What is Relationship Anxiety (And Why Group Therapy Can Help?)
Do you find yourself overthinking every text you send, worrying constantly about where you stand in your relationships, or feeling like you're "too much" or “not enough?” If so, you may be experiencing something known as relationship anxiety.
What Is Relationship Anxiety?
Relationship anxiety is the persistent fear, doubt, or insecurity about one's relationship connections. It can look like:
Worrying about being abandoned or rejected, even when things are going well
Needing constant reassurance
Overanalyzing your partner's words or behaviors
Struggling to trust or feel safe emotionally
This kind of anxiety oftentimes isn’t just "in your head,” it often has roots in early attachment experiences, past relationship wounds, or trauma. While it can be isolating, it’s far more common than most people realize.
Why Do So Many People Struggle With It?
In our therapy work at Through Therapy, we often see high-achieving, emotionally intelligent adults who appear successful on the outside but feel stuck in the same painful relationship cycles. Many have never felt fully safe being themselves with another person. Others grew up in environments where emotional needs weren’t consistently met.
The result? A deep craving for closeness, paired with fear that it won’t last or that you’re not worthy of it.
How Group Therapy Helps
Individual therapy is powerful, and for those struggling with relationship anxiety, group therapy adds another layer of healing:
1. Real-time feedback and connection You’ll interact with others who get it. In group, you can explore patterns, try new ways of relating, and receive feedback in a supportive space.
2. Practicing Vulnerability You’ve probably spent years scanning for cues, softening your edges, or shrinking your needs to stay connected. In group, you get to practice something radically different: being your full self—and being met with understanding, not judgment. Vulnerability becomes less scary when others are doing the same. It’s where real healing starts.
3. Rewiring attachment wounds Group therapy can be a corrective emotional experience, meaning by practicing trust and connection, it’s possible to begin challenging old beliefs like “I’m too much” or “I’ll always be left.”
4. Belonging and shared growth You don’t have to navigate this alone. Being in a room with others who truly understand can reflect your resilience back to you and remind you that healing is possible.
A Group Designed for Relational Healing
This September in Chicago, we’re launching a small, intentionally crafted Relationship Anxiety Group for those looking to break free from painful patterns, understand themselves more deeply, and build trust in relationships that feel safe and mutual.
If the thought of being seen without judgment, showing up even when fear is present, and healing in community feels like what you’ve been longing for, this is your invitation.
