Why I Couldn't Think My Way Out of Overwhelm

The two healing modalities that changed my life.

I've been having a lot of conversations lately with women who feel stuck in fear, overwhelm, and anxiety.

Not just “I'm nervous about this big thing” fear. I mean the kind of fear that lives in your body. The kind that makes it feel like no matter how much you journal, talk yourself through it, listen to the podcast, read the book, or try to pump yourself up, something inside of you still feels frozen.

I know this feeling because I have lived it.

For years, I felt like I had to work so hard just to get back to neutral. My brain could understand what was true. I could talk myself through it. I could see the logical next step. But my body did not always believe I was safe.

And when your nervous system is stuck in fear, fight, flight, or freeze, everything feels harder.

Making decisions feels harder. Having money conversations feels harder. Looking at your numbers feels harder. Taking action feels harder. Believing in your own dreams feels harder.

This is one of the things I wish more people understood: sometimes the issue is not that you are lazy, unmotivated, irresponsible, or bad with money. Sometimes your body is trying to protect you from a threat that is no longer actually happening.

That is why mindset work alone is not always enough.

You can tell yourself, “I am safe.” You can tell yourself, “I can handle this.” You can tell yourself, “I am ready to change.” But if your brain and nervous system are still responding as if you are in danger, you may stay stuck in the same cycle.

This is where deeper healing may be needed.

For me, the breakthrough came when I stopped trying to think my way out of what my body was experiencing.

After I left teaching, the constant sprint of deadlines, students, meetings, and responsibilities was suddenly gone. I thought I would feel relief. Instead, I found myself face-to-face with a level of fear and overwhelm I hadn't realized I was carrying. My brain knew I was safe, but my nervous system hadn't gotten the message.

I also knew how much work I was doing every day just to try to get back to neutral. I was listening to podcasts, reading books, journaling, exercising, working on myself, and trying to manage my thoughts. It felt like I was constantly fighting my way back to a place where I could simply function. It was exhausting.

Around that time, women in my mastermind started sharing two modalities that had dramatically changed their lives: EMDR therapy and network spinal chiropractic care. I trusted these women, and at that point I was willing to try anything that might help. So I jumped in with both feet.

What fascinated me about EMDR is that it isn't traditional talk therapy. You can talk about your problems for years and still find yourself having the same emotional reactions and patterns. EMDR works differently. It helps your brain reprocess experiences so they no longer trigger the same fear response. In many ways, it felt like my brain was being rewired.

For the first time, I wasn't just understanding my patterns intellectually. I could actually see them.

I began recognizing subconscious patterns that had been running my life for years. I could identify where they came from. I could understand why I was reacting the way I was. And most importantly, I could choose a different response.

That was life-changing.

Because it is incredibly difficult to change your life when you don't understand why you keep doing the things you do.

When the pattern is unconscious, it feels like you're stuck. When you can see the pattern, you finally have a choice.

EMDR helped me see those patterns. Network spinal helped my body release years of stored stress and tension. Together, they changed my life.

I knew that if I could stop living in a constant state of fear and start from neutral instead, my entire life would change.

And it did.

From neutral, you can make a plan. From neutral, you can look at your money. From neutral, you can have the conversation. From neutral, you can make a decision. From neutral, you can actually move forward.

This matters because money is rarely just about money.

Money touches safety. Worthiness. Control. Shame. Childhood. Relationships. Power. Freedom. Identity. Dreams.

So if looking at your money sends your body into panic, there may be more going on than a budgeting problem. Yes, you may need a system. Yes, you may need education. Yes, you may need accountability. But you may also need healing.

And there is nothing wrong with that.

The reason I am sharing this story is because I keep running into people who are exactly where I was two years ago.

Women who are trying so hard to change their lives, but whose nervous systems are still stuck in fear, overwhelm, and survival mode.

For me, EMDR therapy and network spinal chiropractic care changed everything.

If you recognize yourself in this story, don't spend another year trying to think your way out of it.

Find an EMDR therapist. Find a network spinal chiropractor. Give yourself permission to get support.

You do not have to keep fighting your way back to neutral every day.

I've listed several EMDR therapists on the Resources page of my website if you'd like a place to start.

Disclaimer: I am an educator, not your personal financial advisor. Please make sure to do your own research before moving forward with any actions discussed in this blog post. 

Know that all investments involve some form of risk and there is no guarantee that you will be successful in making, saving, or investing money; nor is there any guarantee that you won't experience any loss when investing. Always remember to make smart decisions and do your own research!