Mike Drabble

Tag: anxiety

  • Feeling Adrift in the Age of AI? Counselling Can Help You Find Your Footing

    If you’ve found your way here, chances are you’re feeling a certain unease about the future of work. You see the headlines, you hear the news, and you wonder: “What does the rise of Artificial Intelligence mean for my job, for my security, for me?”

    You are not alone. As an integrative counsellor with many years of experience, I’m seeing more and more people walk into my therapy room carrying the heavy weight of this uncertainty. They are skilled, experienced, and dedicated people who suddenly feel like the ground is shifting beneath their feet. This article is for you. It’s a space to acknowledge those fears and to explore how talking to a professional can help you not just to cope, but to find a renewed sense of purpose and direction in this new world.

    The Robot in the Room: Acknowledging the Changing World of Work

    Let’s be honest, the pace of change is staggering. AI is no longer a far-off concept from science fiction; it’s here, and it’s reshaping our world in real time. We see it in customer service chatbots, in automated checkout lines, and increasingly, in creative and analytical fields that we once thought were uniquely human.

    For some, the impact is immediate and stark. Roles in data entry, administration, and even some areas of graphic design and copywriting are shrinking rapidly. If you’re in one of these fields, you might be facing redundancy or the daunting prospect of a complete career change. It can feel like the skills you’ve spent years, or even decades, perfecting have been devalued overnight.

    For many others, the threat is less immediate but just as unsettling. You might be a project manager, a lawyer, a teacher, or an accountant, and you see parts of your job being automated. You start to wonder, “How long until my role is next? Will I be able to keep up? What will my career look like in five or ten years?” This constant, low-level hum of anxiety about the future creates a profound sense of insecurity. It’s like living with a question mark hanging over your head every single day.

    The Human Cost: More Than Just a Job

    Losing a job, or living with the fear of it, is never just about the loss of income. Our work is so often intertwined with our identity, our sense of self-worth, and our place in the world. When that is threatened, the psychological impact can be immense.

    You might be experiencing:

    • Anxiety and Overwhelm: A constant feeling of dread, racing thoughts about the future, and difficulty sleeping as your mind churns through worst-case scenarios.
    • Low Self-Esteem: You might start to question your own value and abilities. Thoughts like “I’m not good enough” or “I’m being left behind” can become a constant, critical inner voice.
    • A Sense of Loss and Grief: It’s completely normal to grieve for a career you loved, for the future you had planned, or for the sense of security you’ve lost. This isn’t just a practical problem; it’s an emotional one.
    • Identity Crisis: For many of us, when someone asks “What do you do?”, our job title is the first thing we say. When that’s gone or feels insecure, it can trigger a profound identity crisis. Who am I, if not the job I do? What is my purpose now?
    • Feeling Stuck and Powerless: The sheer scale of this technological shift can leave you feeling like a small boat in a massive storm, tossed about with no control over your direction.

    If any of this resonates, please know that your feelings are valid. You are having a perfectly normal human reaction to a deeply challenging and abnormal situation.

    Finding an Anchor in the Storm: How Counselling Can Help Right Now

    When you’re in the middle of that storm, the first priority is to find an anchor. Counselling provides a safe, confidential, and non-judgmental space to help you do just that. It’s a place to steady yourself and catch your breath.

    One of the ways we can think about our reactions to stress is through a simple model from a type of therapy called Transactional Analysis. It suggests we all have different parts of our personality that take over at different times:

    1. The Inner Critic (Our ‘Parent’ voice): This is the part of you that has absorbed all the “shoulds” and “oughts” from your life. When you’re facing job insecurity, this voice can become incredibly loud and harsh. It might sound like: “You should have seen this coming,” “You’re not working hard enough to adapt,” or “You’re failing your family.” In counselling, we can learn to identify this critical voice, understand where it comes from, and develop a kinder, more compassionate inner dialogue. We can challenge its harsh judgments and replace them with a more supportive perspective.
    2. The Frightened Child (Our ‘Child’ voice): This is the part of you that holds all your emotions – your fear, your sadness, your anger. When your security is threatened, this part can feel terrified and overwhelmed. It’s the part that feels small and powerless in the face of huge, scary changes. Therapy gives this part a voice. It allows you to express those raw fears and feelings without judgment, so they don’t stay bottled up inside, causing anxiety or depression. Acknowledging the scared part of you is the first step to soothing it.
    3. The Grounded Adult (Our ‘Adult’ voice): This is your rational, here-and-now, problem-solving self. It’s the part that can look at the situation calmly, assess the facts, and make clear-headed decisions. The goal of counselling isn’t to get rid of your inner critic or your fears, but to strengthen this grounded ‘Adult’ part of you. By giving the other parts a voice and understanding them, we free up your rational mind to take charge. We can work together to break down the overwhelming problem of “What do I do now?” into manageable, practical steps. This might involve exploring retraining options, updating your CV, or simply creating a daily routine to restore a sense of stability.

