How Do You Feel, For Real? High-Achieving Women Learn to Understand Stress, Faith & Your Nervous System

ReHope Coach
Apr 27
5 min read

Updated: Apr 28

STRESS THE SILENT STORM IN HIGH-ACHIEVING WOMEN

You wear the title—leader, teacher, mother, minister, professional—but silently, you’re unraveling. Not because you’re incapable, but because you’re carrying more than anyone sees. This isn’t just “a busy season.” It’s a chronic, unspoken storm called stress, and it’s time we stop minimizing it.

April is Stress Awareness Month, and too many women of faith are silently suffering in the name of strength. The culture says "Keep going." But your body? It’s saying, “slow down.” Your faith says, “trust God.” But your nervous system is screaming, “I’m not okay.”

Let’s talk about what stress is, what it’s doing to your body, and how to address it as a whole woman—spirit, mind, and body.

WHAT IS STRESS, REALLY?

Stress is not just about being busy or overwhelmed—it’s your body’s response to perceived threat or prolonged demand. It activates the nervous system to help you survive. But when that survival state becomes chronic, your health—mental, emotional, physical, spiritual—begins to erode.

The problem? High-functioning women often normalize stress. We call it “grind mode.” We call it “purpose.” We even call it “faith.” But God did not design your body to live in fight, flight, freeze, or fawn mode long-term.

Stress shows up in ways we dismiss:

That racing heart you ignore? That’s a nervous system cue.
That irritability or snapping at loved ones? That’s a stress response.
That inability to sleep or slow your mind? It’s not just insomnia—it’s your brain saying it doesn’t feel safe.

STRESS VS. TRAUMA: WHEN STRESS GETS STUCK

Here’s the truth: Chronic stress becomes trauma when your body stays activated and doesn’t get to return to safety.

For women who’ve experienced childhood rejection, betrayal, or family dysfunction, your baseline may already be survival. So when adult stressors hit—bills, caregiving, marriage, ministry—your body doesn’t just react to the moment. It’s reliving the unhealed wounds from the past.

This is why it’s not enough to say, “Just pray.” It’s not enough to say, “Just go to therapy.” It’s about learning how to live from a place of wholeness—not high alert.

SIGNS YOU’RE STRESSED (AND SPIRITUALLY DISCONNECTED)

You feel guilty resting or saying no.
You can’t remember the last time you prayed without multitasking.
You cry out to God but feel numb, angry, or exhausted.
You’re stuck between purpose and performance.

This isn’t just stress. It’s spiritual misalignment. God doesn’t ask us to sacrifice ourselves on the altar of busy. He invites us into peace.

WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS ABOUT STRESS

The Bible may not use the word “stress,” but it speaks directly to the internal tension we face:

“Be still and know…” (Psalm 46:10) — Stillness is sacred. It is where we re-regulate and hear from God.
“Cast your cares…” (1 Peter 5:7) — Stress multiplies when we carry things alone.
“Come to Me…and I will give you rest.” (Matthew 11:28) — The invitation is real. Rest is not lazy. It’s holy.

Jesus was fully divine AND fully human. He got tired. He withdrew. He slept through storms. And He modeled a life that was spirit-led, not stress-fueled.

YOUR NERVOUS SYSTEM NEEDS FAITH-LED REGULATION

As a trauma-informed coach and psychotherapist, I can tell you: You can’t just will your way out of stress. You must train your body to feel safe again.

Here’s what nervous system regulation looks like for the faith-driven woman:

Breathwork with prayer – Deep, diaphragmatic breathing followed by declaring God’s truth
Movement as ministry – Walking, stretching, or dancing while worshiping
Stillness practices – Guided meditation, breath prayer, or simply laying down without your phone
Journaling your triggers – Not just writing feelings, but identifying what made your body feel unsafe

These are not "soft" practices. These are survival strategies that bring your body and spirit back into sync.

7 STEPS TO STRESS RECOVERY

Pause. Turn off autopilot. Breathe. Don’t just keep going.
Notice. Where do you feel stress in your body—head, chest, gut?
Name. Say out loud what you’re feeling. Labeling creates power.
Pray Honestly. Don’t filter your prayers. God can handle your truth.
Regulate. Use grounding techniques: deep breaths, touch a textured surface, move slowly.
Re-align. Get back into spiritual rhythm—one prayer, scripture, or walk at a time.
Repeat. Healing is repetition, not perfection.

WHEN TO SEEK HELP

You don’t need to wait until you're burnt out, breaking down, or physically ill to get help.

If your stress:

Lasts longer than 2 weeks
Disrupts your sleep, relationships, or work
Causes physical symptoms (rashes, gut issues, tension headaches)
Makes you feel hopeless or numb

…then you need support.

Support looks like:

Christian counseling or trauma-informed therapy
A coach trained in nervous system and purpose work (like ReHope Coach)
A spiritual mentor who honors your humanity, not just your service

YOU DON’T HAVE TO PROVE YOU’RE STRONG

Dear woman of God,

You are allowed to feel what you feel. You are allowed to admit that it’s heavy. You are allowed to rest, to ask for help, to pause the performance.

Your calling is too important to collapse under chronic stress.

Let this be the month you say: “I choose to heal.” “I choose to breathe.” “I choose to trust God with my nervous system—not just my spirit.”

FINAL ENCOURAGEMENT FROM REHOPE COACH

Stress is real. But so is healing.

This month, take one step. Maybe it’s a walk without your phone. Perhaps it’s turning off your laptop before midnight. Maybe it’s calling a coach or therapist.

Whatever it is, let it be a declaration: “I am not just surviving. I am healing for real.”

Let’s walk it out together.

If this spoke to you, share it with your sister, ministry leader, or women’s group. And if you’re ready to start your healing journey, contact ReHope Coach today.

About the Author

Nydria L. Williams, also known as ReHope Coach is the founder and CEO of Revitalized Hope and Healing a faith-based coaching platform dedicated to helping high-achieving Christian women heal from trauma, uncover their God-given purpose, and step into lives of clarity, alignment, and fulfillment. As a minister, speaker, and coach, she guides women in breaking free from patterns of overachievement and disconnection so they can embrace the abundant life God has for them.

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