Impact Therapeutics & Support
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Young adults·Reflection

Why smart people freeze

Being capable does not make you immune to overwhelm, avoidance or shame. Sometimes the issue is not intelligence — it is capacity, support and nervous system load.

Being intelligent does not protect you from shutdown.

In fact, capable people often freeze precisely because they understand how much there is to do, how high the stakes feel, and how easily things could go wrong.

Support can help you make sense of the freeze and find a more sustainable way forward.

About the author

Kristine

PACFA registered psychotherapist and counsellor working relationally with people navigating emotional overwhelm, burnout, identity shifts, grief and life transitions.

Read more about Kristine

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