What Is Therapy for High-Achieving Women?

So what exactly is therapy for high-achieving women? It begins with our clients. Our clients are predominantly women, who are challenged by competing personal and professional responsibilities. Many would describe themselves as “high-achieving.” They are smart, thoughtful, committed, ambitious and goal-oriented. From the outside, they seem to be living an ideal life. And for a while, this perception felt accurate. 

But recently, they have started to feel less confident. They have experienced a recent loss or setback that has shaken their core beliefs, causing them to question their life choices and identities. Their usual ways of dealing with stress—waiting for it to pass, exercising and eating healthy—no longer seem to be working anymore. They are beginning to worry they won’t be able to “keep it all together” or continue at the pace they’ve been going. They realize they have devoted significant amounts of time and energy to roles defined by their association with others—colleague, parent, partner, spouse—often at the expense of their own needs. They feel overwhelmed and exhausted.

The Needs of High-Achieving Women

Our clients come to us because what they need most is to be seen, heard and understood. They are seeking an opportunity to know themselves—separate from their ambition and achievements. They have been working so hard to reach their goals that they realize some aspects of their lives may have been ignored or neglected, and they might need to course correct. They have a deep desire to walk toward the life they know they deserve. They just don’t know where to start or whom to trust. This is where we help.

Therapy for High-Achieving Women

In therapy sessions, we guide our high-achieving clients through the process of unraveling years of old patterns that have served their purpose and are no longer as useful. We address the coping mechanisms of hypervigilance, overfunctioning, scarcity, workaholism and perfectionism. We process trauma. We learn to achieve in a sustainable and healthy way. We release judgments and limiting thinking. We identify and create healthy ways of connection. We become more comfortable in our bodies. We explore spiritual expressions and grounding. We do the work. And gradually, we peel back the layers and slowly introduce clients to their beautiful, whole, authentic selves.