Performance Anxiety

I’ve Been There Too! After my own recovery, I became a psychotherapist dedicated to helping you overcome social anxiety and workplace performance anxiety—challenges that can feel isolating and overwhelming.

Maybe you’ve felt this too:

1. Fear of Social Judgment → “I walk into a room and immediately feel like everyone is watching me, analyzing everything I do.”
2. Dreading Conversations → “Even simple small talk feels like an interrogation. I can’t think of the ‘right’ thing to say, and I’m afraid I’ll embarrass myself.”
3. Performance Anxiety at Work → “In meetings or presentations, my heart pounds, my mind blanks, and I worry I’ll mess up in front of my colleagues.”
4. Physical Symptoms of Anxiety in Social Settings → “I’m terrified that people will notice how nervous I am—my shaky hands, my red face, my sweating, my voice trembling.”
5. Replaying Social Interactions → “After any interaction, I obsess over what I said, what I should have said, and what others must be thinking of me.”
6. Avoiding Attention at Work → “I avoid speaking up in meetings or taking on leadership roles because I’m afraid of looking incompetent.”
7. Overpreparing and Overanalyzing → “I rehearse conversations in my head before they happen, and then replay them afterward, picking apart every detail.”
8. Struggling with Eye Contact → “Making eye contact feels intimidating. I worry it looks unnatural, or that people will see right through my anxiety.”
9. Avoiding Social or Work Events → “Networking events, office gatherings, or even casual meetups feel overwhelming, so I find excuses to skip them.”
10. Excessive Apologizing → “I feel like I’m always in the way, always saying something wrong—so I over-apologize to avoid conflict or embarrassment.”
11. Imposter Syndrome → “No matter how much I achieve, I feel like I don’t belong, like I’m not really qualified, and I’m just waiting to be exposed as a fraud.”
12. Restless Nights Before Social or Work Presentations → “The night before an event or presentation, I can’t sleep. I keep imagining everything that could go wrong.”
13. Avoiding Phone Calls or Public Speaking → “I panic at the thought of making a phone call or speaking in front of others—I’d rather email or stay silent.”
14. Feeling Trapped in Your Own Head → “While others seem to enjoy conversations effortlessly, I’m stuck overthinking every word, every gesture, every pause.”
15. Fear of Embarrassment or ‘Losing Control’ → “I’m constantly afraid I’ll say or do something humiliating, that I’ll freeze, stutter, or make a fool of myself.”
16. Dreading Introductions → “Whether it’s meeting new coworkers, introducing myself in a group, or just hearing my name called, my stomach drops every time.”
17. Hesitating to Ask for Help → “I don’t want to look incompetent, so I struggle in silence instead of asking for guidance or clarification.”
18. Struggling to Enjoy Social Interactions → “Even when I push myself to go out, I can’t relax—I’m constantly monitoring how I’m coming across.”
19. Beating Yourself Up for Feeling This Way → “I know I shouldn’t care so much about what others think, but I just can’t seem to turn it off.”
20. Feeling Trapped in Avoidance → “I avoid anything that might trigger my anxiety, but the more I avoid, the smaller my world becomes.”

If this sounds familiar, you are not alone. I know how exhausting and isolating it can feel to constantly worry about how you’re being perceived, to battle the fear of being judged, and to avoid situations that could actually help you grow. But I also know that freedom is possible.