When You’re the One Who Holds It All Together (But You’re Falling Apart Inside)
You’re the reliable one. The one who gets it done. The one who keeps the plates spinning, the schedules moving, the family functioning.
And from the outside, it looks like you’ve got it all under control.
But inside? You’re tired.
Not just “need a nap” tired — emotionally exhausted.
You’re anxious. On edge. Maybe even angry, and you’re not sure why.
You might not even recognize yourself lately.
You just know something needs to change.
High-Functioning Doesn’t Mean “Not Struggling”
Many of the women and parents I work with show up to therapy saying, “I should be fine. I have a good life. I just don’t feel good.”
Here’s what I tell them:
You can be grateful and burned out at the same time.
You can be functioning and still falling apart inside.
This disconnect — between how things look and how they feel — is one of the hardest parts of anxiety and emotional overload.
Signs You Might Be Holding It All Together on the Outside... and Falling Apart on the Inside
You’re constantly overwhelmed, even by things that didn’t used to bother you
You snap at your partner or kids, then feel immediate guilt
You can’t remember the last time you felt truly rested or relaxed
You feel like you’re “too much” for some people and “not enough” for others
You lie awake at night with racing thoughts, even though you’re completely spent
The Cost of Coping Alone
When you’re used to being the strong one, it’s easy to believe that asking for help means you’re failing.
But in reality, doing it all without support is what's keeping you stuck.
Therapy can give you a space where:
You don’t have to hold it all together
You don’t have to explain or justify your exhaustion
You can finally exhale and begin to feel like yourself again
You Deserve to Be Supported, Too
You don’t have to wait until everything falls apart to ask for help. You can begin now — from right where you are.
If this resonates with you, I invite you to reach out. I offer therapy for anxiety, emotional burnout, and caregiving fatigue in Nashville and across Tennessee.
Let’s find what’s underneath the “holding it together” — and help you come back to you.
Schedule your free consultation today.
Real support is waiting — and you don’t have to carry this alone.
