As much as we’d like to compartmentalize our lives, it’s often impossible to separate work from our overall wellbeing. Workplace stress and burnout seep into everything—our relationships, our mental health, and our quality of life. The weight of constant deadlines, toxic environments, and difficult workplace dynamics, layered on top of life’s other demands, can feel overwhelming.
Therapy offers a safe, supportive space to process those pressures with an objective perspective. It can help you reflect, reset, and develop strategies for managing stress, so you can show up to work feeling more equipped to handle whatever comes your way. In fact, recent InHerSight data shows that nearly half of women (46 percent) attend therapy regularly, a clear sign that mental health support is becoming more normalized.
Work is an integral part of life, and therapy is a proactive tool for navigating career transitions, setting healthy boundaries, and building self-advocacy in the workplace.
Read more: How to Build More Mental Health Into Your Lifestyle
Therapy is a long-term career asset
While many people seek therapy during times of crisis, it’s also one of the most effective ways to build a strong foundation for your career. Regular sessions can help you develop emotional resilience and give you the tools to navigate challenges before they escalate.
Licensed professional counselor Kendra Surmitis says, “The secret known to professional women who engage in regular therapy is this: Therapy serves as a relational, confidential space to intentionally develop alignment across aspirations and lived experiences. A professional woman in therapy has chosen to invest her time in a developmental process where she can speak to her unique needs, build robust communication skills, and explore opportunities for growth at work and beyond.”
Through therapy, Surmitis says you can make meaning of your experiences, learn to manage or lessen workplace stress, reclaim your energy in times of burnout, and make critical life decisions that align with your professional dreams. Therapy can also help clarify what you want out of your career. Whether you’re feeling stuck, ambitious, or uncertain, a therapist can guide you through thoughtful goal-setting, helping you to identify your core values, unpack imposter syndrome, or process feedback.
Depending on your needs, Surmitis says ongoing therapy can take the following forms:
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Weekly counseling to explore feelings of low self-esteem and practice strategies for developing professional confidence
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Monthly therapeutic coaching focused on creating a self-advocacy plan and staying accountable to progress
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Frequent psychoanalysis to examine patterns of ongoing workplace conflict and how they may relate to early childhood experiences
Surmitis says career transitions, especially stepping into leadership, can be one of the most important times for women to consider therapy. These moments often come with added pressure, higher demands on time, and more complex workplace dynamics.
“A regular therapy appointment can serve as a space to get ahead of these pressures, design fruitful goals, and find language for boundaries and expectations,” she says. “A skilled therapist holds the client in mind as the woman she aspires to become, and helps her move with intentionality into the mindset, attitude, and life skills necessary for sustainable success.”
What else are women saying about work in therapy?
“In my practice, I often find that women reach a point in their professional lives where being overly agreeable no longer serves them,” Surmitis says. “They yearn for something more complex, more mature, and fair at work. They are no longer comfortable waiting to speak, rather, they long to profess their ideas and receive credit for them. They desire fair pay for hard work and a framework of boundaries around their time and responsibilities. Often, these women have grown overworked and exhausted in their roles and feel they can no longer dismiss their desires for a more enriching and fulfilling experience of their work.”
She says women often express a desire for better self-care, more effective language to communicate their needs, and strategies to navigate the workday from a place of self-worth. “Many women in therapy are seeking to shift from an allegiance with their inner critic and instead develop a self-authored voice of inner encouragement and assertion of her worth.”
According to Surmitis’ experience, other topics women frequently bring up include:
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Confronting a male colleague regarding unwanted attention
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Dealing with microaggressions from more privileged colleagues
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Learning how to emotionally regulate at work
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Exploring issues related to mental and medical health (such as autism, fertility challenges, ADHD, and menopause)
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Navigating conflict, triggers, and how to communicate boundaries at work
Use these 3 strategies from therapy to manage stress
1. Cognitive reframing
Try using cognitive reframing—a therapeutic technique that helps you recognize and reframe negative thought patterns. For example, if you find yourself fixating on a potential mistake and spiraling into worst-case scenarios, slowing down and questioning those thoughts can shift your perspective. Ask yourself: What evidence do I have that this is a disaster? Have I handled similar situations before? Will this really impact my long-term success? This process can help you move from “I’ve ruined everything,” to “Everyone makes mistakes—I can handle this and learn from it.”
Read more: 4 Signs You’re Overthinking at Work & How to Break the Cycle
2. Burnout prevention check-ins
One way therapy supports professional wellbeing is by helping women recognize the early signs of burnout before they escalate. Instead of waiting until exhaustion hits, therapy can encourage regular emotional check-ins—brief, intentional moments to ask yourself: Am I feeling overextended? Do I have space to rest? These conversations, guided by a therapist, can surface deeper patterns around overcommitment, people-pleasing, or lack of boundaries, and lead to practical strategies for protecting your time and energy at work.
3. Self-compassion exercises
Therapy often helps women recognize when their inner voice has become overly harsh and offers tools to respond with kindness instead of criticism. One effective technique is writing a self-compassion letter: Take 10 minutes to write a note to yourself from the perspective of a supportive friend. Acknowledge what you’re going through and offer words of encouragement rather than judgment.
Another exercise is using positive self-talk in real-time. The next time you catch yourself thinking “I’m failing at this” or “I should be doing more,” pause and try reframing the thought with something like: “I’m doing the best I can under challenging circumstances.” You can even place your hand on your heart while doing this to help your body register the emotional support.
What to know before starting therapy
Finding the right therapist can feel intimidating, but it’s key to a successful experience. Start by identifying what you want support with—burnout, boundary-setting, imposter syndrome, etc.—then search for therapists who specialize in those areas. Directories like Psychology Today or inclusive platforms like Therapy for Black Girls or Latinx Therapy allow you to filter by specialty and background. You can also use larger therapy platforms like Alma to be matched to a therapist who accepts your insurance and meets your qualifications.
“My advice for women who are considering starting therapy to improve professional wellbeing is this: Give yourself permission to be selective and ambitious,” Surmitis says. “Interview at least three providers and ask clear questions regarding their experience with therapy specific to your professional needs and wants, familiarity with your field, and values as a practitioner.”
Surmitis also recommends women consider asking women they admire or respect at work if they have a therapist, coach, or psychoanalyst they recommend. “It’s important to remember that many successful women with healthy working lives also sought support and will (often) be excited to share their resources with other women who aspire to more,” she says.
Once you’ve scheduled your first session, remember that therapy isn’t just for crisis mode, it’s a space to build self-awareness and work through challenges proactively. If you want to talk about work in therapy, you don’t need a script. Bring in journal entries, describe a recent situation, or even say, “I’m not sure where to start, but work has been a lot lately.” A good therapist will help you untangle the details and guide the conversation.
Cost can sometimes be a barrier, but there are options. Check whether your employer offers an Employee Assistance Program (EAP), which may cover a limited number of sessions. Many therapists offer sliding scale fees, and virtual therapy platforms like BetterHelp or Open Path Collective can offer more affordable rates and flexibility. Prioritizing your mental health doesn’t have to break the bank, and it can pay off in confidence, clarity, and career growth.
Read more: 29 Companies That Offer Mental Health Support Benefits
