145: Why Am I So Reactive?

Holding Space

In this solo episode of Holding Space, I’m diving into one of the most common and quietly painful questions I hear from parents (and ask myself too):

Why am I so reactive?

If you’ve ever found yourself snapping before you even realized what was happening, crying over something small, or wondering, what is wrong with me? This episode is for you. You're not broken. You're carrying a lot. And reactivity is often your nervous system’s way of trying to protect you.

In this episode, I explore the deeper layers beneath reactivity and offer practical ways to create just enough margin to respond instead of react.

I talk about:

• How emotions are messengers
• What your nervous system is trying to tell you when you feel flooded
• Why fawn, fight, freeze, flight, and flock responses are so common in parenthood
• The invisible labor of caregiving, and how it fuels burnout and shutdown
• Sensory overwhelm in modern parenting and why it hits so hard
• How your hormones and cycle shape your emotional capacity

Want to go deeper?

Come hang out with me on Substack! This post includes every reflection, tool, and prompt from the episode...plus a few extras.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

→ Dr. Haver’s provider directory: https://thepauselife.com/pages/recommended-physicians

→ Substack: A Little Space, Please: https://drcassidy.substack.com/

→ Other related episodes:

136: How to Carry Less While Enjoying Motherhood More

127: How to Rest (Realistically) as a Modern Day Parent

103: The Default Parent

94: The Depleted, Distracted, Grumpy, Guilty Parenting Cycle

Download my free triggers guide here!

Learn more about our therapy services for California and New York parents here: https://www.drcassidymft.com/

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