Understanding Anxiety: Symptoms You May Overlook and Ways to Find Relief

When most people think about anxiety, they picture racing thoughts, constant worrying, or even full-blown panic attacks. And yes—sometimes anxiety looks exactly like that. But oftentimes anxiety can come masked as personality types, quirks or unhealthy ways of coping that we don’t realize we can change, rather than just living with it. 

Maybe you’ve caught yourself lying awake at night, unable to rest with your mind running through every possible “what if.” Or you feel irritable and on edge, snapping at little things that normally wouldn’t bother you. For some people, anxiety hides behind perfectionism or procrastination. For others, it shows up as stomachaches, headaches, constant pain or a body that just never quite feels at ease.

The truth is, anxiety doesn’t always announce itself with flashing lights. Sometimes it sneaks up like a whisper and we don’t recognize it at all until it’s been running the show for far too long.

The Many Faces of Anxiety

Anxiety is more than just “being a worrier.” It can show up in lots of different ways, such as:

• the constant undercurrent of worry that makes it hard to relax

• avoiding certain places or situations because of overwhelming fear

• those repetitive thoughts or rituals that feel impossible to stop

• smaller signs like trouble sleeping, perfectionism, overthinking, stomach issues, irritability, or a feeling of being on edge without knowing why.

If any of these sound familiar, you’re not alone. Many people don’t realize how much anxiety plays a role in their daily lives until they pause and take a closer look. And often when you are in the thick of life, it takes someone else to help you recognize that your current “normal” may not be as normal as you think. With help, your normal can become a way of living that fills you rather than drains you.  

What Can I Do?

The good news? Anxiety doesn’t have to keep running your life. Counseling can help you untangle what’s really going on and give you the tools to handle it differently.

Here’s how:

• Understanding the root of your anxiety. Together, we’ll uncover what’s feeding your worry—whether it’s stress, old patterns, or hidden triggers you may not have noticed before. This doesn’t mean you have to relive what has brought you to this place, but by being aware of what is causing the anxiety we can determine how to best help you move forward.

• Building coping tools that work for you. This might look like breathwork to calm your body, exposure therapy to gently face fears, or Emotional Freedom Technique (also called tapping), a powerful tool that uses acupressure points to help release pent up emotions in the body and allow you to no longer be controlled by the emotions tied to the triggers.

• Breaking the cycle. Anxiety often creates loops—avoiding things, overthinking, or repeating rituals. In counseling, you’ll learn new ways to step out of those loops so they don’t control you. Rather than temporarily relieving anxiety, we can find what works for you to release the causes of it and better manage it when anxiety pops up in the future. 

• Personalized support. No two people’s anxiety looks exactly the same. We will adapt your counseling to you—your personality, your challenges, and your goals. This way you can feel empowered to take control of your life rather than your anxiety being in control. 

One of the most freeing parts of this process is realizing: this isn’t a character flaw. You’re not “lazy” for procrastinating. You’re not “too sensitive” for being easily overwhelmed. You’re not “broken” for having fears or rituals that don’t make sense to anyone else.

These are all ways anxiety can show up. And once you see it for what it is, you can begin to meet it with understanding, compassion, and new tools to move forward.

You Don’t Have to Do This Alone

If you’ve seen yourself in any of what has been described, know this—you’re not alone. Anxiety touches so many lives, but healing is absolutely possible. Counseling offers a space to finally slow down, make sense of what you’re experiencing, and learn practical tools that help you feel more in control.

If you’re ready to explore what life could feel like with less anxiety and more peace, I’d love to walk that journey with you. Contact me here to get started.

Somatic Breathwork

Benefits of Somatic Breathwork for Stress and Anxiety 

Stress and anxiety are part of our daily lives, but oftentimes they can become overwhelming, chronic or even paralyzing. Our bodies use that anxious feeling to alert us when we need to be aware of potential danger, but we are not intended to stay in that feeling once the danger is gone. And sometimes our internal alarm system doesn’t work correctly and can alert us to danger that was never really there. If you notice this trend then your system likely needs a good reset. While there are countless strategies out there to help manage these feelings, somatic breathwork stands out as a powerful, science-supported, and natural way to find relief.

What Is Somatic Breathwork?

Somatic breathwork is more than just deep breathing. It’s a practice rooted in the understanding that the body and mind are deeply connected. “Somatic” means “of the body,” and this approach focuses on using conscious, intentional breathing to tune into and release tension, emotions, and stress stored in the body. One of the amazing things about somatic breathwork is that you don’t need to know what your body is working through for it to be successful. If you are intentional about doing the breathwork then the body will take care of the rest. 

Unlike some breathwork styles that emphasize performance or extreme techniques, somatic breathwork invites gentle exploration. It helps bring awareness to what’s happening physically and emotionally and offers tools to soothe the nervous system from within. 

Understanding Stress and Anxiety Through a Somatic Lens

When we experience ongoing stress or anxiety, our nervous system often stays stuck in “fight or flight” mode. This keeps cortisol and adrenaline levels high, muscles tight, breathing shallow, and thoughts racing. It can make getting through the day feel impossible and then you go to bed exhausted at the end of the day. 

Somatic breathwork helps interrupt this cycle. By consciously guiding the breath, we can activate the parasympathetic nervous system (the body’s natural “rest and digest” mode). This physical shift sends powerful signals of safety and calm to both the body and mind. And the great thing is, when you learn to harness this powerful tool, you can call upon it at any time. 

Science-Backed Benefits of Somatic Breathwork

1. Activates the parasympathetic nervous system
Studies have shown that slow, diaphragmatic breathing significantly reduces cortisol levels, helping the body shift from stress to relaxation. Clients often describe feeling calmer, clearer, and more centered after even a short session.

2. Reduces physical tension
Intentional breathwork gently loosens tight muscles, lowers blood pressure, and eases headaches or chest tightness linked to anxiety.

3. Improves emotional regulation
Research shows breathwork can help decrease symptoms of anxiety and support better mood stability. It can also help to calm the mind and slow down racing thoughts, allowing you to better process what is happening.

4. Enhances mindfulness and body awareness
By paying attention to how the breath moves through the body, people become more present, interrupt negative thought spirals, and reconnect with themselves.

How to Start Your Own Somatic Breathwork Practice

• Start small: just 3–5 minutes of slow, deep belly breathing.

• Focus on the exhale: making the exhale longer than the inhale helps calm the nervous system.

• Practice consistently: even short daily sessions build resilience over time. Do this at times when you are already calm so that you are prepared at times that you need to use it as a calming tool.

• Consider guided sessions: working with a trained facilitator can help you explore deeper layers safely. As a trained facilitator I can also help you utilize breathwork as a tool to work through deep seated trauma and anxiety so that it does not continue to resurface. See below for a link to more information about classes. 

Breathwork Classes available. https://www.jessicashrievecounseling.com/somatic-breathwork

Summary

Somatic breathwork isn’t just a trend — it’s a practice supported by science, trusted by therapists, and proven in real people’s lives. If stress and anxiety feel overwhelming, breathwork offers a gentle, accessible way to reconnect with your body, quiet your mind, and step back into your day feeling grounded.

If you’re curious to explore this for yourself, book a somatic breathwork session or attend a group class and learn more about how it can fit into your wellness journey.