Work stress doesn't have to follow you home
You might be coping perfectly well on the outside — meeting deadlines, managing responsibilities and getting things done.
But underneath, you may be overthinking work, worrying about mistakes, struggling to switch off or simply feeling exhausted from holding everything together.
CBT can help you understand what's keeping that cycle going and develop practical ways to change it.
Book a free 15-minute consultation
Is work stress starting to affect you?
Work stress can gradually creep into other areas of life.
You might notice that you:
- think about work when you're supposed to be relaxing
- replay conversations or meetings afterwards
- worry about making mistakes
- constantly check emails or messages
- feel responsible for everything
- find it difficult to say no
- put pressure on yourself to perform
- worry about what colleagues or managers think of you
- feel guilty when you're not working
- struggle to relax on evenings, weekends or holidays
- feel anxious on Sunday evenings
- feel exhausted but still find it difficult to slow down
- increasingly wonder how long you can keep going like this
You don't have to wait until you've reached breaking point before getting support.
Why can work stress become so difficult to switch off from?
Stress isn't simply about how busy you are.
Often it's also about the meaning your mind gives to what's happening.
You may find yourself thinking:
“I can't let anyone down.”
“I should be able to cope.”
“I can't make a mistake.”
“Everyone else seems to manage.”
“If I say no, they'll think I can't handle my job.”
“I need to prove that I'm good enough.”
These thoughts can keep your brain in problem-solving and threat mode long after the working day has finished.
So you work harder, prepare more, check things repeatedly, overthink decisions or avoid switching off.
Those strategies may help in the short term.
But over time they can become part of the very cycle that's keeping the stress going.
How can CBT help with work stress?
CBT isn't about telling you to think positively or simply giving you relaxation exercises.
We look at what's actually maintaining the problem for you.
That might include:
- overthinking and rumination
- perfectionism
- people pleasing
- difficulty setting boundaries
- fear of criticism
- imposter feelings
- constantly needing to prove yourself
- excessive responsibility
- worrying about making mistakes
- difficulty saying no
- checking and reassurance seeking
- avoiding difficult conversations
- struggling to mentally leave work at work
We'll work together to understand those patterns and develop practical ways of responding differently.
The aim isn't to stop caring about your work.
It's to help you do your job without your job consuming you.
What might we work on?
Switching off from work
Learning how to interrupt the cycle of analysing, replaying and mentally preparing outside working hours.
Managing overthinking
Recognising when useful problem solving has turned into repetitive worry or rumination.
Perfectionism
Exploring the standards and rules you place on yourself and what happens when “doing a good job” starts to mean “I can't get anything wrong”.
Imposter feelings
Understanding why achievements don't seem to translate into feeling confident or good enough.
Boundaries and saying no
Learning to recognise your limits and communicate them without being overwhelmed by guilt.
Fear of criticism or mistakes
Reducing the amount of time and energy spent trying to prevent every possible negative outcome.
People pleasing
Understanding why other people's approval can become so important and learning to tolerate not always keeping everybody happy.
Burnout and recovery
Recognising what has contributed to exhaustion and developing a more sustainable way of working.
You don't need to hate your job to be struggling with work stress
You may actually like your job.
You might be successful, ambitious and good at what you do.
The problem may not be your career itself.
It may be the amount of pressure you've gradually learnt to put on yourself within it.
Many of the qualities that help people succeed — being conscientious, responsible, hardworking and wanting to do things well — can become exhausting when they turn into:
“I must always get it right.”
CBT can help you find a healthier middle ground.
CBT for busy professionals
I understand that fitting therapy around work isn't always straightforward.
My approach is practical, collaborative and focused on helping you understand what's happening and giving you strategies that you can use outside the therapy room.
We'll agree clear goals for therapy and regularly review whether the work we're doing is helping you move towards them.
Work Stress CBT in Newcastle upon Tyne
Face-to-face CBT sessions are available from my Newcastle upon Tyne practice.
I also provide online CBT to adults across the UK, which can be particularly helpful if you're trying to fit therapy around a demanding working week.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can CBT help with work stress?
Yes. CBT can help you understand the thoughts, behaviours and patterns that may be maintaining stress and anxiety around work. Therapy can focus on areas such as worry, overthinking, perfectionism, boundaries, fear of mistakes and difficulty switching off.
Can CBT help with burnout?
CBT can be helpful when psychological patterns such as perfectionism, excessive responsibility, people pleasing or difficulty setting boundaries are contributing to burnout. Therapy can also help you develop a more sustainable approach to work and recovery.
Can you help if I can't stop thinking about work?
Yes. Constantly replaying events, anticipating problems or thinking about work outside working hours is something we can explore in CBT. We can look at what triggers the overthinking, what keeps it going and practical ways of responding differently.
Do I need to be off sick from work before seeking therapy?
No. Many people seek therapy while continuing to work. Getting support earlier can help you address patterns before stress becomes more difficult to manage.
Do you offer online CBT for work stress?
Yes. Online CBT sessions are available to adults across the UK, alongside face-to-face appointments in Newcastle upon Tyne.
Ready to get some support?
If work is taking up more of your headspace than you'd like, you don't have to wait until things become unmanageable.
CBT can help you understand what's keeping the stress, worry or overthinking going and develop practical ways of responding differently.