Anxiety, Overthinking & People-Pleasing Therapy in NYC
Therapy for anxiety, overthinking, people-pleasing, and burnout in Manhattan / Flatiron and throughout New York via teletherapy
Maybe your mind rarely seems to turn off - and you're exhausted from trying to keep up with it.
You replay conversations, worry about what someone meant, second-guess your decisions, or find yourself trying to anticipate what everyone else needs. You may be saying yes when you're already stretched thin, working harder and harder to be “good enough,” or quietly pushing your own needs to the side.
You may know you're overthinking—but knowing that doesn't make it stop.
And sometimes anxiety doesn't look like panic. It looks like perfectionism, people-pleasing, difficulty saying no, constant self-doubt, or feeling responsible for holding everything together.
You don't have to figure out exactly what's going on before starting therapy. That's part of what we can explore together.
When Your Mind Won't Give You a Break
You replay conversations and wonder if you said the wrong thing.
You overthink texts, emails, or other people's reactions.
You say yes when you really want to say no.
You worry about disappointing people or being seen as difficult.
You work harder and harder to feel “good enough.”
You find yourself responsible for everyone else's feelings.
You have trouble relaxing because there is always something you should be doing.
You know you need a boundary, but saying no feels almost impossible.
You feel exhausted from trying to keep everything, and everyone, together.
You understand intellectually that you are overthinking, but you can't seem to turn it off.
If this sounds familiar, therapy can help you understand what's underneath it - not simply teach you another technique for managing the next anxious thought.
When Taking Care of Everyone Else Leaves Little Room for You
People pleasing can start as a survival skill - keeping the peace, avoiding conflict, or chasing approval.
Over time, though, these patterns can take a toll: exhaustion, resentment, self-doubt, or even full-on burnout.
You might find yourself wondering:
Why am I always the one holding everything together?
Why does saying “no” feel so impossible?
Often, these patterns have roots in earlier relationships and experiences. You may have learned to put others first in order to feel safe, valued, or connected.
Therapy gives you space to press pause and gently examine these patterns.
When Anxiety Gets Tangled Up With Connection
If you have an anxious attachment style, relationships can feel both exciting and overwhelming.
You might crave closeness but also find yourself worrying:
Do they really care about me?
What if they leave?
Did I say something wrong?
This can lead to rereading texts, overthinking conversations, and feeling unsettled until you get reassurance.
Together, we'll explore what sets off your anxiety - like delayed replies, mixed signals, changes in closeness, or fears of rejection - and how these reactions connect to deeper patterns in the way you relate to yourself and others.
Together, We Can:
Explore the roots: Understand how early experiences may have taught you to put others first in order to feel safe or valued.
Untangle guilt from boundaries: Learn that saying no doesn't make you selfish; it makes you human.
Reconnect with yourself: Notice what you need, what actually restores you, and what balance looks like in your life.
Quiet the overthinking: Learn to recognize what triggers your anxiety and develop ways to feel more grounded and present rather than analyzing every interaction.
Build new patterns: Practice ways of relating that feel mutual and sustainable rather than one-sided.
Strengthen self-worth: Explore how much of your anxiety comes from tying your sense of value to whether someone else stays, approves, or is happy with you—and build a steadier, internal sense of worth.
Looking Beneath the Anxiety
Interpersonal Therapy (IPT) can be especially helpful when anxiety is closely connected to your relationships. Rather than exploring your inner world in isolation, IPT focuses on the here-and-now of your connections with others and how you show up in them.
We'll also look at the attachment patterns, expectations, and relational dynamics that may be contributing to your anxiety, people-pleasing, or overthinking. The goal isn't to “get rid” of your sensitivity or make you care less about other people.
It's to help you include yourself in the care you so readily give to others.
A Different Relationship With Yourself
Over time, therapy can help you:
Feel less responsible for everyone else's emotions.
Set boundaries without being consumed by guilt.
Trust yourself instead of constantly looking for reassurance.
Quiet the inner critic and the need to be “good enough.”
Move from running on empty to living with more balance, authenticity, and ease.
Therapy Isn't About Becoming Less Caring.
Working on people pleasing isn't about becoming less kind or less generous.
It's about learning to include yourself in the care you so readily give to others.
And when you do, you can move from running on empty to living with more balance, authenticity, and ease.
Ready to Feel More Like Yourself?
Start with a free 15-minute consultation. We'll talk briefly about what's bringing you to therapy, answer your questions, and see whether working together feels like a good fit.