You tell yourself it’s just work—but it doesn’t feel that way.

The tension starts before you even log in.
You feel your shoulders tighten when a particular name shows up in your inbox.
You rehearse conversations in your head, second-guess your tone, wonder if you’re overreacting—or if you’re not reacting enough.

It’s not about one thing. It’s the slow build:
Passive-aggressive comments.
Exclusion from decisions.
Feeling criticized in subtle ways.
Not being sure where you stand.

When Work Feels Like an Emotional Minefield

For many of us, stress at work isn’t just about tasks or deadlines—it’s about relationships, especially when those relationships feel unpredictable, unsafe, or draining.

And if you’ve learned to manage discomfort by staying quiet, over-performing, or people-pleasing, that tension can feel especially heavy.

You might tell yourself:

  • “This shouldn’t bother me.”

  • “I just need thicker skin.”

  • “Maybe I’m too sensitive.”

  • “I don’t want to be the problem.”

But the truth is: this isn’t weakness. It’s your nervous system recognizing a lack of emotional safety—and trying to protect you.

Work Stress Is Often Relationship Stress in Disguise

In EFT, we understand that attachment doesn’t just show up in romantic relationships. Our need to feel valued, respected, and safe follows us into every connection—including the workplace.

When that’s threatened, we move into self-protection:
We shut down.
We overfunction.
We ruminate.
We blame ourselves.
Or we blame others and pull away.

It’s not that you can’t handle stress—it’s that you’ve lost connection to your sense of steadiness in the middle of it.

The Tool: Slowing the Internal Cycle

Instead of jumping to “fix the coworker dynamic,” I invite clients to pause and look inward first.

We ask:

  • What’s actually happening in your body when this stress shows up?

  • What meaning are you attaching to it? (“I’m not respected,” “I’m a failure,” “No one has my back”)

  • Where did you first learn to feel that way—and what did you learn to do with it?

From there, we begin to untangle:

The anxiety isn’t just about this job.
The shutdown isn’t just about that comment.
There’s a deeper pattern—one you learned to survive, but don’t need to carry alone anymore.

You’re Allowed to Want Peace Without People-Pleasing

Wanting your workplace to feel safe, collaborative, and respectful doesn’t make you weak. Wanting to be treated with decency doesn’t make you fragile. And feeling burned out from managing unspoken tension doesn’t mean you’re the problem.

You get to choose what kind of work environment nourishes you. You get to listen to your nervous system when it whispers, “This doesn’t feel okay.”

And you get to show up—with boundaries, with clarity, with more connection to yourself.

May this be a small olive branch of hope for wherever you are.

Warmly,

Susan


Susan Liddy, MAMFT
Cornerstone Family Services
Roswell, Georgia

 

 

🌿 Dreading Mondays More Than You’d Like to Admit?

If workplace tension leaves you overwhelmed, second-guessing yourself, or feeling unseen, therapy can help you reconnect with clarity and self-trust. You deserve a work life that doesn’t drain you.

I offer complimentary consultations to help you explore whether therapy is a supportive next step.

Let’s talk. Sessions are available in-person in Roswell, GA or virtually across Georgia. (My fees, should we choose to work together, range from $125–$135 per session.)