How do I handle dependencies on other teams without overwhelm?

You can build your own piece well, but coordinating with other teams and their dependencies overwhelms you, because now your work depends on people and timelines you do not control. That loss of control is the real weight, and it is heavier than the coordinating itself. You cannot make another team move on your schedule. What you can do is see the dependencies early, name them clearly, and stop being surprised by them. Most of the overwhelm comes from delays that felt sudden but were visible all along. Bringing them into the light shrinks them. Map out what you are waiting on from whom, and raise it with those people sooner than feels necessary. Then plan your own work around what might slip. You will not control their pace, but you will stop being ambushed by it. Trade the illusion of control for early clarity, and the overwhelm settles.