Anxiety: What it is and what helps
Anxiety is one of the most common struggles we see among working professionals in Lee's Summit and the greater Kansas City metro. When you're balancing a demanding career, family responsibilities, and the pressure to "hold it all together," stress can build until it feels unmanageable.
For many people, anxiety doesn't show up as dramatic panic attacks. Instead, it looks like lying awake at night replaying conversations. Feeling on edge during the workday. Noticing that your patience is thinner than it used to be. And when past trauma or difficult workplace experiences get layered on top of everyday stress, anxiety can intensify quickly.
Understanding what anxiety is—and why it happens—is the first step toward feeling more grounded.
What Is Anxiety?
Anxiety is more than everyday stress. It's a persistent, heightened state of worry or tension that can make it hard to focus, rest, or feel present.
Many professionals describe it as constantly feeling "on alert." They have difficulty shutting off their thoughts. There's a sense of pressure that never fully goes away.
Common forms of anxiety include Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD), Social Anxiety Disorder, and Panic Disorder. You might notice anxiety before a big presentation, during a performance review, or when your workload becomes overwhelming.
If left unaddressed, anxiety can affect your work, relationships, and overall well-being.
What Are Common Anxiety Symptoms in Working Professionals?
Anxiety affects both the mind and body. Many professionals in the KC metro report symptoms like racing heart, headaches or migraines, muscle tension (especially shoulders, jaw, and neck), and restlessness or trouble sleeping.
Emotional symptoms are just as common: irritability, difficulty concentrating, constant worry, and feeling overwhelmed or "on edge."
Recognizing these symptoms is the first step toward meaningful change.
How Do Trauma and Workplace Harassment Contribute to Anxiety?
Trauma—whether from childhood, past relationships, or workplace experiences—can significantly increase anxiety. Many professionals don't realize how much unresolved trauma influences their reactions at work.
Workplace harassment, toxic environments, or chronic stress can trigger hypervigilance, intrusive thoughts, avoidance of certain people or situations, and emotional numbness or shutdown.
Even if the trauma didn't occur at work, the pressure of professional life can bring old wounds to the surface.
What Causes Anxiety in High Achievers?
Anxiety rarely has a single cause. For professionals in the KC metro, contributing factors often include high-pressure work environments, perfectionism and fear of failure, long commutes or demanding schedules, past trauma, chronic overworking, and lack of support or boundaries.
Understanding your unique triggers helps you build a personalized plan for relief.
What Coping Strategies Help Manage Anxiety?
Managing anxiety often requires a combination of practical tools and emotional support.
Mindfulness practices like deep breathing, progressive muscle relaxation, and guided imagery help calm your nervous system during stressful moments—like before a meeting or after a long day.
Grounding strategies help you stay present when your mind starts spiraling. This can include noticing physical sensations, naming objects in your environment, or focusing on sounds or smells around you.
Professional support through therapy can help you understand your anxiety patterns and develop strategies tailored to your life, work, and history. Evidence-based approaches like CBT, ACT, and EMDR can be especially effective for high-functioning professionals.
Why Does Building a Support Network Matter?
A strong support system makes a significant difference. For working adults, this might include trusted friends or family, supportive coworkers, professional mentors, or therapy.
You don't have to navigate anxiety alone. Reaching out is a courageous step toward healing.
What Self-Care Habits Help Reduce Anxiety Over Time?
Small, consistent habits can help regulate your nervous system. Regular physical activity, balanced nutrition, adequate sleep, mindfulness or meditation, and setting boundaries around work all help build resilience and reduce the intensity of anxiety over time.
Ready to Talk to Someone Who Gets It?
If anxiety is affecting your work, relationships, or daily functioning, you don't have to keep pushing through alone.
Many professionals in Lee's Summit and the Kansas City metro find relief through therapy—especially when anxiety is tied to trauma, burnout, or chronic stress. And if you're someone who "looks fine" on the outside but feels constantly on edge internally, you're exactly who we work with.
At Aspire Counseling, our therapists specialize in helping high-functioning professionals move from overwhelm to clarity. We understand that your time is valuable, which is why we offer flexible scheduling—including daytime appointments at our Lee's Summit office and online therapy throughout Missouri.
We use evidence-based approaches like EMDR, IFS, and CBT that go beyond "just talking." Our focus is on giving you practical tools and lasting change, not endless sessions without direction.
Here's what getting started with an anxiety therapist looks like:
Schedule a free consultation — A brief call to see if we're a good fit. No pressure, just a chance to ask questions.
Get matched with a therapist — We'll connect you with someone who specializes in anxiety, trauma, or whatever you're facing.
Start feeling like yourself again — Most of our clients notice shifts within the first few sessions.
Ready to take the next step?
Call us at (816) 287-1116 (Lee's Summit) or reach out online to schedule your free consultation.
No pressure, no judgment—just compassionate support when you're ready.
About the Author
Jessica Oliver, LCSW, is the founder and Clinical Director of Aspire Counseling, a specialized trauma and anxiety therapy practice with offices in Lee's Summit and Columbia, Missouri. She has years of experience working with clients struggling with anxiety and trauma. Just as importantly she uses evidence based treatments truly shown to help people regain control over their own lives so they may move forward toward their gaols. She has taken a number of trainings on using exposure therapy and exposure based interventions to treat anxiety, as well as having advanced training in EMDR, Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT), and polyvagal-informed approaches to trauma treatment.
At Aspire Counseling, Jessica leads a team of therapists who specialize in evidence-based care for anxiety, trauma, OCD, and related concerns. The practice serves teens through adults, with particular expertise in helping high-functioning professionals whose performance is impacted by anxiety or unresolved trauma.