    By working with these different parts of you, counselling can help you lower your immediate stress levels, manage difficult emotions, and move from a state of panicked reaction to one of thoughtful action.

    Beyond Survival: Redefining Meaning and Finding a New Path

    Counselling is not just about crisis management. Once the immediate storm has calmed, it offers a profound opportunity for growth and re-evaluation. This is where we can address the deeper questions that job insecurity brings to the surface.

    Our careers often provide us with what we might call ‘life scripts’ – a story we tell ourselves about who we are and where we’re going. “I am a successful accountant who will one day make partner.” “I am a dedicated artist who creates beautiful things.” When AI disrupts these scripts, it can feel like our life’s story has been ripped up.

    This is a painful process, but it is also a moment of incredible potential. In therapy, we can begin the work of writing a new script. This isn’t about ignoring your past or pretending your skills are no longer valuable. It’s about integrating them into a new, more expansive story. We can explore questions like:

    • What did I truly value about my old job? Was it the problem-solving, the creativity, the connection with colleagues, the sense of helping others?
    • How can I find those same values in new and different ways? Could that creativity be channelled into a new business, a hobby, or volunteer work? Could that desire to help others be fulfilled in a different sector?
    • Who am I, beyond my job title? What are my core strengths, passions, and interests that have been lying dormant?

    This is where the ‘integrative’ part of my approach comes in. We can draw on different therapeutic ideas to help you reconnect with your authentic self. We might use creative exercises to unlock your imagination, mindfulness techniques to help you connect with your present moment experience, or existential therapy concepts to explore your fundamental values and what truly gives your life meaning.

    The goal is to help you see that your worth is not defined by your productivity or your job title. You are a whole, complex, and valuable person, and while your career is an important part of your life, it is not the whole of your life. By untangling your identity from your job, you can build a more resilient and authentic sense of self – one that isn’t so easily shaken by external changes. You can move from seeing the future as a threat to seeing it as an open space of possibility.

    Does This Sound Like You?

    If you’ve been reading this and nodding along, feeling that sense of recognition in your own life, then perhaps it’s time to talk. If you’re feeling overwhelmed by anxiety about the future, struggling with a loss of identity, or simply feeling stuck and unsure of how to move forward in the face of AI-driven change, please know that you don’t have to navigate this alone.

    Counselling offers a dedicated space and time, just for you, to explore these challenges and find your own unique path forward. It’s an investment in your well-being and your future.

    If you’d like to explore how we could work together, please contact me to arrange an initial, no-obligation conversation.

  • The Unseen Weight of Worry: Understanding and Overcoming Excessive Anxiety

    As an experienced integrative counsellor, I often meet people who feel like they’re carrying a heavy, invisible weight. They’re exhausted, on edge, and their world seems to be shrinking. This weight, more often than not, is the burden of excessive anxiety. It’s a feeling that goes beyond the normal, everyday worries that we all experience. It’s a persistent, often overwhelming, sense of apprehension that can cast a long shadow over every aspect of life.

    In this article, I want to talk to you about this kind of anxiety. I want to help you understand what it is, how it might be affecting you, and to let you know that you don’t have to carry this weight alone. There is a path towards feeling lighter, and it often begins with a simple conversation.

    What is Excessive Anxiety?

    We all feel anxious from time to time. A job interview, a first date, a big life change – these are all situations where a certain level of anxiety is a natural and even helpful response. It’s our body’s in-built alarm system, preparing us to face a challenge.

    But for some of us, this alarm system becomes faulty. It starts ringing for no apparent reason, or the alarm is far too loud for the situation. This is what we mean by excessive anxiety. It’s when worry becomes your constant companion, whispering tales of catastrophe and what-ifs, even in moments of peace. It’s when you feel a persistent sense of dread that is out of proportion to the actual challenges you face. This isn’t a sign of weakness; it’s a sign that you’ve been strong for too long, carrying a burden that has become too heavy.

