Therapy for Work Stress and Burnout in New York City

Universal, Yet Unique

Career Stress Beyond the Office

Anybody who has ever held a job has at some point felt the pressure of work-related stress.

Sometimes it’s time-sensitive, due to a particularly busy period. Other times, it’s a constant sense of anxiety that seems to linger. And of course, we’ve all felt that feeling of waking up on a Monday morning and just not wanting to deal with the day ahead.

Knowing that other people have also shared your anxiety doesn’t really help you though, does it? Even if it's “normal,” you still have to get up and respond to that cold, demanding email from your boss, deliver a high-stakes presentation, or face the office politics that’s in the way of actually getting anything done.

Maybe it runs much deeper than the day-to-day grind. You find yourself unfulfilled at work, simply going through the motions of a job that’s meaningless to you. Or the long hours, lack of recognition, and shifting project goals have left you burnt out and wondering…what’s the point? Is putting up with this worth the paycheck?

Obviously, you don’t intend to take your stress from the office home with you, but it happens. This can show up in ways besides constantly thinking about work and obsessively checking your email or Slack.

It might be that your personal identity has grown so closely intertwined with work, that you have to think a little “too” hard when somebody asks you “how’s everything besides work?”

It might be that you’re so used to being undervalued and taken for granted at work, that you’ve come to expect that type of treatment outside of the office too.

Or it might be that no matter what time of year it is, you’re always counting down the days until your next vacation (or the opposite, where you feel that you’re unable to take any kind of vacation).

But what good is a vacation if you come back and immediately feel the exact same way? Or half of your vacation is dedicated to thinking about all the work you’ll have to do when you get back to catch up?

Perhaps a new job altogether seems like the solution–a fresh start! But a new desk and title won’t necessarily solve everything. Unless you address those underlying issues that contribute to your job stress, you risk falling into the same patterns in your next role, perpetuating this terrible cycle.

Solutions, In and Out of Our Control

Work stress is unique from other forms of stress because the exact thing that is draining you mentally and emotionally is also the thing you rely on for financial stability. Golden handcuffs or otherwise, who wouldn’t feel trapped, powerless, and stuck in this position?

In therapy, you’ll be able to explore your relationship to work in order to figure out what you can change and what’s outside of your control. What do you like about your work and what you can live without. What’s best for you now and what’s best for you in the long run.

We’ll focus on practical skills for your day-to-day, like setting boundaries so you can focus your energy on what really matters or how to navigate working with that prickly coworker. And we’ll also focus on the big picture, such as better understanding what’s underneath the disproportionate anger you feel when your boss treats you unfairly.

Work-related anxiety isn't just about the challenges you face at work. It's about the toll it takes on your overall well-being, affecting your mental health, relationships, and sense of self-worth. On the other hand, a fulfilling job can improve each of these areas of your life and grant a sense of empowerment that extends well beyond the office walls.

Ready to Start Therapy for Work Stress?