The affair is over. It had to be. And you know that.

But knowing it is over and moving on are two different things. Because even now — weeks or months later — he is still there. In moments where thoughts drift. In the space between falling asleep and sleeping. In the middle of ordinary days when it seems everything around you reminds you of him.

Traditional talk therapy can calm thoughts, yet traumatic memories are stored in the midbrain’s subcortical areas. Brainspotting therapy (BSP), an eye-position technique discovered by psychotherapist David Grand, PhD, in 2003, targets that hidden distress at its somatic source.

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.

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.