    How Can It Affect Us? A Ripple Effect Through Your Life

    Excessive anxiety isn’t just a feeling in your mind; it’s a full-body experience that can ripple out and touch every corner of your life.

    Physically, you might be all too familiar with the racing heart, the tight chest, or the churning stomach. Perhaps you experience frequent headaches, muscle tension, or find it impossible to get a restful night’s sleep. Your body is in a constant state of high alert, and over time, this can be utterly draining, leaving you feeling fatigued and run down.

    Psychologically, the impact can be just as profound. You might find it difficult to concentrate, as your mind is always elsewhere, caught in a loop of worry. Decision-making can feel impossible, and you might constantly second-guess yourself. Irritability is common too; when you’re on edge all the time, it’s easy to snap at those you love. For some, it can feel like their mind has turned against them, a relentless critic pointing out every potential pitfall.

    Socially, anxiety can be incredibly isolating. You might start to avoid situations that you fear will trigger your anxiety – social gatherings, work meetings, or even a trip to the supermarket. Your world can begin to shrink as you retreat from the very connections that could offer you comfort and support. Friendships and relationships can become strained as you pull away, not because you want to, but because the fear feels too great.

    How Can Counselling Help? A Space to Unload the Weight

    This is where counselling can make a real difference. It offers you a confidential, non-judgmental space to explore your anxieties with someone who is trained to listen and to help. As an integrative counsellor, I don’t believe in a ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach. I draw on a range of therapeutic ideas to tailor the support to you and your unique experiences.

    One of the approaches I find particularly helpful is Transactional Analysis (TA). Don’t be put off by the name; the core ideas are actually very straightforward and incredibly insightful. TA helps us to understand the different parts of our personality. We all have a ‘Parent’ part of us, which holds the messages and beliefs we absorbed from our caregivers. We have a ‘Child’ part, which holds our feelings, creativity, and memories of our early experiences. And we have an ‘Adult’ part, which is our rational, here-and-now self.

    Sometimes, our anxiety can be linked to a critical or overprotective ‘Parent’ voice in our heads, constantly telling us we’re not good enough or that the world is a dangerous place. Or it might be a scared or rebellious ‘Child’ part that is reacting to past experiences. In our sessions, we can start to untangle these different parts of you. We can give a voice to the scared ‘Child’ and begin to challenge the unhelpful messages from the ‘Parent’. The goal is to strengthen your ‘Adult’ self, so you can respond to situations in the present moment, rather than being driven by old patterns and fears.

    By understanding where your anxiety comes from, we can start to develop new, healthier ways of coping. We’ll work together to build your self-awareness, challenge the negative thought patterns that fuel your anxiety, and develop practical strategies to manage the physical symptoms. It’s about empowering you to become your own internal counsellor, equipped with the tools to navigate life’s challenges with greater calm and confidence.

    How Can We Recognise That We Are Overanxious?

    It can be easy to dismiss our own struggles, to tell ourselves to “just get on with it.” But recognising the signs of excessive anxiety is the first step towards getting the support you deserve. Ask yourself:

    • Do you find yourself worrying constantly, about a wide range of things?
    • Do you feel restless, on edge, or unable to relax?
    • Are you easily tired and struggle with sleep?
    • Do you experience physical symptoms like a racing heart, sweating, or stomach problems?
    • Do you find it hard to concentrate or find your mind goes blank?
    • Are you irritable or more snappy than usual?
    • Have you started to avoid situations or people because of your anxiety?
    • Do you have a sense of impending doom or a feeling that something bad is about to happen?

    If several of these resonate with you, it’s a sign that anxiety might be having a significant impact on your life.

    Does This Sound Like You?

    Reading this article might have felt familiar, perhaps uncomfortably so. If you’ve recognised yourself in these words, please know that you are not alone, and you don’t have to continue to struggle in silence. Taking the step to seek counselling can feel daunting, but it is a courageous act of self-care. It’s an investment in your well-being and your future.

    If you are ready to start your journey towards a calmer, more fulfilling life, I invite you to get in touch. We can arrange a confidential, no-obligation chat to see how I can help you.

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