When the System Feels Too Big: Finding Your Way Through Public Health

For many people, seeking help through the public health system can feel like hitting a wall. You take the first brave step, admitting you need support, only to find yourself buried in waitlists, referrals, intake forms, repeating your story over and over again, and trying to make sense of what’s next. It’s not just emotionally draining, it’s disorienting.

Large public health systems are complex. They are often under-resourced and stretched thin, which can make it hard for people to feel truly seen. It’s not uncommon to get lost in the system, bounced from service to service, or to feel like just another number on a list. For people already dealing with anxiety, trauma, neurodivergence, or emotional overwhelm, this process can be deeply invalidating.

I know this experience well, not only from listening to clients, but from being inside the system myself. I worked in public health for 26 years as a Registered Nurse, including roles in emergency, mental health, workforce, education, and many other areas across hospitals and community services. I’ve seen how the system works from the inside out. I’ve witnessed how, under pressure and complexity, people can fall through the cracks, not because those in the system don’t care, but because the system isn’t always designed to meet people where they are.

And I also know what it’s like to be on the other side.

I’ve been a patient too. I’ve sat in waiting rooms. I’ve experienced the overwhelm of trying to be heard in a system that often moves too fast or too far away from real connection. That experience changed me. It deepened my empathy and gave me an even greater respect for the courage it takes to keep showing up when the process itself can feel like a barrier.

Now, as a psychotherapist, I bring all of this into the space with you. I don’t just sit with your story, I help you make sense of the larger systems you are navigating. If you’re feeling overwhelmed, confused, or unsure how to access support, I can help you unpack what’s going on and walk with you as you find the next step.

This might look like:

• Making sense of mental health care plans or referrals

• Understanding your rights within the health system

• Exploring alternatives when the system isn’t meeting your needs

• Working through the emotional toll of feeling unseen or misunderstood

• Rebuilding trust in your own voice and choices

I know how heavy it can feel when you’re already struggling and the system feels cold or unresponsive. You don’t have to figure it all out alone. Therapy can be a place to not only be heard but to be supported in a way that helps you move forward with clarity, confidence, and care.

You deserve support that makes sense, and someone who truly gets what it’s like to feel lost in a system that’s supposed to help.

I welcome you, just as you are.