Free yourself from who you think you “should” be. Discover who you really are.
THERAPY FOR WOMEN IN HICKORY, NC
Specializing in anxiety, perfectionism, people-pleasing, therapists, & helping professionals.
On the outside, you’re the responsible one who always gets the job done.
On the inside, you’re exhausted from years of holding it together…and wondering why you can’t just push through like you always have.
As far back as you can remember, being capable, disciplined, and independent has been part of who you are. Those qualities have gained you a reputation as reliable—and boy, do people rely on you.
Now, when something in you wants to slow down or say “no,” the guilt is immediate. You try to logic your way out of being overwhelmed, telling yourself it’s not selfish to protect your time, but not really believing it, and feeling like something bad will happen if you do. But those harsh “pep talks” about “sucking it up” aren’t working the way they used to. And it’s possible a life change—in your body, your family, or your responsibilities—has made your feelings even harder to ignore.
Maybe you’ve been to therapy before and gained insight into these patterns…and still found yourself repeating them later that same week. You’re realizing you don’t actually need more awareness. You need relief from the constant tug-of-war inside you.
YOU’RE HERE BECAUSE…
Your brain never slows down, no matter how tired you are.
Your mind jumps from one thought to the next, scanning for what you missed, what could go wrong, or what still needs to be handled. You find yourself overthinking, over-preparing, and feeling behind, often all in the same day. Rest feels like something to be earned, and any calm moments leave you bracing for the other shoe to drop.
Something major in your life has shifted and is forcing you to reassess things.
Maybe it’s a new baby, kids leaving home, aging parents, changes in your body, or a chronic illness diagnosis you didn’t expect. What used to feel hard-but-doable now feels completely unsustainable. You can tell the season has changed, but you’re having a hard time accepting and navigating what that means for your life.
You’re confident and capable at work—but that version of you disappears at home.
You can lead a team, hold space for clients, students, or patients, solve problems, and be the steady one all day long. You’ve been a chameleon for most of your life—reading the room, adjusting, becoming who you need to be—and that’s part of what makes you excellent at what you do. But at home, it means your boundaries often get blurry, and resentment builds toward the people you care about most.
You’ve lost touch with yourself, and don’t know what you actually want.
Decisions get filtered through what’s expected, what’s reasonable, what won’t upset anyone. Even with inconsequential choices like what to have for dinner or what to watch on TV, you default to what others want without hesitation. Now, you struggle to identify what you want or need in the moment, and feel strangely detached from yourself.
HI, I’M CINDY.
You’ve already tried managing the symptoms.
Let’s figure out what’s really driving them.
What if the reason you can’t just “do the thing” has nothing to do with willpower? What if the part of you that panics when you try to set a boundary or slow down isn’t broken, but is trying to protect you? I don’t see you as too sensitive, dramatic, or inherently flawed. I see someone whose approach to life made sense for a long time in context, but is just no longer workable—and trust me, I’ve been there.
Most of my clients have tried all the coping tools and boundary scripts under the sun before they ever sit down with me, and still find themselves in the same patterns. My work is different because instead of trying to override those patterns, we work with what’s behind them. We’ll look at what’s happening in your nervous system, your relationships, and your body—not just your thoughts. Our goal is to get every part of you on board with the changes you want to make, so you can stop fighting yourself and start making decisions you can actually stand behind.
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You second-guess decisions long after they’re made, set the bar higher for yourself than anyone asked you to, and feel a rush of shame when you can’t meet your own expectations. In therapy, we look at what’s driving that constant pressure so you can stop white-knuckling your way through life and finally feel some relief.
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Even with the people closest to you, you over-explain yourself, shove down your true feelings to avoid backlash, and end up saying yes in the moment even when something in you is screaming no. Together, we’ll define what you actually want and find ways to tolerate the discomfort that comes with speaking up, so your relationships can feel like more of a two-way street.
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You’re a therapist, nurse, physician, teacher, or other helper who spends your days supporting others—and then struggles to apply that same compassion to yourself. Therapy is the one place where you don’t have to be professional, composed, or “on,” so you can work through your own patterns with the same depth you offer everyone else.
I SPECIALIZE IN…
Get started with therapy that goes deeper.
1
Reach out
Click here to schedule a free consultation, or to book your first appointment if you’re ready to jump in. I offer sessions in person at my office in Hickory and online across North Carolina.
2
Take the wheel
I’ll be your navigator, but you’ll be driving this thing. We’ll talk about where you want to go and explore different ways to get there, addressing any roadblocks or speedbumps that come up along the way.
3
Find your “aligned yes”
Over time, we’ll rule out what you don’t want so you can feel sure of what you do want. Then, you can say “yes” to those things with full confidence and alignment, and sleep well knowing you showed up as your authentic and aligned self.
YOU ARE NOT “TOO MUCH.”