What Your Nervous System Has to Do With Overachieving, Perfectionism, and Burnout
EMDR Intensives in Palm City, Florida
Anxiety Therapy | EMDR Therapy
by April Forella, LMHC – Palm City, FL
Welcome to The Nourished Soul, a space dedicated to high-achieving women who are navigating the complex journey of healing from anxiety, and trauma (present or past). This blog is your sanctuary—a place where we explore ways to reclaim your peace, rediscover your strength, and nourish your soul so you can thrive not just in your accomplishments, but in your heart and mind too.
To all the women that are experiencing overthinking, perfectionism, burnout and self-doubt you’re used to striving, succeeding, and holding it all together. You pride yourself on your resilience—but beneath the surface, you might feel constantly “on,” easily overwhelmed, or never quite good enough, no matter how much you accomplish.
If that sounds familiar, it’s not a character flaw. It’s your nervous system.
Let’s talk about the autonomic nervous system (ANS)—the part of your body that quietly influences everything from your stress levels to your perfectionistic tendencies. Understanding how it works can help you shift from self-criticism to self-compassion—and that’s where healing begins.
The Autonomic Nervous System: Your Body’s Inner Regulator
The ANS is your body’s automatic response system. It keeps you alive and safe by scanning for danger (real or perceived) and preparing you to respond. It has two main branches:
Sympathetic Nervous System (SNS): Activates your “fight or flight” response. Think: adrenaline, go-go-go energy, hyper-focus, anxiety.
Parasympathetic Nervous System (PNS): Regulates your “rest and digest” functions. It includes the ventral vagal state (calm, connected, grounded) and the dorsal vagal state (shutdown, numbness, exhaustion).
Your nervous system constantly shifts between these states based on your environment and internal cues. For many high-achieving women, past experiences—like trauma, chronic stress, or early pressure to succeed—can train the nervous system to stay stuck in high alert or collapse.
How the Nervous System Shows Up in Overachieving and Perfectionism
Let’s break it down:
1. Overachieving Mode = Fight or Flight Activation
You may find yourself constantly doing, fixing, planning, or achieving. This hyper-productivity can be your body’s way of fending off anxiety or proving you’re safe, worthy, or in control.
Signs: Difficulty slowing down, restlessness, tight chest, racing thoughts, irritability, feeling like you're “on edge.”
2. Perfectionism = Survival Strategy
Striving to get everything “just right” can be a response to an overactive threat detector. If your nervous system learned that making mistakes led to criticism, rejection, or shame, perfectionism becomes a form of self-protection.
Signs: Fear of failure, over-preparing, procrastination, harsh inner critic, tying your worth to performance.
3. Burnout = Dorsal Vagal Shutdown
When the pressure becomes too much and your system can’t sustain fight-or-flight mode anymore, it can swing into collapse. You might feel numb, fatigued, detached, or hopeless.
Signs: Exhaustion, brain fog, lack of motivation, feeling like you're going through the motions or shutting down emotionally.
4. Self-Doubt = Dysregulated Connection
Your ability to trust yourself and feel safe in relationships is tied to your ventral vagal state—where connection and self-trust live. When your nervous system doesn’t feel safe, self-doubt can take the wheel.
Signs: Second-guessing yourself, difficulty making decisions, fear of judgment, people-pleasing.
Regulating Your Nervous System: What Helps
The good news? You can build a more regulated nervous system. With awareness, support, and consistent practice, it’s possible to shift from survival to safety.
Here are a few ways to start:
🌿 Body-Based Practices
Your body holds the key. Gentle movement (like walking or stretching), breathwork, and grounding exercises can support nervous system regulation.
💛 Co-Regulation
Healing happens in connection. Safe, attuned relationships—whether with a therapist, friend, or partner—can help calm your nervous system.
🧠 EMDR Therapy
EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) helps your brain and body process stuck trauma and stress. It can be especially powerful for high-achieving women who intellectually “know” they’re safe but still feel anxious, not enough, or overwhelmed.
✨ Small Moments of Safety
Notice and savor moments when you feel safe, calm, or connected—no matter how brief. These moments help reinforce your ventral vagal state and build resilience over time.
You’re Not Broken. You’re Wired for Survival.
Perfectionism, overachievement, and burnout aren’t personality flaws. They’re nervous system responses to a world (and maybe a past) that demanded too much and gave too little space to rest, feel, and be.
Your nervous system has done an incredible job protecting you.
Now, it’s time to help it feel safe enough to soften.
Ready to reconnect with your calm, confident self?
If you’re a high-achieving woman feeling stuck in anxiety, overthinking, or burnout, I’d love to help. I offer EMDR therapy in Palm City, Florida, and also provide EMDR Intensives for busy women who want deeper healing in less time.
April Forella, LMHC-S is an EMDR Certified therapist in Palm City, Florida. She is a compassionate EMDR therapist dedicated to helping high-achieving women overcome anxiety, grief & loss and trauma. With a deep understanding of the pressures faced by successful women, she specializes in guiding women through the healing process, using Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) to resolve past trauma and reduce anxiety. April’s holistic approach empowers clients to unlock their full potential, regain inner peace, and thrive both personally and professionally.
📍 In-person therapy in Palm City, FL
📆 EMDR Intensives available for deeper grief work
🧠 Learn more or book a consult at www.aprilforella.com/contact
You don’t have to carry it all alone.
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