Gabrielle Montana MS, LPC, SAC

Hi I'm Gabby! I am a Brainspotting and IFS informed therapist. I help anxious & exhausted people pleasers heal from trauma and find their voice!

My clients struggle like you do. They live with anxiety- the heart racing, chest tightening, skin crawling, keeps you up all night kind. They often grew up in emotionally and physically unsafe environments, been in inconsistent and unstable relationships, and struggled with their personal identity. Being on guard, people pleasing, and quieting their voice was a means to survive with the least amount of damage.

When my clients first come in, they feel ANXIOUS. They don’t know where to start. They minimize their experiences and often say “I’m fine” when really they are living in their own personal hell and trauma is the prison keeper.

Despite knowing the challenges they have been through, my clients tell themselves “I should be over this. It’s not that bad.” They often avoid confronting people in their life or asserting themselves, even if they are unhappy with the relationship or the way life is going. Remaining quiet to reestablish a sense of internal safety - also known as the trauma response of fawning - is something my clients know very well.

Their fear of being seen and the possible harm that could come from that - being emotionally rejected, criticized, physically hurt - keeps my clients stuck in a pattern of shrinking into themselves, doing what they are told they “should” do, and forcing themselves to believe the story of “If I just forget about it, it will go away. I’ll be fine.”

Before my clients came to see me, they carried the weight of their experiences on their chest, rarely feeling like they could catch their breath, be present in their life, or feel happy. They felt distant from friends and family, drained by the day after day hold worry and restlessness had on them, and too exhausted to even send a quick text.

Like my clients, you deserve to live anxiety free - establishing your own rules on life, setting boundaries, and confident in the way you show up in the world. Feeling relief without depending on anyone else’s approval is not out of reach.

If you want to ditch anxiety, break out of people pleasing, say no, assert your personal needs and expectations - I’d love to help you get there.