How Do Working Women Rebuild After Trauma? By Your Trauma Therapist
So, here you are. You’ve made the brave decision to rebuild your life after trauma, cue a standing ovation and a confetti cannon in your honor. But now that you’re back on the job (or even just thinking about your next step), suddenly it feels like you’re starring in front a revolving door of stress; it’s you versus job pressure, imposter syndrome, and a nervous system that’s perpetually stuck on the world’s worst rollercoaster. And I get it. You used to freeze or fawn your way through work, saying yes to everything, shrinking to fit in, feeling invisible and overwhelmed at the same time. Now, even imagining a conversation with your boss about what you’re going through feels intimidating, surreal, and maybe a little embarrassing.
But here’s what you need to know: you are not alone. And trauma therapy? It can be your secret weapon for navigating job pressure, even when you’re convinced you’re underqualified, insecure, or just plain out of your depth. Let’s flip the script together, Alyssia Anderson-style.
Step 1: Regulate That Nervous System (Yes, You Can)
First things first. Trauma wires your body to stay on high alert, so the sound of a Slack notification can feel as alarming as a fire drill. Southern Pine Counseling’s trauma therapy uses techniques like mindfulness, deep breathing, and somatic practices to teach you how to calm your body’s fight-or-flight response. Think of it like hitting pause on the internal chaos. With practice, you’ll notice those work stressors aren’t always five-alarm fires; they’re just emails. And you can handle emails.
Step 2: Build Emotional Resilience (No, You’re Not “Too Sensitive”)
Let’s talk about emotions. If fear, shame, or guilt have been your unwelcome plus-ones at work, trauma therapy helps you process those feelings so they don’t hijack your day. You’ll learn to sit with tough emotions without letting them run the show. Over time, you’ll bounce back faster from setbacks, and those old triggers won’t feel quite so powerful.
Step 3: Reframe the Negative Thoughts (Goodbye, Inner Critic)
After trauma, your brain can be a master at telling you that you’re not good enough or that you’re bound to fail. Therapies like Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) help you challenge those distorted beliefs about your worth and replace them with something a little more realistic (and a lot kinder). You’ll start to see yourself through a new lens, one that recognizes your strength instead of just your scars.
Step 4: Develop Practical Coping Skills (You’ve Got This)
When the pressure hits, you need tools that work in real time. Trauma therapy arms you with grounding techniques like the 5-4-3-2-1 method (five things you see, four you feel, etc.) to keep you anchored during stressful moments. You’ll also learn healthier ways to respond to difficult colleagues or tasks, no longer defaulting to freeze or fawn.
Step 5: Create Safe Boundaries (Protect Your Energy)
Boundaries aren’t just buzzwords; they’re lifesavers. Therapy helps you recognize when you need to say “no,” protect your time and energy, and assert yourself with employers and coworkers. The result? Less burnout, more balance, and a lot more self-respect.
Step 6: Increase Self-Awareness (Your New Superpower)
You’ll start to understand exactly what triggers your anxiety or overwhelm at work, and how your past experiences influence your present reactions. With this self-awareness, you’re no longer at the mercy of old patterns; you’re in charge. That sense of control? It’s priceless.
How Do You Get There? Techniques that Work:
Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT): To reframe unhelpful beliefs about trauma.
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR): To process traumatic memories.
Mindfulness & Somatic Therapies: To connect with the present and calm the body.
Here’s the bottom line: by addressing the root causes of your overwhelm, trauma therapy at Southern Pine Counseling gives you the tools to handle job pressure with way more calm, clarity, and control. It’s not about becoming someone else; it’s about reclaiming the power that was always yours. And you? You’re more qualified than you think at work, in life, and in your own story.
