Can EMDR Help with Career-Related Challenges?
When we think about therapy, we often associate it with personal trauma, anxiety, depression, or relationship struggles. But what happens when the challenges we face are deeply rooted in our professional lives?
If you've ever felt frozen before a big presentation, drained by a toxic work environment, or overwhelmed by leadership responsibilities, you're not alone—and EMDR therapy (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) may offer a surprising and powerful solution.
Performance Anxiety, Public Speaking, and Leadership Overwhelm
Work-related anxiety can be just as paralyzing as trauma from other areas of life. Many high-achieving professionals struggle with performance anxiety, fear of public speaking, or the pressure that comes with decision-making and leadership.
Work-based conflict is about relationships. Remember: Factors in how we relate to people in our early lives set up how we react to things like work conflict, deadlines, and project pressures. When childhood trauma affects our ability to connect and feel safe, we can experience impacts much later in life—including among our coworkers, which can often operate much like a family.
These are not isolated or uncommon issues, and if you’re experiencing stress related to work, it’s important to know that you’re not alone. The 2023 Work in America Survey conducted by the APA revealed that stress, burnout, and other mental health conditions are all too common in the workplace. Some 77% of working adults report experiencing stress from work in the last month, while more than half (57%) say that they’ve experienced negative effects of conditions that are often associated with burnout. Don’t be alarmed if these experiences seem familiar to your own—the following are commonly connected to feeling overwhelmed on the job:
Low motivation
Wanting to quit
Lower productivity
Irritability with coworkers, customers, or clients
Feeling inadequate or ineffective at the job
Emotional exhaustion
Unfortunately, the workplace is not always a conducive environment for dealing with mental health struggles. The same survey revealed that less than one-third of respondents (29%) felt that their work culture encouraged workers to care for their mental health.
The causes of these issues can be diverse, and many will have roots or factors that lay outside the workplace. However, a few common themes have emerged from research into work-related stress and mental health issues:
Physical safety and security
Social connection and a sense of belonging
Work-life balance
Feeling like your work matters and you are valued by your employer
Having opportunities to grow and advance at work
EMDR therapy helps reduce the emotional intensity tied to these stressors, creating space for grounded confidence and a clearer sense of control.
Healing from Toxic Workplaces and Traumatic Work Events
Whether it’s a humiliating moment in a team meeting, ongoing burnout from a toxic boss, or a professional failure that’s hard to shake, EMDR therapy can support healing by addressing how these moments are stored in the brain. When left unresolved, they can hold us back in subtle but significant ways. EMDR helps "unstick" these experiences so you can move forward without constantly reliving them.
Unlocking Confidence and Clarity
EMDR isn’t just about healing—it’s also about accessing inner strength. Clients often report feeling lighter, more focused, and reconnected to their sense of purpose after EMDR therapy. By addressing the root of self-doubt or fear, it becomes easier to lead with clarity and step into your career with confidence.
Frequently Asked Questions: EMDR for Career-Related Stress
Q: Can EMDR really help with something like public speaking?
Yes. EMDR can target the underlying memories or experiences that fuel anxiety around speaking in front of others—such as past criticism, embarrassment, or fear of failure—so you can speak clearly, calmly, and confidently.
Q: What if my job isn’t “traumatic” but still stressful?
You don’t need to have experienced a major trauma for EMDR to be helpful. Chronic stress, toxic environments, and persistent self-doubt are all valid reasons to explore EMDR therapy.
Q: How quickly will I notice a change with EMDR?
Every person is different, but many clients begin to feel shifts in clarity, confidence, or emotional balance within just a few sessions.
If your professional life is weighing heavily on your mental health, know that support is available—and that you don’t have to stay stuck.
Learn more about how EMDR can support your career growth. Schedule a consultation with me today.
