Imposter, Fraud, Fake, Failure! How EMDR Challenges Performance Anxiety

Have you ever walked into a presentation, game, exam, or meeting knowing you’re prepared but your mind goes blank, your chest tightens, or your confidence disappears?

Maybe you replay mistakes long after they happen.Maybe you feel like an imposter who somehow slipped through the cracks.Maybe you keep telling yourself, “I shouldn’t be this anxious—I know how to do this.”

If this sounds familiar, you’re not alone. And more importantly, nothing is “wrong” with you. You might just struggle with performance anxiety.

Performance Anxiety Isn’t a Motivation Problem

Many people assume performance anxiety means they’re not confident enough, disciplined, or mentally tough enough. But in my work, I see something very different.

Performance anxiety is often a nervous system response, not a character flaw.

Your body reacts as if something dangerous is happening—even when the situation isn’t actually threatening. Your heart races, your thoughts spiral, and suddenly your skills feel out of reach. This can happen in:

• Work presentations

• Sports competitions

• School exams

• Leadership roles

• Any situation where you’re being evaluated or seen

  
  

You may logically know you’re safe—but your body hasn’t gotten the memo.

Why “Just Think Positive” Doesn’t Work

In these moments, for many people, anxiety isn’t coming from the present moment: it’s connected to earlier experiences:

• Being criticized or shamed

• Feeling pressure to perform or succeed

• A past failure that still feels vivid

• Growing up feeling like love or approval had to be earned

  
  

These experiences can get stored in the brain in a way that still feels active today. So, when you’re in a high-pressure situation now, your nervous system reacts as if you’re back there again.

This is where EMDR comes in.

How EMDR Helps You Get Unstuck

EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) helps identify why performance situations feel so intense—and gently works with the brain to change how those experiences are stored.

Instead of talking around the anxiety, EMDR helps you go to the root of it.

In EMDR therapy, we work together to:

• Identify where the fear, self-doubt, or pressure originally began

• Target the beliefs that show up during performance (like “I’m not good enough,” “I’m going to fail,” or “I’ll be exposed”)

• Use bilateral stimulation (such as eye movements or tapping) to help the brain reprocess those memories

• Support the brain in building new neural pathways that feel calmer, more grounded, and more confident

Over time, many people notice that the same situations that once felt overwhelming no longer carry the same emotional charge.

What Changes When the Brain Processes the Past

When those earlier experiences are fully processed, they stop hijacking the present.

People often report:

• Feeling more present and focused under pressure

• Less fear of being judged or “messing up”

• Greater confidence that feels real—not forced

• The ability to perform even when stress is present

  
  

The goal isn’t to eliminate nerves entirely—it’s to help your nervous system stop treating performance like a threat.

EMDR for Work, Sports, and School Performance

I work with individuals who struggle with performance anxiety across many areas of life, including:

• Professionals navigating high-pressure roles

• Athletes dealing with competition anxiety or mental blocks

• Students facing test anxiety or academic stress

• Individuals experiencing imposter syndrome or perfectionism

Performance anxiety isn’t a sign that you’re incapable. It’s often a sign that your nervous system learned to protect you at some point—and just hasn’t updated that information yet.

If you’re tired of pushing through anxiety or wondering why you feel stuck despite knowing better, support is available—and change is possible.

I offer both ongoing EMDR therapy and EMDR intensives, which are extended, focused sessions designed to help you make meaningful progress in a shorter amount of time. Intensives can be especially helpful if you have a specific performance concern or upcoming event.

I am a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) and am certified in EMDR therapy. I provide EMDR therapy and EMDR intensives to help individuals work through performance anxiety related to work, sports, and school,

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