You’ve entered the workforce at a time when everything feels chaotic. The job market’s a mess, you’re working from home (or a coffee shop because your Wi-Fi is sketchy), and the hustle culture is real—but so is the stress. Between side hustles, work pressures, the never-ending Slack messages, it’s no surprise you’re feeling like your brain is ready to peace out after every Zoom call.
While work stress might feel like it’s growing exponentially—I’ve got three powerful therapies that can help you better cope with the stress, keep your mental health in check, and maybe even enjoy your job a little more (it’s possible, I promise).
Welcome to the world of EMDR, IFS, and ACT—three approaches that are here to help you break free from that “everything is too much” cycle and create a balance that works for you. Let’s dive in, shall we?
EMDR: Bye-Bye, Work Stress Trauma
Let’s be real—work stress trauma is a thing. I’m not saying it’s the same as, you know, major life trauma, but being constantly overwhelmed, having to deal with unrealistic expectations, and facing the daily grind of online work culture can trigger a fight-or-flight response in your brain. If you’ve ever had a moment where you felt like you were going to literally explode or shut down after a particularly wild Zoom call or after working late to hit a deadline, you know exactly what I mean.
Enter EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing), your brain’s new BFF. While EMDR is often used to help process traditional trauma, it can also work wonders for those of us who are dealing with the emotional hangover that comes from stress overload.
Picture this: You’ve got a huge presentation at work, and every time you think about it, your stomach drops. Or maybe you’ve been putting off a big project because the thought of it gives you instant anxiety. EMDR helps you reprocess those stress triggers, so they don’t get stuck in your brain/body like a bad playlist on repeat. By using bilateral stimulation, EMDR helps your brain rewire the trauma response and reduce the emotional intensity of stressful situations.
So, next time you’re faced with a big work challenge, instead of feeling like you’re about to cry, freeze, or pull an all-nighter to avoid the panic, EMDR helps you reframe those feelings and makes you feel more in control and less like a stress-ball.
EMDR helps you shake off the work-related stress trauma and gives you a mental reset so you can handle work challenges with less emotional baggage. You’re ready for that presentation now. 👏
IFS: Talking to Your Inner Workaholic (and Other Parts of You)
If you’re like most Gen-Zers, you’ve probably heard your inner voice say something like, “I can’t take a break; I have 500 things to do.” Or maybe you’ve got an inner workaholic who thinks you should be working 24/7 to “prove your worth.”
But what about the part of you that’s like, “I just need a nap” or “I’d rather be doing literally anything else right now”? Enter IFS (Internal Family Systems)—the therapy that helps you talk to all the different parts of yourself.
IFS teaches you that you’re not just one singular “you.” You’ve got a whole bunch of parts—each with their own feelings, desires, and fears. Think of it like your brain is a team, and each “part” represents a different member of that team. Some parts are chill, some parts are stressed, and some parts are just scared and vulnerable.
At work, maybe you’ve got a part of you that’s obsessed with perfection (hello, overachiever part) and a part of you that just wants to escape the grind altogether (hi, burned-out part). IFS helps you understand these parts and bring them into balance. So instead of feeling torn between working all night or completely shutting down, you learn how to listen to your true Self (your calm, grounded core) and guide your parts to work together in harmony.
For example, imagine you’re working on a massive project, and you’re freaking out about how perfect it must be. Your perfectionist part is all “It needs to be flawless,” while your burned-out part is screaming, “I can’t do this anymore!” IFS would help you acknowledge both parts without judgment and encourage your true Self to say, “Okay, we’re doing our best, but it’s okay if it’s not perfect. We’ll get it done, and then we’ll take a break and recharge.”
By learning to listen to and respect all the parts of yourself, IFS helps you to reduce the inner chaos and instead experience inner peace. It also gives you the tools to balance your energy so that you can give your best at work without sacrificing your mental health.
ACT: Letting Go of Control (and Actually Getting Work-Life Balance)
Ahh, the hustle culture…feeling like if we’re not constantly hustling, we’re falling behind. You’ve got a million things on your plate: working a 9-to-5 (or 9-to-whenever), keeping up with TikTok trends, maintaining your social life, and dealing with the existential dread of how to even do all of it. 😅
That’s where ACT (Acceptance and Commitment Therapy) comes in. ACT teaches you to accept what you can’t control and commit to what actually matters. It’s about giving up that perfectionist mentality and embracing what’s in your control—like your values, boundaries, and self-care.
Let’s say you’re working on a big project that’s completely outside of your comfort zone (maybe something you really don’t want to do). ACT helps you focus on accepting that this project is happening, rather than fighting it. You can’t change it, but you can choose how to respond to it. So, instead of spiraling into panic or procrastination, you acknowledge the discomfort and commit to doing your best—without losing sight of your bigger goals. You can still be productive, but you don’t have to sacrifice your entire life for the task at hand.
ACT also helps you commit to your values. Maybe your value is time with friends or family, or maybe it’s simply having time for yourself after a long workday. ACT encourages you to prioritize those values. For example, after a long day of work, you don’t need to check your emails again at 9 PM—because you’ve committed to self-care, and that’s what matters. 🙌
In short, ACT helps you stop controlling everything at work and start making choices that align with your personal values. It’s about finding balance and knowing when to unplug. Because you don’t need to hustle 24/7 to prove your worth.
Courageous Paths Counseling: Ready to Help You Chill
EMDR, IFS, and ACT will radically change your life. These therapies give you tools to cope with stress, take care of your mental health, and enjoy your work (or at least survive it without completely burning out).
At Courageous Paths Counseling, I’m here to help you navigate the chaos of modern work life. Whether you’re dealing with workplace anxiety, burnout, or just need someone to help you process the constant pressure, I’ve got your back. I will help you find your balance so that work can be something you manage, not something that manages you.
Final Thoughts: You Don’t Have to Do It All (And You Definitely Don’t Have to Do It Alone)
Gen-Z, I know you’ve got big dreams and big goals, but work stress doesn’t have to crush your vibe. With EMDR, IFS, and ACT, you can start finding that sweet spot where you’re productive and taking care of yourself. Life’s too short to burn out and trust me—you’ve got the tools to make it through this and still enjoy the ride.
Ready to reclaim your peace? Courageous Paths Counseling is here to help. Let’s work together to help you conquer work stress, one therapy session at a time. Now, go on and give yourself some credit—you’re handling life better than you think. ✨
Blog Post Categories