When Anxiety Won’t Stop: A Christian Guide to Overthinking, Emotional Overwhelm, and Finding Peace Again
By Jackie DaHora, LCSW – Faith-Based Therapist in Knoxville, TN
Anxiety is one of the most common struggles among Christian women today. Many describe it as:
racing thoughts
mental exhaustion
fear that won’t shut off
feeling overwhelmed by daily life
guilt for struggling spiritually
If this sounds familiar, you are not alone.
As a Christian therapist, I sit with women every week who say things like:
“Why can’t I stop overthinking?”
“I feel broken. I pray, but I still feel anxious.”
“I want help from someone who understands faith AND mental health.”
The Bible speaks honestly about fear, overwhelm, trauma, and emotional pain. And it also offers a path to healing.
In this article, we’ll explore why anxiety develops, how trauma impacts your emotions, and how faith-based therapy can help you heal from the inside out.
1. Anxiety Isn’t Just “In Your Head” — It’s in Your Nervous System
Many Christians get stuck in the belief that anxiety means:
weak faith
lack of trust
spiritual failure
But Scripture never teaches this.
Emotional overwhelm is a human response, not a spiritual flaw.
When you’ve experienced:
childhood trauma
betrayal
chronic stress
emotionally unavailable parents
conflict in marriage
postpartum stress
pressure to hold it all together
your nervous system learns to stay on high alert.
That means:
your heart races
your thoughts spiral
your body feels unsafe
you can’t calm down even when you want to
Anxiety is not rebellion.
It is a cry for safety.
2. Overthinking Is a Survival Strategy — Not a Personality Flaw
Most of the women I work with say:
“I can’t shut my brain off. I replay everything.”
Overthinking is your brain’s attempt to:
prevent hurt
predict danger
avoid rejection
stay in control
This often starts in childhood or past relationships where you had to:
walk on eggshells
parent yourself
keep the peace
anticipate others' reactions
Your brain learned, “If I stop thinking, something bad might happen.”
Faith-based therapy helps retrain your nervous system to feel safe again.
3. Trauma Changes How You See Yourself — and How You See God
Trauma isn’t just “big events.”
It’s also:
being criticized as a child
growing up unseen or unsupported
being abandoned emotionally
betrayal in relationships
postpartum isolation
These experiences can create beliefs like:
“I’m not enough.”
“I can’t trust anyone.”
“God must be disappointed in me.”
The enemy loves to attack identity.
But Scripture paints a different picture:
“You are fearfully and wonderfully made.” (Psalm 139:14)
“He heals the brokenhearted.” (Psalm 147:3)
“There is no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus.” (Romans 8:1)
When trauma shapes your heart, Jesus redeems your identity piece by piece.
4. Why Christian Counseling Helps (More Than People Realize)
Many of your future clients are searching Google for:
Christian counselor Knoxville
faith-based therapy
Christian therapist for anxiety
Christian help for trauma
Christian marriage counseling
Faith-based therapy bridges the gap between mental health and spiritual formation.
Here’s what it provides:
• A safe space for your emotions
No judgment
No shame
No pressure to “just pray harder”
• Tools to calm your nervous system
You learn:
grounding skills
emotional regulation
breathing techniques
cognitive reframing
with Scripture integrated.
• Healing rooted in Biblical truth
Not just coping
But transformation
Because healing is the work of the Holy Spirit.
• Trauma-informed, spiritually aligned guidance
Real tools + real truth = real healing
5. God Cares About Your Anxiety More Than You Realize
Many Christians feel guilty for struggling.
But Jesus never shamed anyone for emotional pain.
The Psalms show us:
worry
fear
despair
trauma
grief
panic
These are all normal human experiences.
And God meets you in them.
“Cast all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you.” (1 Peter 5:7)
God isn’t disappointed in your emotions.
He is present in them.
6. Healing Is Possible — One Step at a Time
You do not have to stay stuck in:
fear
spiraling thoughts
relationship pain
emotional overwhelm
With support, your brain and your heart can heal.
You can learn:
peace
confidence
boundaries
identity
emotional stability
joy again
And most importantly, you can rediscover the God who never left your side.
If You’re Ready for Healing, I’m Here to Help
If you’re a Christian woman navigating:
anxiety
trauma
overthinking
relationship wounds
postpartum struggles
emotional overwhelm
You don’t have to walk through it alone.
I offer Biblically-integrated, trauma-informed therapy for women just like you.
👉 Schedule an appointment through my website.
👉 Follow me on Instagram @jackiedahora for daily encouragement.
You are not broken.
You are loved.
Healing is possible — and it starts with one step.
