Do you have High-Functioning Anxiety?
Let’s just say it like it is:
You are ah-mazing at what you do. Seriously. You are intelligent, get stuff done, and you’ve got all kinds of support. But the anxiety that comes along for the ride? It’s just exhausting.
You’re high functioning and you don’t quite need therapy, but you need assistance and support, guidance, direction. (for therapy, click here!)
After all, you did it! You got the training, developed your expertise. Are excellent at what you do. But you’re also carrying the other side of the coin around when situations arise that most people chalk up to worry and stress. Nope. Not you. You’re also feeling:
About money, even though you have all you need, the financial anxiety is as cyclical as the full moon
You can’t seem to just relax on vacation when it’s what everyone tells you is the best medicine
Every time there is a transition happening in your life that seems to throw things out of balance
Dealing with anxiety is hard.
Especially when it’s not all the time, so you never REALLY know when it will come around again. It takes you by surprise. Even though you know it shouldn’t by now. I see it all the time with my clients.
Most have struggled with waiting until the physical symptoms are so bad they have to see their medical doctor or naturopath to take medication to even function during the day or sleep at night.
They’ve spent hours online (hello 3am Google rabbit holes!) searching for a new relaxation technique that might be the golden ticket solution to get the constant thinking to stop.
And. Finally. MAYBE.
They decide to talk to someone.
Ugh. But who?
What do all those letters after someone’s name mean exactly? Therapy? Coach? Spiritual Advisor?
Maybe they’ll just try and start jogging or go to yoga classes again. That seemed to help last time. For a little while.
The amount of phone messages, emails, and appointments made by my clients in the middle of the night is quite common. Reaching out IS the first step to an easier way.
We can turn this around and create a personalized plan that actually works in your life, whether it be as a professional, business leader, or any of your relationships with other humans.
Aloha!
I am an anxiety specialist for professionals and business leaders like you, so you can refocus on what you were meant to do and create in your life.
As both a licensed clinical psychologist and previously an emergency & flight nurse,
I’ve helped my clients…
- Use a balanced perspective between the brain science of anxiety and how this impacts their soul-fulness with the human condition
- Understand that personal growth has a direct impact on their professional development…and their bottom line in business or professional resilience!
- Develop a personalized plan of action for their individual experience with anxiety and how it shows up in their life so that they feel empowered to embrace, manage, and course-correct anxiety before it overtakes them.
My Why
Integrating Science and Soul has changed my life. My life has been about pivots, always leading to something for the greater good.
More than 21 years ago, for over a decade prior, I worked as a trauma nurse in emergency rooms and was the director of the Hawaii air ambulance flight program for eight of those years.
During this tenure, I discovered, and became fascinated with forensic nursing which included processing criminal evidence within the medical setting.
Similar to most professionals
I always followed my soul’s desire.
Following many guideposts, it made sense to enroll in graduate school. This wasn’t because I had some desire to be a forever student. Far from it. I love learning. I’m not particularly a fan of the hoops to jump through with higher education. I LOVED my work as a nurse. I loved the financial and scheduling freedom to travel around the world. Returning to study psychology was the pursuit of what my heart and mind always wanted.
Answers. To the bigger life questions. Life. Death. Why. When. What. But answers only created more questions. This took me awhile to accept.
Specializing in anxiety and forensic psychology taught me what it means to unhook from a tough situation and be present at the same time.
I learned the combination of being skilled, backed by science, and being a compassionate, soul-filled human. And that connections, human connections, involve growth.
And this growth creates anxiety.
And sometimes it’s hard. Really hard. To navigate.
It’s overwhelming and makes you want to avoid and escape some days by doing busy work. At least that way you look productive.
When I took part of my business online, as is the wave of the future, I brought together the system of combining science and soul to grow ourselves, especially when anxiety is present. This seemed to be where my clients (myself included!) seemed to result in feeling stuck and things were harder than they “should be”.
I decided to author and publish my idea of how to grow through anxiety in your life, in my book “Bad Apples: How To Feel Good Even When Rotten Things Happen” back in 2014. I felt a strong connection to nature being my teacher, and therefore wrote about an “orchard” metaphor to be used as a guide to help understand how important connection to ourselves is primary and foremost before we commit to connection and growth in others. We must take care of our own “tree” if our orchard is going to thrive. And yet, we need community connection to make that happen.
An abundant orchard is not fruitful
without the health of individual trees.
My soul knew that my life’s purpose and desire is to go so much deeper than “merely” learning the skills to manage anxiety in business and life. None of us want to “manage” anxiety when it is happening. It is downright uncomfortable and at certain times feel like it is all we can think about.
Everything I do in my business, in my life, with my clients, is designed with this metaphor as an anchor.
Once I have learned the skill
(because it IS science after all)
It has been an amazing journey to feel the difference what it truly means to use anxiety as a messenger, a friend, my ally. It is how I focus on what needs to be done, make time for more play and relaxation, even with a busy life and yes, even when rotten things happen.
I’m here to help you show up in your life with your best self for today, show you what is truly possible in your life when you see your anxiety as something to grow you, and live a life you never imagined, to be something that is filled with ease and grace.
Values I share with my clients
I believe in
Making things fun and the path of easy
Leading vulnerable conversations
Creating safe, diverse and inclusive space for exploration
When I work with you, I use the perfect combination of my skills and experience.
Evidenced-based brain science and interventions
Best business and professional practices
Consultant role as I truly believe you are the expert of your own life
Things my family and friends know about me
Fun Facts
My husband of 15 years (and counting) live in Honolulu, Hawaii with our pre-teen son. We met online and were one of those couples who “just knew” after a couple weeks of dating we were destined to grow old together. We have had our share of ah-mazing joys, (and sorrows), LOVE everything Disney, and can’t wait to go on our third Disney cruise one day again.
I spend as much time as I can in the ocean. It is my happy place. It is where I have zero anxiety. Luckily, our son is a water and nature lover, so it is where we spend our time connecting.
Peaceful environments are important to me, which means things have their place. You might not think that about me if you saw my desk at the end of the month or during my creative process time. I tend to have LOTS of things out when I write, create, or research. Then I like the Zen part of cleaning and organizing.
My idea of luxurious is having fresh flowers in the house, a pampered haircut from my favorite hairdresser of 18 years (aka: therapist!), or having long lunch chats with my bestie gal pals. Anyone who knows me, understands I spend time in my head dreaming of new ideas for my business, such as creating beautiful retreat experiences for women in business who are ready to leave their anxiety in the ocean.
In The Media
Next Step
I’ll make sure we are the right fit so you can use your anxiety for good too. It’s all about reaching out as the first step, just put your toe in the water. Building trust and creating relationship. Leading toward the life you truly want.
Click the button below to find out more about working with me. I look forward to hearing from you!