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Free to Be Mindful Podcast
What High Functioning Actually Hides
October 6, 2026
Ep:
321
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What high functioning actually hides, explained by a licensed therapist for high-achieving women, with signs of high-functioning anxiety and stress.
What high functioning actually hides is something I hear about every week as a licensed therapist, especially from high-achieving women who look like they have everything handled. For World Mental Health Day, I talk about high-functioning anxiety, where held-in stress goes when we finally slow down, what the science says about scream clubs, and how to know when stress relief isn't enough and it's time for therapy.
What You'll Learn
✅ Why high-functioning anxiety isn't in the DSM-5, and why so many high-achieving women still recognize themselves in it
✅ The signs high functioning hides, from a clenched jaw to sitting in the driveway before walking inside
✅ Where held-in stress goes when we slow down, including tears in savasana and anger aimed at the people closest to us
✅ What the science says about scream clubs and why screaming feels like relief
✅ How to tell when stress relief isn't enough and it's time to reach out to a therapist
✅ How to check on a friend or colleague whose automatic answer is "I'm good"
✅ Why our expectations drive high functioning, and which ones we can put down at home
✅ A guided reflection to notice where your body holds stress and choose one expectation to let go of this week
Chapters
00:00 Scream Clubs Hook
00:39 Podcast Welcome
01:11 World Mental Health Day
01:45 Yoga Tears Story
02:42 High Functioning Anxiety
03:53 Signs It Shows Up
05:38 When It Spills Over
06:45 Why Screaming Helps
08:00 Scream Vs Therapy
09:23 Support A Friend
10:16 Drop The Expectations
11:35 Resources And Coping
12:01 Guided Check In
13:13 Closing Thoughts
🔎 Find a therapist: psychologytoday.com
🌎 Find a Latinx therapist: connecttherapydirectory.com
🎁 Free Resource, 120 Coping Skills: freetobemindful.com/podcast-120copingskills
💛 Coaching for high-achieving women: amigamoms.com
What High Functioning Actually Hides | Ep321
[00:00:00]
So the other night I was watching Nightline, and they ran a segment on something called scream clubs, which are groups of people who get together, usually somewhere outside, and scream as loud as they can on purpose.
And my first reaction, the therapist one, was " Have they tried therapy?" And then I thought about it a little longer because when grown adults are going out looking for a place to scream, it tells me how much we're all carrying around and have nowhere to put it.
And the people I worry about are the ones who look like they have everything handled, , since what high functioning actually hides doesn't look anything like what most of us picture. Here we go.
You're listening to the Free To Be Mindful podcast, the space for high-achieving women who give their best to everyone and are ready to keep some of it for themselves. I'm Vanessa, licensed therapist, speaker, and mom coach. I know what it takes to build a life you're proud of without losing yourself in the process.