What techniques help clients overcome career-related anxiety and stress?

1 Identify the sources

The first step is to help your clients identify the sources of their anxiety and stress. These could be external factors, such as workload, deadlines, expectations, or feedback, or internal factors, such as self-doubt, perfectionism, or fear of failure. You can use tools such as the Wheel of Life, the Stress Test, or the ABC Model to help your clients assess their situation and pinpoint the areas that need attention.

2 Challenge the thoughts

The next step is to help your clients challenge their negative thoughts and beliefs that fuel their anxiety and stress. These could be cognitive distortions, such as catastrophizing, overgeneralizing, or personalizing, or limiting beliefs, such as "I'm not good enough", "I can't handle this", or "I don't deserve this". You can use techniques such as the Socratic Method, the 5 Whys, or the Reframing Technique to help your clients question their assumptions and replace them with more realistic and positive ones.

3 Develop coping skills

The third step is to help your clients develop coping skills that can help them manage their anxiety and stress in the moment and in the long term. These could be relaxation techniques, such as breathing exercises, meditation, or progressive muscle relaxation, or problem-solving techniques, such as prioritizing, delegating, or setting boundaries. You can use strategies such as the 4-7-8 Breathing Technique, the SMART Goals, or the Eisenhower Matrix to help your clients practice these skills and apply them to their situations.

4 Build resilience

The fourth step is to help your clients build resilience that can help them bounce back from setbacks and challenges and grow from their experiences. Resilience is the ability to adapt to change, overcome adversity, and learn from feedback. You can use methods such as the Growth Mindset, the Feedback Loop, or the Resilience Scale to help your clients cultivate a positive attitude, embrace learning opportunities, and strengthen their self-confidence.

5 Seek support

The fifth step is to help your clients seek support from others who can help them cope with their anxiety and stress and achieve their goals. Support can come from various sources, such as peers, mentors, managers, friends, or family. You can use approaches such as the Stakeholder Mapping, the Mentoring Agreement, or the Accountability Partner to help your clients identify their support network, communicate their needs and expectations, and leverage their relationships.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?