Affirming Counseling in St. Louis, Missouri & Oregon

Providing therapy for Anxiety in St. Louis, Missouri & Oregon

Feeling overwhelmed and hopeless about anxiety

Life seems way tougher for you compared to others you know. It feels like they're just breezing through basic stuff while you're on this never-ending treadmill, and it's not the fun kind. It's like the social media reel of the person trying to change a lightbulb while climbing a ladder on a fast-moving treadmill, and no matter how hard you try, you keep falling off, ending up all crumpled on the floor. Then people say, "Just get over it, it's no big deal," and expect you to put in even more effort when you're already running on empty. Self-doubt is like your shadow, always lurking around, making you question your worth and abilities.

You are avoiding doing things you used to enjoy because you don’t think you can handle anxiety dragging you one more time. Every time you step into a public situation at work or even going to the store, it's like walking on eggshells, every move calculated, 'cause one wrong step and you could be out in the cold. You're constantly sweating, fearing that someone's gonna judge you or kick you to the curb.

Anxiety feels like it’s taken over your mind and body

It's not just the mind games; it's the physical stuff too. Your heart's racing like it's in a marathon, you can't catch your breath, your body's shaking, and every muscle's tense. It's like your body's stuck in a fight-or-flight mode that won't quit. 

The endless cycle of anxiety.

You’ve always been trying to be perfect, thinking it'd help you fit in and be accepted, but when you trip up or just get plain tired from trying so dang hard, the shame and depression slams you, and it's tough just getting outta bed. Anxiety's been living rent free in your life and started to feel like it’s become part of you, pushing you to overachieve and escape the clutches of depression. But it's also a trap, where anxiety and depression take turns wearing you out. You aren’t sure how to dodge it, so it’s on repeat. 

Feeling like a misfit adds to the anxiety. 

You've been feeling like the odd one out for as long as you can remember. People always calling you "different." You're hella smart, and your thinking's on point, but your interests (social justice, equal rights, eco-consciousness, organic gardening, TTRPGs), they call 'em nerdy, like that's a bad thing. And let's not even get started on not fitting into what society thinks you should be doing. You've got questions too, like, are you neurodivergent? Is that why you've always felt like the odd one out? It's like you're staring at a mystery, trying to figure out where you belong in this world. IKYK. 

Your identity, queer and gender-expansive, and your unique neurodivergent quirks, they throw extra sauce on this already complicated journey. Plus, you've got this heavy baggage from your religious past, some super controlling religion stuff, that’s left some deep scars that are hard to put into words. It’s all so much, you have doubts and anxiety that even therapy can help you. 

My name is Dora, and I Can Help you with all that Anxiety

I’m Dora (they/she) and I’m a Licensed Professional Counselor providing online therapy for anxiety in the St. Louis metro area and all of Missouri and Oregon. You’ll feel relieved you can let your guard down and be accepted by me for who you are. You can drop the performance that tries to cover up how you’ve been feeling so overwhelmed. I’ve got you.

The folks who do therapy with me tell me I’m a calm and grounding presence for them like a warm cup of tea. I’m like the unique Chai from your favorite indie tea shop - just the right blend of calm, warmth, & spiciness. I get what it’s like to feel like a misfit, and now that I’m older, I embrace the parts that don’t fit into someone’s idea that everyone needs to fit into their cookie-cutter idea of what people should be like. Those were challenges for me as a neurodivergent, queer, enby, fat/body-positive human with lived experience managing anxiety and surviving trauma.  

Weekly support to create hope for your future

Therapy with me goes deeper than merely doling out coping skills like bandaids for your wounds. That’s an okay start, but then we need to give priority to healing those places. 

I can help you understand the anxiety that has you in its grip. You and I will meet once a week to develop strategies to liberate you from anxiety’s control. You’ll get to a place where you have self-compassion instead of despising your existence and feel safer feeling your emotions and notice that even your body feels calmer so you can exhale a sigh of relief you haven’t felt in so long. You will create a plan to nourish your growth that includes affirming relationships and connection with community.

Online therapy allows you to meet with me from the comfort and privacy of your own space. You don’t have to try to work up the energy to push past anxiety about driving or being in public. And I love getting to know the real you that you might hide when you’re out. Another favorite part of knowing you in your home environment is that I get to meet your support bunny, doggo, cat, or little plant friend, and the coping strategies you already use  like your art journal, fidget toys, or your oh so soft fleece blanket wrapped around you that helps give you a little break from some of the anxiety. 

Vibe check 

Pause for a moment here to check in with your heart. I know your thoughts are probably still going a mile a minute here but let them know you’ll get back to them after a brief pause. Does your heart (or maybe your gut) resonate with this? Did your feeling of being hopeless and stuck with anxiety shift even a little to curiosity that you can be helped?  Take a deep breath in, and as you exhale, click the link or call me at 314-514-5107 to schedule a free time for us to see if we vibe and we’ll talk about how therapy can help you get through this, and even better, grow hope for your future. 

Contact me for a free counseling consultation in Missouri or Oregon

Affirming Liberation Therapy for Gender Expansive, Trans, Enby, Queer, LGBTQIA+, Neurodivergent, Autistic, ADHD teens and adults. Specializing in mental health counseling therapy for Anxiety, Gender Affirming Care, Autistic Burnout, Trauma, Religious trauma, PTSD, and Liberation from oppressive systems.