YOU LOOK LIKE YOU HAVE IT ALL TOGETHER. BUT INSIDE, IT FEELS DIFFERENT.
Therapy for high-functioning midlife women in Alexandria, VA who feel overwhelmed, depleted or quietly disconnected.
In-person therapy for anxiety, stress and life transitions in Alexandria, VA with virtual sessions across VA, DC, and MD.
You’re capable. Responsible. The person others rely on.
At work.
At home.
In every direction.
And from the outside, things may look fine. But inside, something feels off.
You’re managing your days. Showing up for everyone. But it’s taking more out of you than it used to and tired of doing everything “right.”
Overwhelmed, but without a clear reason why. Disconnected from yourself or your life. Unsure what you need — but aware something isn’t working.
Therapy offers a calm, steady place to slow down and understand what's happening beneath the surface.
You Might Recognize Yourself Here:
You’re holding everything together — but it’s taking more effort than it used to
You feel tired, flat, or emotionally stretched thin, even when you’re “doing fine”
You keep thinking: “I should be okay… so why don’t I feel okay?”
You don’t have a clear crisis right now — just a sense that something isn’t right
You’ve spent years meeting expectations, and aren’t sure what you want anymore
From the outside, your life works. Inside, it doesn’t feel the way you expected it would.
Midlife Has a Way of Bringing Things to the Surface
Sometimes it’s a visible transition — Your career shifting, your children leaving, your relationships changing.
Sometimes it’s accumulated stress — a sense of exhaustion, feeling fried.
Sometimes it’s quieter — A flatness where energy used to be. A feeling you can’t quite name — and doesn’t go away.
Sometimes you wonder if this is all there is - and feel guilty for not being more grateful.
You’ve done everything you were supposed to do.
These experiences are not uncommon in midlife.
They're also worth taking seriously.
Most of my clients are high-functioning, competent, thoughtful, dependable.
They’ve built or are building careers —
They frequently carry careers and family responsibilities at once —
Or step away from work to raise families or help with elder caregiving —
They are used to figuring things out. Which is why this is unfamiliar - it isn’t how they usually feel.
Therapy with me offers something you may not have had in a long time (if ever)
A place where you don’t have to hold everything together.
A place to slow down and understand what’s happening beneath the surface.
Our work is steady, thoughtful, and at your pace.
This isn’t about quick fixes.
It’s about understanding yourself more clearly — and finding a better way forward.
Who I Work With
While much of my work is with women in midlife, I also work with adults of any age or gender who are drawn to thoughtful, insight-oriented therapy and are ready to understand what’s happening beneath the surface.
You don’t need to be in a crisis to reach out.
If something in this feels familiar, that’s enough.
A brief, no-cost consultation call is a simple place to start. We can talk through what’s been going on and see whether working together would feel like a good fit.
Meet Susan Maguire, LCSW
Hi, I'm Susan Maguire — a licensed therapist and certified coach based in Old Town Alexandria, Virginia.
I work with adults, and especially women in midlife, who are carrying more than they realize and feeling the weight. They’re the ones who keep it together for everyone else. They’ve built lives that look fine from the outside but are quietly wondering why it doesn't feel that way inside. And they may be experiencing anxiety, depression, and fallout from difficult life “disruptions.”
My approach is calm, collaborative, and grounded. I help you slow down, understand what's happening beneath the surface, and reconnect with the parts of yourself that have been waiting for attention.
Therapy Can Help
Make sense of things | Understand your emotions | Explore what you want & need Feel more supported to move forward