Michelle Pettengill, LCSW

  Have YOU ever had one of those days when you know you're okay... But your body doesn't seem to believe you??? Your shoulders are tight. Your neck is aching. Your jaw is clenched. Your stomach feels unsettled. Your heart is beating faster. You're tired, but you can't seem to relax and you feel ancy. Maybe nothing particularly stressful is happening—but inside, you still feel on edge . And then your brain asks the question: "Why do I feel anxious when nothing is wrong?" Here's something I want you to know:  Your body is NOT working against you. Your body may be responding to what it has learned to perceive as stress, uncertainty, or threat. This is one reason I use a nervous-system-first approach with my clients. Sometimes we try so hard to think our way out of anxiety that we forget something important: Your body is part of the conversation, too.  This is called "Bottom - Up Anxiety" - Your body senses something is off and is having a...

  Have you ever been told, "Just stop worrying," only to find that your body didn't get the message? 🙋 Your mind may know you're safe, but your racing heart, tight chest, upset stomach, or tense shoulders tell a different story. That's because anxiety doesn't just live in your thoughts—it lives in your body, too. When I was first learning about our nervous system years ago, I seriously never knew that.  And this was where somatic therapy came into play. SO What Is Somatic Therapy? The word somatic simply means "relating to the body." Somatic therapy is an approach that recognizes the powerful connection between your mind, body, and nervous system. Instead of focusing only on changing your thoughts, it also helps you notice and respond to the physical sensations that accompany stress and anxiety that you have recently endured or that you have endured for several years. When we experience chronic stress, trauma, or anxiety, our nervous system can be...

  Summer Is the Perfect Time to Reset Your Mind, Body, and Relationships When life feels chaotic, it’s easy to tell yourself: “I’ll focus on myself later.” “Things will calm down eventually.” “I just need to get through this season.” But for many adults, “later” never comes. The racing thoughts continue. Sleep stays inconsistent. You feel irritable, overwhelmed, and stretched thin. Your relationships begin to feel the strain. And even though summer often looks more relaxed from the outside, it can be one of the best times to finally slow down and take care of yourself. Why Summer Is an Ideal Time for Therapy Summer naturally invites us to pause. Schedules may feel a little lighter. There’s more daylight. Vacations and time away can offer perspective. It becomes easier to ask: How am I really doing? What is my body trying to tell me? What patterns am I ready to change? What do I want the rest of this year to feel like? Therapy gives you the space to answer...

When Anxiety Sneaks Into Your Marriage — and What You Can Do About It On the surface, everything might look okay in your relationship—you’re juggling work, kids, errands, and the daily bustle. But inside? It can feel like you’re just coasting. You might fear deeper conversations because they lead to tension, defensiveness, or shutdowns instead of closeness. If anxiety has become an uninvited guest at your table, you’re not alone—and there is a way forward. I help busy, married couples move from tension and disconnection into balance, empathy, and genuine connection — step by gentle step. Anxiety Shows Up Quietly — But It Impacts Everything Anxiety doesn’t always show up as panic attacks or obvious fear. In relationships, it often looks like: Tension in conversations Avoidance of deeper topics Feeling like you’re walking on eggshells Managing schedules more than emotional connection These patterns slowly drift you apart — not because of a lack of love, but because anxiety...

  What I’ve Learned as an Anxiety & Relationship Therapist: Michelle Pettengill, LCSW Reflections on Healing, Presence, and Small Brave Steps When I became a therapist, I thought my role would be about helping people “work through their stuff.” What I didn’t realize was how deeply this work would change me . Over the years, I’ve sat with people in moments of anxiety so strong they could barely take a deep breath. I’ve talked with couples who love each other deeply but feel miles apart. I’ve listened to stories of exhaustion, burnout, and the quiet thought so many carry: "I should be able to handle this… but I can’t." Healing Happens in the Messy Middle If there’s one thing my clients have taught me, it’s that healing doesn’t happen in perfect, linear steps. It’s not a straight climb from “stuck” to “better.” It happens in the messy middle—the place where life feels overwhelming, yet you still find the courage to try again. It’s the moment you notice your shoulders drop...

3 Signs Your Body Is Begging for a Nervous System Reset (And how to finally feel like yourself again)  You’re doing all the “right” things. You try to eat (when you remember), power through your to-do list, and get to bed at a reasonable hour. But something still feels off. Maybe it’s the headaches. Or the way your stomach ties itself in knots. Or that frustrating feeling like you just. can’t. breathe. Ugh!! If any of this sounds familiar, you’re not alone. And you’re definitely not broken. When your nervous system gets stuck in fight-or-flight mode , your body starts sending signals that it’s overwhelmed—even if your brain is trying to keep it all together. This took me a long time to figure out (many years ago).  Let’s talk about the 3 physical signs your body may be begging for a nervous system reset: 1. Migraines That Come Out of Nowhere You’re not just “sensitive to stress.” When your nervous system stays in high alert for too long, the tension builds up—fast. That...