What is distress at work?

Distress at work covers all the psychological difficulties linked to your work situation: chronic stress, anxiety, a sense of powerlessness or injustice, loss of self-esteem, exhaustion. It does not come from personal fragility: it arises from the meeting between a person, with their history and values, and a way of organising work, with its constraints and relationships.

Work psychology looks precisely at these links. In France, the term psychosocial risks is often used for the factors at work that can harm mental health: workload and working hours, emotional demands, lack of autonomy, poor-quality relationships, conflicts of values, job insecurity.

Common situations

Chronic stress

Occasional stress can be stimulating. When it becomes constant, with no chance to recover, it wears out body and mind: sleep problems, physical tension, irritability, difficulty concentrating, always feeling behind. In the long run, it can lead to burnout, anxiety disorders or depression.

Conflict and difficult relationships

Conflict with a manager, tension in a team, feeling unsupported, authoritarian or absent management: working relationships are among the main sources of distress, and also among the main resources when they work well. For people from abroad, differences in workplace culture (hierarchy, directness, meetings, how disagreement is expressed) can add misunderstandings that are worth unpacking.

Workplace bullying

French labour law defines moral harassment as repeated conduct whose purpose or effect is a deterioration in working conditions that may harm the employee’s rights and dignity, damage their physical or mental health or jeopardise their career. Constant criticism, being sidelined, humiliation, impossible or demeaning tasks: the person subjected to it often ends up doubting themselves. An outside space helps you regain your bearings.

Loss of meaning and conflicts of values

Having to do work you consider poor quality, acting against your values, no longer understanding what your work is for: this ethical distress is often less visible, but it wears you down deeply. It can lead you to consider a career change.

Warning signs

  • strong dread on Sunday evening or in the morning before going to work;
  • sleep problems, dwelling on work in the evening and at weekends;
  • fatigue that no longer goes away with rest;
  • physical symptoms: headaches, stomach aches, tension, palpitations;
  • irritability, tearfulness, withdrawal;
  • increased use of alcohol, tobacco or medication to keep going;
  • the feeling that you are no longer up to the job, when you used to be.

How I can help

My role is not to decide for you whether to stay or leave, but to help you see more clearly and regain your ability to act. Support draws on several strands, depending on your situation:

  • Putting the situation into words: describing concretely what causes distress, distinguishing what relates to the organisation, relationships and your own history, moving beyond guilt.
  • Easing symptoms: managing stress and anxiety, sleeping better, protecting time to recover, with tools drawn from cognitive behavioural approaches.
  • Regaining room to manoeuvre: setting limits, preparing a difficult conversation, identifying possible support inside and outside the organisation.
  • Reflecting on meaning: what work represents for you, what you want to preserve, the choices open to you.

The systemic approach, which is part of my training, helps you understand the team and organisational dynamics you are caught up in (find out more about my approach). Having had a first career as an engineer and economist before retraining, I also know the realities of the working world from the inside.

It is often helpful not to face the situation alone: your GP, the occupational health doctor or staff representatives can be important sources of support. Sessions last about 50 minutes, at the Brotteaux practice, 134 rue de Sèze in Lyon 6th, or by video, in English, French or Portuguese.

Frequently asked questions

Will my employer know that I am seeing a psychologist?

No. Consultations are covered by professional confidentiality. You book appointments yourself and nothing is passed on to your employer.

Can you help me work out whether it is harassment?

I can help you describe the situation, assess its effects on your health and identify useful contacts. The legal qualification of harassment, however, is a matter for legal professionals, the labour inspectorate or, where appropriate, a judge.

I work in English for an international company: can we have sessions in English?

Yes, sessions can take place in English, Portuguese or French, whichever suits you.

Useful resources