Rewiring the Fear of Visibility: A Somatic Approach for Therapists Who Struggle to Put Themselves Out There

For many therapists, the idea of visibility—whether it’s networking, marketing, or sharing your professional voice—brings up discomfort, hesitation, or even outright dread. You might find yourself procrastinating on updating your website, avoiding networking events, or feeling a sense of shame when talking about your expertise.

If this resonates, you’re not alone. The fear of being seen is not just a mindset issue—it’s a nervous system response.

Why Visibility Feels Unsafe to So Many Clinicians

Our nervous systems are wired to protect us from potential social threats, and visibility often triggers these deep-seated survival responses:

• Freeze Response: You want to put yourself out there, but when you sit down to write that post or introduce yourself at an event, your brain goes blank, and you feel stuck.

• Fawn Response: You over-explain, people-please, or diminish your expertise in order to avoid discomfort or rejection.

• Flight Response: You avoid marketing, push networking to the bottom of your to-do list, and find reasons why “now isn’t the right time.”

• Fight Response: You overcompensate, trying to prove your worth and expertise, yet still feel disconnected from genuine confidence.

  
  

These responses don’t come out of nowhere. They are learned survival strategies from past experiences—times when speaking up, taking space, or standing out may have led to criticism, rejection, or even shame.

How a Somatic Approach Can Help You Step into Visibility with Confidence

Instead of forcing yourself to “just do it” or shaming yourself for not showing up more, somatic awareness allows you to work with your nervous system, not against it.

Here are a few simple ways to begin working on your fear of visibility:

• Notice where visibility shows up in your body. Does your chest tighten? Do you feel tension in your throat? Does your breath become shallow? These sensations are data, not something to ignore.

• Pause and ground before networking or marketing. Before introducing yourself at an event, posting online, or having a consult call, take three slow, deep breaths and feel your feet on the floor. Orient yourself to the space around you—this helps your nervous system recognize that you are safe.

• Challenge the old rules. Ask yourself: Whose voice am I hearing when I hesitate to be visible? What rules about taking up space am I still following that no longer serve me?

• Practice micro-moments of visibility. Instead of pushing yourself to suddenly become an extroverted marketer, start small. Can you comment on a colleague’s post? Have a one-on-one coffee chat? Rewrite your website bio in a way that reflects who you truly are?

Your Voice Matters: Take the Next Step

If you recognize yourself in this, you are not alone—and you don’t have to navigate this alone.

Join us for a 1-hour introduction to Somatic Approaches to Visibility and Networking, where we will explore:

• How visibility triggers the nervous system and how to work with it

• Practical, embodied tools to build confidence in networking and self-promotion

• A reframe on marketing that feels authentic, aligned, and relational

The way you market yourself doesn’t have to feel like a fight. Let’s change the paradigm—together.

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As always, with hope and light,

Helen Malinowski, LICSW