You’re not broken, you’re in transition

You don’t feel like yourself.

You’re functioning. You’re showing up. You’re doing what needs to be done.

But something feels off.

Maybe you’re more anxious than you used to be. Maybe you’re snappier. Maybe you’re exhausted in a way that sleep doesn’t fix. Maybe you’re quietly wondering, What’s wrong with me?

I want to offer you something gently but clearly:

You are NOT broken.
It might be that you’re in transition.

Midlife Isn’t a Crisis — It’s a Recalibration

So many women reach their 30s, 40s and 50’s, and suddenly find the old ways of coping just don’t work anymore.

You may be:

• Parenting young children (or teenagers)

• Navigating perimenopause

• Questioning your career

• Re-evaluating your relationship

• Grieving parts of yourself you’ve outgrown

This isn’t weakness. It’s evolution.

But evolution is uncomfortable.

When our identity shifts — when who we’ve been no longer quite fits — anxiety and low mood often show up. Not because you’re failing, but because something inside you is asking to be renegotiated.

The “I Should Be Fine” Trap

One of the most common patterns I see in therapy is this:

“Other people have it worse.”
“I should be grateful.”
“I’m lucky really.”

And yet — you don’t feel fine.

Suppressing discomfort because you think you should be okay only drives it underground. It often comes back as insomnia, overthinking, irritability, or that persistent sense that you’ve somehow lost yourself.

Therapy as Reconnection

In CBT therapy, we gently explore:

• What beliefs are driving your anxiety?

• What expectations are you carrying?

• Where did those standards come from?

• And are they still serving you?

This isn’t about fixing you.

It’s about helping you understand yourself in this new season of life.

Transitions aren’t signs of collapse. They’re invitations to re-align.

If you don’t quite recognise yourself right now, that doesn’t mean you’ve disappeared.

It may simply mean you’re becoming.

If this resonates, you don’t have to navigate it alone. I offer CBT therapy in London and online across the UK, supporting women through identity shifts, anxiety, and life transitions.

High-Functioning But Exhausted? Let’s Talk.

On paper, you’re doing well.

You go to work. You parent. You reply to emails. You show up. You manage.

From the outside, you look capable.

Inside? You’re running on fumes.

You might not even describe yourself as struggling. You might say:

“I’m just tired.”
“It’s a busy season.”
“Everyone feels like this.”

But this isn’t just tired.

This is the particular exhaustion that comes from carrying too much for too long.

The Invisible Load

Many of the women I work with are high-achieving and deeply responsible.

They are:

• The default parent

• The emotional regulator in their family

• The reliable one at work

• The friend who checks in on everyone else

They are competent. Strong. Capable.

And completely depleted.

What we often uncover in therapy isn’t incapability — it’s unsustainable standards.

Standards shaped by:

• Perfectionism

• Gendered expectations

• “I must not let anyone down”

• “If I stop, everything falls apart”

Over time, that pressure becomes anxiety. Or irritability. Or numbness.

High-Functioning Anxiety Is Still Anxiety

Because you’re still managing, it’s easy to dismiss your distress.

But high-functioning anxiety often looks like:

• Overthinking everything

• Difficulty switching off

• Trouble sleeping

• Harsh self-criticism

• Constant mental rehearsal of worst-case scenarios

You can look calm and feel like you’re internally sprinting.

Therapy Isn’t for When You Collapse

You don’t have to wait until you fall apart.

CBT therapy can help you:

• Identify the rules you’re living by

• Challenge the “I must cope alone” narrative

• Reduce anxiety at its root

• Rebalance responsibility

• Build boundaries without guilt

Strength doesn’t mean self-sacrifice.

If you’re functioning but quietly exhausted, that matters.

You deserve support before burnout forces it.

I work with women across London and the UK who look fine on the outside but are tired of carrying everything alone. If that sounds familiar, therapy could be a place to finally put some of it down.