Dear Exhausted Woman: You Are Not Broken (And You Are Not Alone)
I See You.
You wake up tired. You move through your day with the weight of invisible exhaustion pressing down on you, like you’re wading through quicksand while the world expects you to sprint. You hold it together—because that’s what you do. You smile when you’re supposed to, nod when you should, push through when you can.
But inside?
Inside, you feel numb. Or maybe you feel everything all at once—waves of guilt, irritation, overwhelm, and sadness crashing over you until you just shut down. Some days, even the smallest things—replying to a text, deciding what to eat—feel impossibly hard. And when you do take a break? The guilt creeps in.
"Why am I like this?"
"Other people handle life just fine."
"I should be able to keep up."
"Maybe I’m just broken."
But love, you are not broken.
I know, because I’ve been exactly where you are. And I also know that finding the right support—whether through nervous system healing, mindfulness, or depression therapy in Asheville, NC—can make all the difference.
I Know This Struggle—Because I’ve Been There Too.
There was a time when I thought the answer was just to push harder. Hustle culture had taught me that my worth was tied to my productivity, that rest was for people who “deserved” it, and that burnout was just the price of ambition.
So I ignored the exhaustion. I ignored the numbness, the anxiety, the knowing deep inside that something wasn’t right. I told myself, I just need to be stronger. I just need to try harder. I just need to be better.
But the harder I pushed, the more disconnected I felt—from myself, from joy, from the people I loved. And when my body finally said, enough—when the exhaustion turned into full-blown burnout—I had no choice but to listen.
That’s when I started to understand:
🔥 Hustle culture is a lie. It tells us that exhaustion is a badge of honor, that we should be able to do it all, that slowing down is failure.
🔥 Your body isn’t the problem You’re not “bad” at life. You’re not weak. You’re responding exactly how a nervous system responds when it’s been pushed past its limits.
🔥 Healing isn’t about ‘getting back to normal’—it’s about creating a life that actually supports you. One where you don’t have to earn rest. One where joy, ease, and presence aren’t distant dreams, but daily realities.
For many women, this journey starts with therapy. If you're searching for depression therapy in Asheville, NC, know that you are not alone in this—and that support is available.
What’s Really Happening: Your Nervous System Is Protecting You
If you’ve ever thought, “I don’t even recognize myself anymore,” you’re not imagining things. Chronic stress, burnout, and depression rewire your nervous system to operate in survival mode.
Here’s what that means:
💛 If you’re feeling anxious, restless, or like you can’t stop overthinking, your nervous system is in fight-or-flight. It’s scanning for danger, even when there isn’t any, making it impossible to relax.
💛 If you feel shut down, numb, or disconnected, your nervous system has shifted into freeze mode. It’s like a circuit breaker flipping off when things get too overwhelming—it’s not failure, it’s protection.
💛 If you feel stuck in a cycle—oscillating between high anxiety and total exhaustion—this is your nervous system trying to find safety, but not knowing how.
This isn’t just in your head. It’s in your body. And the good news? Your nervous system is adaptable—it can heal.
As a therapist trained in nervous system healing and depression therapy in Asheville, NC I can help you understand and work with your body’s natural rhythms instead of fighting against them.
Healing Starts with One Small Step
You don’t have to overhaul your life. You don’t need a 10-step morning routine. You don’t have to force yourself to “think positively.” Healing starts with small, body-based steps that help your nervous system feel safe again.
Here’s one you can try right now:
🔸 A 30-Second Grounding Practice
🌿 Step 1: Notice where your body is in space—feel your feet on the ground, your back against the chair.
🌿 Step 2: Take a slow, deep breath. Exhale longer than you inhale.
🌿 Step 3: Look around. Name 5 things you can see with your eyes. Let your eyes move gently—this signals to your brain that you are safe.
This may seem small, but small is powerful. Every time you do this, you’re sending a message to your nervous system: We are okay. We can breathe. We are not in danger.
When you're ready for deeper healing, depression therapy in Asheville, NC can provide a safe space to help you move from survival mode into feeling truly alive again.
You Don’t Have to Do This Alone
If you’ve been carrying the weight of everything alone, I want you to hear this: You weren’t meant to do this by yourself.
We heal in connection. In relationships that feel safe. In spaces where we can put down the mask and say, “I’m struggling,” and be met with understanding instead of judgment.
If you’re ready to take the next step—whether that’s learning more about nervous system healing, exploring therapy, or simply giving yourself permission to rest—I’m here.
You are not broken.
You are not alone.
And healing is possible.
Your Next Step (Because You Deserve Support)
🌿 If this resonated with you, and you’re ready to start feeling like YOU again, I’d love to support you. You can book a free consultation for depression therapy in Asheville, NC [here] to see if therapy with me is the right next step for you.
🌿 Not ready for therapy yet? That’s okay. Start by practicing the grounding exercise above. One breath at a time, one small step at a time—you are already on your way.
Final Thoughts
Healing doesn’t mean going back to who you were before burnout—it means becoming the version of you who feels safe, rested, and whole.
And that version of you?
She’s still here. She’s just waiting for you to come back to her. 💛