Workplace anxiety can affect people at any stage of their career and across a wide range of professional environments. For some, anxiety is associated with particular situations such as meetings, presentations, interviews or speaking with senior colleagues. For others, it may involve a more general sense of pressure, self-doubt or apprehension at work.
You may find yourself worrying in advance about meetings or conversations, struggling to think clearly when attention is directed towards you, questioning your abilities or replaying interactions afterwards.
Workplace anxiety may also overlap with performance anxiety, fear of judgement, perfectionism, confidence difficulties or public speaking anxiety.
“I work in quite a high-pressure environment and as part of that, have always had to make presentations to groups of people on a regular basis – due to a number of job changes in a short space of time I changed technologies a number of times which took me out of my comfort zone in terms of knowledge and expertise. Over a period of time this dented my confidence and I started to develop a fear of public speaking which even started to affect me on telephone conference calls and small internal meetings. It got to the point where it was a question of deal with this or change careers as I had become worn out by my own internal battle against this – if I was asked to give a presentation with two weeks notice, I would be anxious from the moment I was told to the moment I completed the presentation. After an internet search I selected Annette as she had experience working with people who suffer from anxiety and I felt this was precisely what I was suffering from – from the initial consultation through to the subsequent sessions, I was able to understand the mechanics of my fear and as a result, agree rules for dealing with it. I would say I genuinely experienced an improvement from day one and now six sessions in I am actually being asked to represent my company making key presentations around the world. I still wobble from time to time but I have learnt to understand why I react the way I do and as a result, have learnt how to manage it to the point where it doesn’t overshadow my life and I can assure you it did!”
How Workplace Anxiety Can Present
People experience workplace anxiety in different ways. You may notice:
- Anxiety before or during meetings
- Difficulty speaking up or contributing to discussions
- Worry about being judged by colleagues or senior staff
- Overthinking conversations or decisions afterwards
- Anxiety around presentations or public speaking
- Feeling under pressure during interviews or assessments
- Perfectionism or fear of making mistakes
- Self-doubt about your abilities or professional competence
- Physical symptoms of anxiety in high-pressure situations
- Difficulty concentrating or thinking clearly when anxious
For some people, these difficulties arise only in particular professional situations. For others, anxiety begins to affect their wider experience of work and confidence.
Working With Workplace Anxiety
My approach combines Solution Focused Therapy, clinical hypnotherapy, coaching and evidence-informed psychological approaches according to the individual and the situations they are experiencing.
Our work may involve exploring the thoughts, behaviours and responses associated with workplace anxiety, alongside the particular situations in which anxiety or self-doubt becomes more noticeable.
Depending on your circumstances, sessions may include therapeutic discussion, clinical hypnosis, guided relaxation, cognitive reframing and practical strategies relevant to the workplace situations you are experiencing.
Rather than following a standard programme, the work is tailored to the individual, their professional environment and the particular difficulties they would like to address.
Meetings, Presentations & Performance Under Pressure
Workplace anxiety can become particularly noticeable when there is an expectation to perform, communicate or make decisions under scrutiny.
This may include meetings, presentations, interviews, conference calls, negotiations, professional examinations, difficult conversations or situations where you are expected to speak spontaneously.
I also work with people experiencing public speaking anxiety and other forms of performance anxiety where these difficulties extend beyond the workplace.
Who I Work With
I have worked with adults experiencing anxiety, confidence difficulties and performance-related concerns for over fourteen years.
Clients come from a wide range of professional backgrounds, including healthcare, education, business, law, media and the performing arts. I work with professionals, managers, healthcare workers, teachers, lecturers, lawyers, broadcasters, musicians, actors and others whose work involves responsibility, communication, visibility or performance under pressure.
Sessions are available in person at my Bristol practices in Clifton and Queen Square, as well as online throughout the UK.
The Next Step
If workplace anxiety is affecting your confidence or experience of work, you are welcome to get in touch to explore whether my approach may be helpful.
Please contact hello@annettesloly.com to arrange an initial consultation.
Explore further
Areas of Work
Anxiety
Anxiety becomes a problem when it starts affecting daily life. Hypnotherapy can enhance confidence and self-assurance while lessening intense fear and worry. Together, we develop practical skills to manage difficult situations, feel more at ease and redirect attention towards helpful possibilities.
Social Anxiety
Social anxiety can create a persistent fear of judgement, self-consciousness and overthinking before, during and after everyday interactions. Personalised Solution Focused Therapy and clinical hypnotherapy can help you regulate anxiety, respond more flexibly and feel more comfortable being yourself around other people.
Confidence
Solution Focused Hypnotherapy can help strengthen self-confidence through constructive, goal-oriented work. We develop strategies that foster self-acceptance, transform unhelpful beliefs and help you approach everyday and high-pressure situations with greater trust in your abilities.
Fear of Blushing
Solution Focused Hypnotherapy can help manage blushing by addressing the anxiety and emotional sensitivity that often trigger it. Reframing negative thoughts, developing healthier coping responses and building confidence can help you feel more at ease and less judged in social situations.
Public Speaking Anxiety
Solution Focused Hypnotherapy can help alleviate fear of public speaking, whether you are preparing for a speech, pitch, presentation or talk. A tailored blend of psychological and physiological tools can help you manage nerves, feel more in control and communicate with greater confidence.
Exam Anxiety
Solution Focused Hypnotherapy can help alleviate exam anxiety by teaching you how to evoke calm, improve concentration and strengthen confidence. Tailored stress-management, visualisation and empowerment strategies can help you approach examinations and assessments with a clearer, more focused mind.
Stage Fright
When nerves overshadow rehearsals, auditions or performances, hypnotherapy can help strengthen calm confidence while reducing fear and self-doubt. Together, we build mental and physical skills that help you stay grounded, remain present and perform with greater freedom.
Fear of Flying
Solution Focused Hypnotherapy can help change unhelpful perceptions of flying and replace anxiety with greater confidence. Positive self-talk, breathing techniques and guided imagery can help regulate the nervous system before and during a flight, making travel feel more manageable.
Stress
Solution Focused Hypnotherapy can help you feel more empowered and in control when managing stress. Personalised techniques support a more helpful mindset, improve resilience and help the nervous system function more effectively, building skills you can continue to use through future challenges.
