overstimulated & Overwhelmed
Trauma-informed Somatic-based Psychotherapy and Counselling for adult individuals and couples.
In-Person in Brant COUNTY & Norfolk County. Virtual across ontario.
Life feels urgent, fast, and demanding. you can’t process it all without spinning on repeat or shutting down.
Every notification in your phone, every tap on your shoulder or call of your name fees like an electrical current and your brain never stops buzzing. Maybe you’re razor-sharp at work despite the tension in your jaw and the burning in your sternum. But then you get home and every question, every noise feels like a jab at your attempt to hold it all together. Small decisions spiral into overwhelm and paralysis. You can hear the strain of your voice. Your vision narrows, mind races, and chest tightens as you reach for the wine or the screen in attempt to quiet your brain. You try to “decompress” but you just feel disconnected and numb.
Your body perceives each demand as a threat, so it floods your nervous system to help you escape. It can make a text message from your friend or a hug from your partner feel like an attack. This pattern did not begin as a conscious choice. At one time, it was a wise strategy but your body is trying to tell you that it’s not sustainable anymore.
Could there be more than this…?
Pushing through and numbing out have become an automatic response but change is possible. Rest, connection, and consistent practice can teach your body how to find safety without needing to override your discomfort. Instead of collapsing at the end of the day, you can begin to notice small moments of calm like a deeper breath, a conversation that feels warm and fulfilling, making a decision without endless brain-buffering. You can learn to say “no” without spiralling with shame and rest without the background noise of guilt. With time, you can feel more open and available to who and what you love, with easier access to joy.
You can start to come home to yourself.
Disclaimer: The experiences described here are meant to support curiosity and reflection and are not necessarily diagnostic. Not all symptoms and patterns in all people originate from the same cause or place. Therapy is a collaborative process individualized to each person, and may be enhanced or supported by assessment and treatment with other health care providers as necessary.
What This Work Can Look Like…
Sessions include practicing body-based awareness, experimenting gently with your tolerance for discomfort, learning to approach various parts of yourself with curiosity, and exploring patterns entwined with your past and present. I’ll help you notice the signals your body offers before spinning out or shutting down, we’ll practice ways of soothing your nervous system, and over time, you’ll work toward rebuilding the natural regulation patterns of your body. Though this work involves moving through pain you’ve been pushing away, speeding past, or shutting down, we will approach the process in a way that mitigates feelings of overwhelm.
Working with me is experiential and relational, which means the process is not predictably structured in the ways our patriarchal, capitalist culture has conditioned us to expect. The pace, rhythm and frequency of a therapeutic relationship are part of the healing process. It’s important to know that deep and lasting change will likely require you to budget both time and finances.
Explore
the impact
We’ll explore how overwhelm and overstimulation show up in your life and how it affects your thoughts, emotions, and interactions. Together, we’ll identify patterns that keep you stuck, while also making space for discomfort and uncertainty without the need to control it.
expose
The roots
We’ll work together to unearth the experiences, past and present, that fuel your beliefs and behaviours. By understanding and appreciating the roots of these patterns, we can support the parts of you that are ready to release the burdens they have carried for so long.
embrace
the core
We’ll focus on what truly matters to you and what truly aligns your life with your core values and desires. This is about integrating your growth so you can move forward with more clarity, confidence, authenticity, and a deeper sense of connection to your own inner wisdom.
"[…]the truth is that things don’t really get solved. They come together and they fall apart. Then they come together again and fall apart again. It’s just like that. The healing comes from letting there be room for all of this to happen."
Pema Chödrön
Ready to take the first step?
If this is resonating with you, book a free 15-minute video consultation. We’ll chat about what you’re hoping to get support with and I’ll answer questions you might have. If we both feel we’re a good fit, we can schedule your first session.
Questions you want to ask before scheduling anything? Click here!
Core Clarity Psychotherapy & Counselling is not a same-day crisis service. The clinic email and phone is not monitored 24/7.
If you are in immediate danger please call 9-1-1, visit your nearest emergency room, or use the following resources for support:
National Suicide Helpline: Call or Text 9-8-8
Haldimand-Norfolk Crisis Assessment and Support (CAST): 866 487 2278
Brant Crisis Outreach and Support (COAST): 866 811 7188
ConnexOntario (Mental Health, Addiction, Crisis and Gambling support): connexontario.ca or 866 531 2600.