Can I Be Both Strong and Struggling?
Embracing Vulnerability as a High-Achiever
As a mental health counselor working with high-achieving women, one of the most powerful truths I’ve witnessed in the therapy room is this: you can be both strong and struggling at the same time.
It’s a truth that often gets buried under pressure to perform, lead, and keep it all together. Many high-achieving women have internalized the belief that showing vulnerability is a sign of weakness. That asking for help is failure. That emotions should be managed quietly, behind closed doors—if acknowledged at all.
But what if the opposite is true?
What if vulnerability is a form of strength?
The Power of Vulnerability
Dr. Brené Brown, researcher and author of Daring Greatly and The Gifts of Imperfection, has spent over two decades studying vulnerability, courage, shame, and empathy. Her work reminds us that:
“Vulnerability is not winning or losing; it's having the courage to show up and be seen when we have no control over the outcome.”
— Brené Brown, Daring Greatly
In other words, vulnerability isn't weakness—it's courage. It’s being honest about your emotions, showing up as your full self, and risking being seen in your authenticity.
For high-achievers who are used to excelling, vulnerability can feel like unfamiliar territory. But it’s often the doorway to deeper relationships, sustainable success, and emotional resilience.
Strength Doesn't Mean Perfection
So many women I work with are brilliant, accomplished, and admired by others—but secretly carrying a heavy emotional load. They may be:
Leading teams while silently battling anxiety
Managing households while feeling disconnected from their own needs
Supporting others while never asking for support themselves
These struggles don’t negate your strength. They coexist with it.
One of Brené Brown’s core messages is that we don’t have to do it all, be it all, or feel it all alone. In fact, she writes in The Gifts of Imperfection that:
“Courage starts with showing up and letting ourselves be seen.”
In counseling, we make space for that. A space where you can let the mask slip. Where you can explore not just what you do, but how you feel. Where your emotions aren’t judged, but honored.
Why Vulnerability Matters in Professional and Personal Life
When we allow ourselves to be vulnerable:
We build authentic connections. People relate more to your humanness than your highlight reel.
We avoid burnout. Suppressing emotions and pretending everything is fine takes a toll on mental and physical health.
We model emotional intelligence. Especially in leadership or parenting roles, vulnerability can foster trust and empathy.
We grow. Facing discomfort with honesty allows for deeper self-awareness and transformation.
How Therapy Helps You Embrace Both
In therapy, we gently challenge the belief that you have to choose between being strong and being human. We explore:
The messages you've internalized about emotions, success, and vulnerability
How perfectionism and self-criticism may be masking deeper needs
How to practice self-compassion, boundary-setting, and emotional expression
What it looks like to live more authentically—with both your courage and your fears
You don’t have to “fix” yourself to be worthy. You just have to show up—and that’s enough.
Final Thoughts
You can be the woman others look up to and the woman who cries in the car sometimes. You can lead a meeting in the morning and text your best friend, “I’m not okay,” at night. You can be both strong and struggling.
That’s not failure. That’s being real.
At Climbing Hills Counseling, I help high-achieving women embrace their full selves—strengths, struggles, and everything in between. If you’re ready to live and lead with authenticity, let’s talk.
Call: 336-600-4455
Email: lauren@climbinghillscounseling.com
Resources by Brené Brown to Explore:
The Gifts of Imperfection
Daring Greatly
