Maybe you hate your job or have a difficult boss. Perhaps you have limited knowledge about your work options or how to make decisions in your career. You seem successful, but you’re still not satisfied. We spend a large portion of our lives engaged in work so if work suffers then other areas of life can suffer too. Think about it: it’s often the first thing aside from our names that we share about ourselves, an important part of our identity.

Career counseling is a good choice when you look around and see other people who seem happy with their work and you can’t relate to that feeling at all. You know you could do many things, but you’re not sure where to begin. You’re afraid of making a mistake and feel like an imposter. You’re tired, can’t concentrate or don’t have your head in the game. It’s not uncommon to avoid thinking about work, even though sometimes it’s all you can think about.

Sometimes I work with clients to make a radical career change. But more often they notice subtle shifts when they learn new ways to manage boundaries or communicate with coworkers. Adjusting how you interact with your peers or employees can breathe new life into your work experience.

I absolutely love brainstorming options with clients who don’t know what they want in a career. Many feel guilty about having so many options. Others know exactly what they’d rather be doing for work, but it feels like there are many obstacles that make their dreams an impossible reality. In either scenario, the benefits of addressing these work stress concerns include increased confidence and newfound purpose.