Stress & Work Related Issues
Coming from a background of being employed as a PA and working for companies of varying sizes and structural dynamics, I have an understanding of the many different factors which can lead us to feel frustrated, anxious, stressed and burnt out.
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Sometimes we reach a point where we feel we cannot go on as we are, and need to talk to a counsellor to feel supported to work through difficult times. My training in Transactional Analysis puts me in a position of being able to offer more than just a place to offload and work through feelings and emotions. TA is well recognised as useful in the workplace as a practical tool which can improve communication and reduce conflict.
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We can also look at ways of ways of reducing and managing all of the unpleasant impacts of stress and burnout, such as working on improving sleep, feeling calmer, and hopefully working towards reaching a stage where we are better able to function and perform at work with a clearer head.
The Impact of Stress and Burnout
Too much responsibility and not enough time for ourselves, or for rest comes at a cost. We may find ourselves always saying yes, taking on more and more work, or helping others at the detriment of our own self-care. The problem is, if we burn out, we will be of no use to ourselves or anyone else. Too much stress and never stopping can leave us finding it difficult to ‘switch off’. Eventually we can experience feeling emotionally, mentally and physically exhausted. Emotionally, we may feel we just can not cope, and this can have a knock on impact on the other parts of our lives, such as our relationships and the way we parent out children.
Our stress response can make it difficult to focus, or make decisions. This is extremely unhelpful if we are already feeling overwhelmed by the volume of our workload. Sleep can become hindered, which further impacts our emotional and physical wellbeing and can further decrease our ability to focus.
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Mental and physical wellbeing are closely linked. When we are stressed we may hold tension in our bodies, which can lead to pain or to headaches. We are more likely to become ill and we may also experience changes to our appetite.
Often people may turn to substances to relax or escape the felt pressure to achieve. Relaxing comes more naturally to some than others and some other people feel they thrive from being busy and getting things done! This can work in our favour much of time, but if we do not learn to stop and take a break, it is like a train driving at full speed which will eventually crash. ​​​​​​​​​
How can counselling help?
Counselling can provide a space to express how we are feeling. Sometimes we just need someone to really hear and validate just how difficult things are right now. Together we can also look at ways of managing and reducing stress. This might involve introducing some relaxation techniques into our day, or learning to put boundaries in place and to say ‘No’ to requests from others. We can explore what the driving force behind unhelpful behavioural patterns might be. Whether this be in relation to this particular example, or another problem, such as frustrating dynamics with our work colleagues, or a fear of confrontation.
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Transactional Analysis provides us with a framework which has a reputation for being easy to understand and I have had client's who have used it to make some dramatic changes! There are many different concepts which make up the theory as a whole, and some of these can be applied directly to communication. I use this to encourage client's to learn to understand and build awareness of what might be repeating in the dynamic of interactions and relationships at work, and to use this knowledge for positive change. This might mean feeling more comfortable asserting themselves or feeling better equipped to face difficult conversations or situations.
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Often, we can look back to childhood to learn why we might be so driven, or unable to prioritise our own needs. I can assist you in exploration into why these patterns may have established. Better understanding ourselves and feeling supported, can set us up to feel able to approach things differently. This can initially be dauting! However, these changes can help us to feel we are regaining our position in the driving seat. We want to feel that we are in control, able to think clearly and able to experience satisfying communications with our peers and colleagues. We may even begin to enjoy our 'downtime' without feeling guilty!
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If you are experiencing stress, burnout or work related issues, please do consider getting in touch using the contact form to talk about how I may be able to help.
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