High-Functioning but Falling Apart on the Inside
Anxiety therapy and Depression therapy using Somatic therapy in Palm Beach, Virtual Florida and Connecticut
I have seen many people seeking anxiety therapy or depression therapy appear high-functioning on the outside. They work, parent, maintain relationships, and meet expectations—yet internally feel overwhelmed, emotionally exhausted, or disconnected.
High-functioning distress is one of the most common reasons people seek Somatic therapy and Somatic experiencing, especially when traditional talk therapy hasn’t fully helped.
High-Functioning Anxiety and Depression Often Go Unnoticed
High-functioning individuals often minimize emotional pain because they are still “getting through” life. However, anxiety and depression don’t always look like crisis. They often show up as:
Chronic stress or nervous system overload
Emotional numbness or shutdown
Persistent anxiety despite external stability
Burnout, fatigue, or loss of motivation
Feeling disconnected from yourself or others
These patterns are not failures—they are signs of a nervous system that has been under pressure for too long.
Why Anxiety and Depression Persist Despite Insight
Many high-functioning adults understand why they feel anxious or depressed, yet still feel stuck. This is because anxiety and depression are not only cognitive experiences—they are nervous system states.
Somatic therapy and Somatic experiencing address what talk therapy alone often cannot: how stress and trauma live in the body.
How Somatic Experiencing and Somatic Therapy Help
Somatic experiencing is a body-based approach that helps regulate the nervous system, restore a sense of safety, and reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression without forcing emotional overwhelm.
In somatic therapy, we focus on:
Nervous system regulation
Reducing chronic anxiety and emotional shutdown
Increasing capacity for rest and connection
Supporting emotional processing at a tolerable pace
Rebuilding a sense of internal safety
This approach is especially effective for high-functioning adults who feel emotionally exhausted but struggle to slow down.
You Don’t Need to Be in Crisis to Start Therapy
You don’t need to reach a breaking point to seek anxiety therapy or depression therapy. If functioning feels like survival rather than living, that is reason enough.
Somatic experiencing offers a gentle, structured way to heal without having to relive or analyze everything at once.
Anxiety and Depression Therapy in Palm Beach and Virtual Therapy
I offer Anxiety therapy and Depression therapy in Palm Beach, using somatic therapy and Somatic experiencing to support nervous system regulation and emotional healing.
Services are available:
In Palm Beach
Virtual therapy in Florida and Connecticut
About the Author: Jennifer Goggin, LPC, LMHC, SEP, is a licensed therapist in Palm Beach, Florida, offering anxiety therapy, depression therapy, and trauma treatment using Somatic experiencing, Somatic therapy, as well as many others. She provides in-person therapy locally and virtual therapy throughout Florida and Connecticut. Jennifer specializes in attachment wounds, family of origin, nervous system regulation and helping parents navigate their dysregulation challenges.
Follow her insights on Instagram (@gogginjen) and LinkedIn (see website for link) or learn more at www.jennifergogginLMHC.com.
