Feeling Overwhelmed But Don’t Know Why?

Are you a high performer who struggles with anxiety, perfectionism, relationship conflict, or other behaviors that you can’t seem to get under control? Is it possible that a traumatic experience from your past is at the core of your symptoms? And do you wish the past had less influence over the present?

My clients often come to therapy feeling discouraged and confused about why they can’t seem to get a handle on their mental, emotional, and relational health. Whether their performance, relationships, or daily life is being affected by an inability to cope, they’re burnt out and overwhelmed, often turning to overworking, alcohol, or other distractions to keep them from facing their emotions head-on. They also frequently experience symptoms like nightmares, “spacing out,” angry outbursts, and low self-esteem, keeping them trapped in a draining, disruptive cycle.

Without initially realizing it, many people have been affected by their past: a history of bullying, betrayal, attachment injury, or another form of trauma, which is contributing to their symptoms.

Despite these events typically taking place in their childhood, they’ve learned counterproductive coping strategies and stress responses, creating problems in just about every area of their lives today. As an experienced psychologist and trauma-informed clinician, I understand the effect that unresolved trauma can have on achieving a healthy, fulfilling existence. Yet, healing is possible. In treatment for symptoms of trauma and PTSD at Psych Fitness Therapy, you can take control of your present and future by healing the past.

What Is Trauma?

When most people think of trauma, they often imagine major events like accidents, assault, violence, or natural disasters. While these experiences can be traumatic, trauma is not limited to life-threatening situations. In fact, there is a wide range of experiences that can trigger a traumatic response, and many of these are less immediately apparent. Everyday life events such as a breakup, the loss of a loved one, infidelity, or job loss, can lead to significant emotional distress and long-term effects if not addressed.

Childhood trauma, in particular, is common among many of my clients. This can include early neglect, abuse, abandonment, divorce, or witnessing high-conflict family dynamics. These early experiences shape how we navigate relationships, work, and our sense of self throughout our lives.

School bullying is another often-overlooked trauma. High performers may respond by overachieving, chasing status or validation while still struggling with inner feelings of inadequacy. Likewise, first responders, medical professionals, and therapists can develop secondary trauma — the emotional residue of witnessing others’ suffering day after day.

Trauma Can Affect Anyone

Trauma is not just about major events. Any experience that threatens our sense of physical or emotional safety can be traumatic. Whether it’s emotional abuse, manipulation, or neglect, these experiences can deeply affect our mental and emotional well-being.

If left unaddressed, trauma can contribute to long-term mental health symptoms, such as anxiety, depression, relationship difficulties, and self-esteem struggles. The impact of trauma can also be seen in physical symptoms like chronic stress, sleep problems, or nervous system dysregulation.

High-Achieving Immigrants Are More at Risk Of PTSD 

I often work with people whose lives are shaped by intergenerational and systemic traumas. For instance, clients who are first-generation or come from immigrant families often have to contend with balancing intersecting cultures and identities, managing high expectations for performance, and experiencing racism and xenophobia alongside their parents. People who are first-generation immigrants or who belong to minority groups often face additional layers of stress while navigating cultural differences, managing high expectations, and dealing with racism and xenophobia. For many, the experience of trauma is intertwined with systemic oppression and intergenerational pain.

Yet, trauma in these communities is often minimized or overlooked. Many individuals may not view their upbringing or experiences as “trauma,” due to cultural stigmas surrounding mental health. As a result, anxiety, relationship conflict, and the drive for achievement may remain unexamined and linked to unresolved past experiences.

In therapy, I take a culturally competent approach, recognizing how trauma can appear in unique ways depending on one’s background and experiences. Working together, we’ll uncover the roots of your symptoms and develop a personalized plan for healing, one that empowers you to manage the effects of trauma and reclaim control over your life.

At Psych Fitness, We Treat the Cause, Not Just the Symptoms 

The high-performing professionals, teens, and college students we work with often initially search for a “quick fix” to their anxiety, inadequacy, substance use, and high-stress relationships. Through therapy, with flexible scheduling to fit into demanding lifestyles, clients often discover that their struggles are tied to deeper emotional wounds, often from past trauma. As we work together to explore and untangle these layers, we find that healing comes not just from fixing the surface-level problems but by addressing the core issues beneath them.   Using a combination of proven insight-oriented psychodynamic and solution-focused therapeutic methods, I approach trauma from all angles, guiding clients in exploring, understanding, and rewriting their stories. Digging into their issues and pulling them from the roots paves the way for long-term healing and relief.  

My Approach 

Before we dive into the deeper emotional work, my priority is to equip you with the tools you need to feel better in the here and now. I’ll introduce you to solution-focused behavioral techniques, such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), that can help you manage overwhelming emotions, build emotional resilience, and regulate your nervous system.

With these practical skills in place, we can begin exploring the underlying patterns and core experiences that have shaped your emotional responses and relationships. Whether it’s past trauma, unhealthy patterns, or unresolved conflict, we will work together to understand how these influences continue to impact your life.

While it’s easy to turn to distractions or coping mechanisms to avoid the pain of trauma, therapy provides a safe, structured environment to face and address the hurt. As you build emotional resources and gain awareness in therapy, you can shift from surviving your trauma to thriving: transforming your past pain into a source of strength and growth.

Still Not Sure If Therapy For Trauma Is Right For You?

I don’t see my experiences as being traumatic, so why am I feeling this way?

Our culture often perpetuates the narrative that trauma only applies to life-or-death situations. But trauma can be any experience threatening our sense of safety, even if our lives aren’t in danger. Underneath your symptoms, you’ve likely experienced a time when you felt defeated, rejected, or a series of events where your life felt like it was turned upside down. Without realizing it, your body can hang onto this threat response indefinitely, creating negative beliefs about yourself and the world around you. This explains why you might feel anxious, physically uncomfortable, and untrusting of others. Fortunately, therapy is a remedy to the long-term effects of trauma. Working together, we can identify the experiences at the core of your distress so you can adjust your emotional response.

I’ve already stuffed down my experiences of childhood bullying and/or abuse— won’t discussing them just make me feel worse?

I understand that it can be painful to discuss early trauma, but therapy is designed to make you feel better, not worse. Stuffing down painful emotions and experiences only gives those uncomfortable thoughts and feelings more power, allowing them to surface unexpectedly, and keeping you from fully living life. As a trauma-informed psychologist, I know how to guide you in gently and safely uncovering your trauma so you can be better aware of its impact on your life right now. And because our first step will be getting you resourced with helpful emotional and stress management techniques, you will have a coping toolkit to draw from any time you feel triggered.

How do I know that trauma treatment will be worth the commitment?

As both a solution-focused and psychodynamic psychologist, my approach to trauma treatment offers strategies for coping with trauma, whether it’s showing up in your mind, body, or relationships. We will use our early counseling sessions to establish goals for trauma treatment, and I will customize the process to your unique needs and experience. Most of my clients find therapy to be extremely effective in addressing ongoing symptoms of trauma and PTSD. More often than not, they get the results they’re looking for, and their quality of life improves.

There Is A Reason Behind Your Struggles

You don’t have to carry the weight of the past alone. Whether you’re feeling stuck, overwhelmed, or unsure of where your symptoms are coming from, trauma therapy can help you reconnect with yourself and move forward with clarity and strength.

If you’re ready to explore how trauma therapy can help you feel more in control of your mind, emotions, and relationships, schedule a 15-minute consultation with me today. You can begin your healing journey today.