If you’ve ever felt like talk therapy just scratches the surface, especially when it comes to deep emotional pain or trauma, you’re not alone. Many women I work with have spent years trying to feel better, only to sense that something still isn’t fully healed. That’s what led me to Brainspotting.

There’s been a noticeable—and long overdue—shift in conversations about perimenopause. More women are sharing their experiences, more healthcare providers are learning to recognize the signs, and more articles are covering the hormonal changes that come with this stage of life. However, what’s often overlooked is how perimenopause affects a woman’s emotional life.

You know the feeling.

You’ve prepared. You’re qualified. You care deeply about what you’re about to do. A presentation, an interview, a performance, a conversation that matters.

And then, just as you begin—something inside you pulls the brake.

You had plans today. Maybe not anything huge, but enough to give the day structure. A few tasks on your list to take care of—or maybe even a moment set aside for yourself. You were looking forward to checking off some boxes, staying on track at your pace, and feeling like you were keeping up. And then something happened. An unexpected call. A crisis at work. A child who needed you. Or maybe it was one thing after another, slowly interrupting the day.

If you've ever felt trapped by unwanted thoughts or stuck in a loop of repetitive behaviors you can't quite explain, you're not alone. Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) often hides in plain sight—especially in high-achieving women who appear to be holding it all together.

Let’s talk about that moment when a thought pops into your head and you immediately wonder, “Why would I even think that?” Whether it’s violent, sexual, or just completely out of character, an intrusive thought can feel distressing—but you’re not alone, and you’re not broken.

You get things done. You show up. You manage the day-to-day and keep everything running, maybe not perfectly, but well enough.

But under the surface, your mind rarely lets up.

You’re not just thinking ahead, you’re bracing for what might go wrong.…

You’re scrolling headlines, listening to a podcast, or catching snippets of the news, and before you’ve even processed what’s being said, your body tenses. Maybe it’s a spike of anxiety. A knot in your stomach. A heaviness you can’t quite name that lingers long after you’ve shut the screen or walked away.

If you find yourself overthinking every word you say, replaying conversations long after they’ve ended, or avoiding certain social situations altogether—you’re not alone. Social anxiety can make even small social interactions feel like high-stakes performances.

You’ve always been the one to hold everything together. The planning, the decisions, the moving parts, the emotional labor, it’s long been your role. And even when the weight was heavy, you carried it. You made sure nothing slipped through the cracks…

You want to help. But you don’t want to say the wrong thing. You’re not alone.

Anxiety is more common than you might think. Around 1 in 5 adults in the U.S. experience an anxiety disorder every year — many silently. Whether it’s generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, or social anxiety, the impact can be overwhelming—and knowing how to support a loved one isn’t always clear.

You tell yourself you’re fine. That the tightness in your shoulders is just from sleeping wrong. That the constant stomach discomfort is just something you ate. That the exhaustion will pass once things calm down. But deep down, you know—things never really calm down.

Anxiety can be relentless, even when life looks good on paper. You might find yourself replaying worries, struggling to relax, or feeling like something’s missing—despite your success. You’re not alone, and you don’t have to push through it without support.

Feeling anxious from time to time is a natural part of life, but when it lingers, becomes overwhelming, or interferes with daily activities, it may be more than just occasional anxiety—it may be an anxiety disorder. Millions of people in the United States experience some form of anxiety disorder, but it doesn’t always look the same.

You know you need to relax. You’ve been told a thousand times: Just take a deep breath. Try yoga. Meditate. But when you finally have a quiet moment…your mind won’t stop. Your body feels restless. Even when nothing is wrong, it’s like your nervous system didn’t get the memo.

If you hear the words midlife crisis, what comes to mind? The term has been thrown around for decades - often as a punchline. Society paints a picture of impulsive decisions, sports cars, and radical reinvention. Women, in particular, are often dismissed when they hit a crossroads in midlife. Oh, you’re just going through a phase. You’ll get over it….

For many women in midlife, overthinking isn’t just an occasional occurrence - it’s a way of life. Every decision, from how to respond to an email to major life choices, can feel like a high-stakes situation that requires endless analysis. The underlying thought? I need to get this right.

If you’re in your 40s or 50s, you might have noticed you’re feeling more anxious or less able to manage your anxiety. You may even find yourself wondering, Does anxiety increase in middle age? Let’s explore why anxiety can intensify in midlife—and what you can do to find relief.

By midlife, many women start asking themselves a familiar question: Why do I still feel this way? Maybe anxiety has been a constant companion, or maybe it’s been building over time—surfacing in moments of self-doubt, frustration, or exhaustion. You might not have all the answers, but something about your life no longer feels right.

For decades, pushing through was the answer. You handled whatever came your way—career demands, raising children, maintaining a household, supporting aging parents—without stopping despite the toll it took. You adapted, carried the weight, and kept going because that is how it’s supposed to be. I mean, how else will stuff get done? But now, in your 50s, something is shifting.