high. And what does taking psychiatric medication during motherhood even mean? Often moms fear deep down that this makes them a bad or broken mom. They should be happy. They should be better. They just need to try harder. Taking medication can feel like admitting defeat or that there is something wrong with them. 

Many high-achieving women describe themselves as caring, thoughtful, supportive, and deeply empathetic. You are the friend who remembers birthdays, the coworker who notices when someone is struggling, the partner who anticipates needs, and the daughter who manages family dynamics.

If you are exploring EMDR therapy, you may notice that some therapists describe themselves as EMDR-trained, while others highlight EMDRIA certification. It is completely understandable to wonder what these terms actually mean and whether they truly matter for your care.

If you are a high-achieving woman, you know how to perform. You know how to show up with a polished exterior, even on days when your inner world feels chaotic. You know how to meet deadlines, exceed expectations, support everyone around you, and still push yourself to do more.

If you have noticed that your anxiety spikes every time you check the news, you are not alone. Many high-achieving women describe a unique kind of tension that rises in their chest when they see the latest headline. Even when you try to limit your screen time or tell yourself not to look, something pulls you back in. You feel unsettled, overwhelmed, and unable to stop thinking about what is happening in the world.

Overfunctioning is one of the most common and exhausting patterns I see in high-achieving women, especially those who grew up with emotionally immature parents. You become the one who holds everything together. You anticipate needs before anyone voices them. You fix problems before others even notice there is an issue. You give more than you receive. And somewhere along the way, you lose yourself in the process.

There is a particular kind of overwhelm that many high-achieving women experience. It is not the standard stress that comes from a busy season or a long week. It is a full body, full mind intensity that makes even small tasks feel unbearable. Lights feel too bright. Noise feels too loud. Conversations feel draining. Your mind feels scattered and overloaded. You feel irritated or anxious for reasons you cannot articulate.

If you are a high-achieving woman, you probably know this feeling well. You finally sit down to rest at the end of the day, but instead of relaxing, your mind starts racing. There is a mental checklist. A tightening in your chest. A sense that you should be doing something more productive. Rest begins to feel uncomfortable, almost like you are doing something wrong.

Many women today describe a familiar kind of exhaustion. It is not the exhaustion that comes from a busy week or a demanding schedule. It is deeper, heavier, and harder to name. It is the exhaustion that builds when your nervous system has been running on high alert for too long because of the constant stream of political unrest, global crises, and overwhelming headlines.

Many high-achieving women carry a quiet but powerful feeling that they are never doing enough, never calm enough, never present enough, and never successful enough. Even when life looks polished and put together from the outside, the internal experience often feels heavy, pressured, or tinged with self-doubt.

High-achieving women are some of the most capable, competent, and resilient people I’ve ever worked with. You juggle demanding careers, families, relationships, community responsibilities, and the invisible labor no one else sees. And even when it looks like you’re handling life beautifully on the outside, there’s often a very different story unfolding within.