For many women who struggle with anxiety and people-pleasing, these patterns began in childhood. They were often shaped by the messages we received, witnessed, or absorbed long before we were old enough to realize how much they would follow us into adulthood.

As a therapist who works with anxious women, I see the emotional toll people-pleasing takes every day. What many don’t realize is that people-pleasing isn't just a personality trait; it's often a trauma response. And that’s why traditional talk therapy sometimes isn’t enough to fully shift the deeply embedded patterns that drive people-pleasing. Enter EMDR.