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Idaho, Iowa, Des Moines
As a millennial living in a fast-paced, often overwhelming world, it’s easy to dismiss the signs of anxiety as part of everyday stress. However, if avoidance, fear, or rumination are impacting your ability to thrive in your work or personal life, it may be time to consider seeking help.
I’m an anxiety therapist and coach who specializes in neurodivergence, perfectionism, and burnout. Anxiety often goes hand-in-hand with these issues, compounding existing problems and creating new ones. Let’s take a look at warning signs of anxiety you may be overlooking, as well as examples of issues an anxiety therapist can help you with.
Signs of anxiety can be subtle and easy to push through or overlook, especially in our Capitalist society. But if they impact your daily life, consider seeking professional help to find more balance and dial down the stress.
The following are signs you’re struggling with anxiety.
Maybe you…
Anxiety looks different for everyone who experiences it. However, similar themes come up over and over in my work with clients. Here are 9 examples of anxiety issues I regularly help clients work through – and can help you with, too.
If you’re constantly driven by a fear of failure and feel like you need to do everything perfectly, you may find it impossible to relax (even during your downtime.) Perfectionism is exhausting and often leads to problems like procrastination, burnout, resentment, and increased anxiety when left unresolved. In my work with clients, I help them challenge the belief that their worth is tied to their productivity and perfection. We work together to reframe old narratives and create sustainable habits that support a healthy work-life balance.
Do you tend to avoid difficult topics or subjects in your relationships? Maybe you’re afraid that bringing up a difficult issue will cause conflict, so you stuff down your feelings instead. Over time, this can build resentment and disconnection with loved ones or in the workplace. In therapy, I help you explore these fears, challenge the catastrophic thinking behind them, and practice new ways to communicate so you can build healthier, more open relationships.
On the outside, you look like you have you shit together: maybe you have a solid career, maintain seemingly healthy relationships, and have a lot of accomplishments or accolades. But on the inside, you’re in a constant state of hypervigilance, always bracing for some unknown crisis. This chronic fight-or-flight response wears down your mental and physical health over time and is an indicator you need support. Therapy helps by addressing both the cognitive and physiological aspects of anxiety, giving you tools to ground yourself in moments of stress.
When anxiety kicks in, tasks big and small can feel impossible to start. This is particularly common for neurodivergent folks, where different executive functioning impacts your ability to complete tasks on time. You may find yourself procrastinating, not because you're lazy or unmotivated, but because the thought of starting feels overwhelming. An anxiety therapist can help you reframe your fears, break tasks down into easier steps, and decrease mental barriers keeping you stuck.
If you constantly feel like you’re not allowed to take breaks or relax because there’s always “more to do,” you probably know it’s not great for your mental well-being. Anxiety often leads to feeling like you’re never doing enough, which keeps you in a cycle of stress and burnout. In therapy, we’ll work to unlearn this guilt and help you develop a healthier relationship with rest and self-care.
Anxiety can make you avoid risks or new opportunities because you're afraid of failing or embarrassing yourself. Whether it's a new job, making friends, dating, or even trying a new hobby, this fear can prevent you from growing or enjoying life. An anxiety therapist can help you challenge these fears, supporting you to take steps outside your comfort zone and feel more confident and empowered.
Do you spend hours replaying conversations in your head, analyzing every detail, and worrying that you said or did something wrong? This kind of rumination is mentally exhausting and is a classic sign of anxiety– and can be a sign of social anxiety. Therapy can help you understand what you’re dealing with, break the cycle of overthinking, and cultivate more self-trust in your relationships and interactions.
Anxiety can make you feel like life is out of your control, with the constant pressure to manage everything perfectly. You might feel extra inclined to micromanage or control situations because otherwise things feel too scary. Even if you’re organized and appear to have everything handled, you might have a sense that things could spiral out of control any minute. Anxiety therapy helps you feel less spiraly by focusing on what you can control and learning healthy ways to cope with uncertainty.
Sometimes anxiety can cause you to shut down emotionally, making you feel disconnected from your own feelings and the people around you. This can lead to feelings of isolation, numbness, and apathy. Therapy can help you reconnect with your emotions and feelings in a more balanced way.
In my work with clients, I use Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). This form of therapy offers practical tools to reshape unhelpful thinking patterns and behaviors. Together, we set goals and come up with tailored plans to help you with your specific challenges.
It’s particularly helpful for issues like neurodivergence, depression, and anxiety because it provides clear strategies for managing day-to-day challenges. It can help you gain the skills to respond differently to triggers, leading to long-term relief and a stronger sense of control.
Anxiety is frequently accompanied by one or more cognitive distortions, which are often subconscious and go unrecognized. In our work together, we can identify and understand your particular thoughts and behavior habits, which makes it easier to tackle problems you’re having. For example, if you tend to assume people are judging you all the time, we can explore the foundations and beliefs behind this assumption and work on ways to unravel that fear.
Learn more about my therapy services (including EMDR and talk therapy) if you’re located in Idaho, Iowa, or South Carolina. For all other locations, check out my coaching services. My coaching program offers all the same expertise, tools, and guidance as therapy in a more direct and goal-oriented approach that you can benefit from anywhere.
Reach out today to schedule a free, no-obligation consultation. Let’s start building a better future together.
Danielle is an anxiety therapist and perfectionism coach. She specializes in helping busy millennials dial down their anxiety and ADHD, so they can perform at their best. Danielle has been featured on Apartment Therapy, SparkPeople, Lifewire, and Now Art World. When Danielle isn't helping her clients, she's playing video games or spending time with her partner and step children.
Helping millennial professionals dial down anxiety and stress, so they can perform at their best.
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