What you might be carrying
Singapore is a city that rewards achievement.
Who we are might be heavily tied to how well we are doing, whether that was in school, at work, or even in the relationships we exist in. There might be this quiet but constant pressure to do better, so much so that it feels woven into who we are, with no way to turn it off.
In my work with people, anxiety does not always show up like a crisis. It presents itself as a low-grade hum at the back of the mind, like a little being on the shoulder telling you how you should be better, or more ahead, than others. It also shows up in the body, from physical tensions to feelings of restlessness, from the inability to focus to difficulties sleeping. It can show up in relationships too, whether it's in saying yes when you don't mean it, or the constant worry that someone might be upset at you.
Just as much as anxiety lives within us, it lives between the relationships we have with the world around us as well.
Making Sense of It
While sometimes circumstantial, anxiety can also come from deeper roots. They could exist in the stories we tell ourselves: about who we're supposed to be, the roles we play to the people we love, even what success or love might look like. For some of us, anxiety heightens when the life we're living feels out of step with the one we thought we were supposed to have.
Anxiety might also have roots in relationships, depending on how we were taught to relate to others. We don't have control over someone else's thoughts, feelings, or behaviours, and that uncertainty can sometimes cause a worry that doesn't fade away. Whether it's in the new date we just met or an established loved one, our relational patterns and how we navigate relationships can also bring up distress when things don't seem to go our way.
The roots of the anxiety we feel are unique to our individual experiences, and no one tale comprehensively explains it away. While feeling anxious is completely normal and human, chronic anxiety that cannot seem to turn off isn't.
Our Work Together
Therapy with me is collaborative and tailored to who you are: your needs, goals, symptoms, and challenges. Whether it's practical tools to manage your symptoms of distress, or deeper introspection for identifying patterns that shape your current circumstances, I use a blend of approaches to help you build towards a life that feels more stable. The relationship we build together is part of that work, and through it, the relationship you build with yourself begins to shift.
What if you could put down some of this weight you've been carrying?
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