Hi, my name is Dr. Nicole Moshfegh. I’m a licensed clinical psychologist in California and I offer therapy for work stress.

You may be feeling chronically fatigued, stressed out, and even down right resentful. You may be wishing for a way out of your current situation at work but worried about how you will support yourself or letting others down if you leave. This can keep you feeling trapped and unable to live your life in the way that feels best for you.

I understand, and I’m here to help.

I help people get to the root of their burnout and find tools to help them better cope with their challenges so they can get back to living their lives to the fullest. 

If you’re ready to start feeling better, schedule a complimentary consultation with me today.

My Approach to Work Stress Therapy

People can experience burnout for different reasons. From my work with various professionals I have found that other than being in a negative or unhealthy work environment some of the top reasons why people experience burnout is due to a tendency to people please and having difficulty with boundary setting. Many people may already know that this is an issue for them but they have a hard time figuring out how to set appropriate boundaries and how to cope with feelings that may come up as a result of setting those boundaries.

In order to reduce work stress and feelings of burnout, I help people identify their boundaries and learn more effective ways to communicate them. I also help people cope with uncomfortable feelings that can arise as a result of doing so while maintaining compassion for themselves. I additionally utilize Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and mindfulness-based approaches to help people cope with unhelpful thoughts that get in the way of them taking back control of their lives as well as providing ways to manage stress and calm their nervous system.

I have also found that part of what helps people eliminate burnout and keep it from ever returning is being able to understand how they got to where they were in the first place. This often involves doing some deeper exploration into how they came to be the person they are today and why those chose to be in certain environments. While it may or may not seem so obvious at first, I find that helping people make these deeper connections frees them to live their life more authentically and fully.

Work Stress Therapy FAQs

What is Work Stress or Burnout?

Burnout is a state of overwhelming exhaustion, feelings of cynicism and detachment from your job or from school, and a sense of ineffectiveness and lack of accomplishment. Individuals in helping professions, such as healthcare, or those with high workloads are at increased risk of burnout. If left unaddressed, burnout can contribute to several health consequences, including depression, anxiety, or insomnia, fatigue, alcohol or substance misuse, heart disease, high blood pressure, and type 2 diabetes, among others.

Why Does Burnout Occur?

While there are a variety of causes that can contribute to burnout, some of the most common include the following:

• Lack of control: limited or no ability to impact the decisions that affect your job (e.g., schedule, assignments, workload)

• Unclear job expectations: unclear of what others expect from you or about the degree of authority you have

• Dysfunctional workplace dynamics: being bullied, undermined, or micromanaged by supervisors or colleagues

• Extremes of activity: either monotonous or chaotic amounts of activity requires constant energy to remain focused

• Lack of social support: feeling isolated at work or in your personal life

• Work-life imbalance: limited to no time or energy to spend with family and friends due to work demands

Am I Experiencing Burnout?

Ask yourself the following questions to assess whether you are currently experiencing burnout:

• Have you become cynical or critical at work?

• Do you drag yourself to work and have trouble getting started?

• Have you become irritable or impatient with co-workers, customers, patients, or clients?

• Do you lack the energy to be consistently productive?

• Do you find it hard to concentrate?

• Do you lack satisfaction from your achievements?

• Do you feel disillusioned about your job?

• Are you using food, drugs or alcohol to feel better or to simply not feel?

• Have your sleep habits changed?

• Are you troubled by unexplained headaches, stomach or bowel problems, or other physical complaints?

While answering yes to one or two of these questions may not mean you are necessarily experiencing burnout it is important to evaluate whether there is a pattern of experiencing these feelings or symptoms that seem to be directly correlated to your work environment or situation. A burnout specialist can help you better assess whether what you are experiencing is due to burnout or other mental health challenges.

How is burnout treated?

While discussing your concerns with your supervisor and trying to build in a regular self care routine again can be a good first step, sometimes that can feel too overwhelming to do without the right support.

Mental health providers, like Dr. Moshfegh, who have have expertise working with individuals with, or at-risk for, burnout can help you to identify the causes of your burnout and the steps you can take to change your situation and boost your overall well-being. While this can take many forms depending on your unique situation, utilizing cognitive-behavioral, mindfulness-based, and relaxation strategies can provide you with the tools you need.

Get Therapy for Work Stress Today

I understand how awful it can feel to be experiencing stress as a result of unhealthy or challenging work environments. Please know that you are not alone in how you are feeling. Reach out to me today for a free consultation to see how I might be of help.