This story is a guest contribution from Centered, the world’s largest library of mental health exercises for anxiety, burnout, and depression. Learn more about their offerings here.
Helping employees cope through difficult times has become a key focus for HR leaders and managers. Fortunately, there’s an emerging field of “self-serve” therapy that can help employees, managers, and leaders learn therapeutic techniques for coping independently.
“Learning these skills is vital for employees and employers who are dealing with workplace stress,” said Mandy Morris, a therapist whose own short technique videos are featured on Centered.
There are three well-known therapeutic methods that companies should keep in mind. We’ll start with an overview of each, and then we’ll dive into how they can improve your organization.
| Type | Known For | Useful For |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) | Considered the “the gold standard” of anxiety treatment | Challenging negative thoughts and behaviors, and developing new coping mechanisms |
| Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) |
Designed to help individuals regulate intense emotions | Handling difficult feelings and navigating complex interpersonal interactions |
| Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) | Therapeutic framework designed to increase psychological flexibility | Recognizing our attempts to suppress, manage, and control our emotions and experiences |
Applying CBT, DBT, and ACT Techniques
Workload Management and Productivity
Many studies have shown that stress can have negative effects on productivity. “Work stressors, and personal stressors for that matter, can often be overwhelming to employees and make it difficult to be productive and stay focused at work,” said Talia Bombola, a therapist whose technique videos are also on Centered.
When employees are able to learn coping techniques, they are better equipped to self-regulate their feelings, staying productive and present. “An effective and regulated employee is one who learns coping skills around tolerating the discomfort of difficult feelings,” Bombola notes.
Creating a Positive, Anti-Burnout Culture
Culture and norms within a company are often the central contributors to burnout, which 77% of employees report to experience at some point in their careers. A central contributing factor to burnout is not knowing when to say “no” at work — which is where mental health support can be key.
“The emotional culture of your company will deepen when employees learn how to set boundaries within themselves and within their relationships with co-workers,” Bombola says.
Navigating Challenges at Work
In especially stressful work situations, both on a personal level (like receiving negative feedback or being put on a performance improvement plan) and corporate level (furloughs), having stress management techniques can be incredibly helpful for employees.
With respect to performance, having emotional navigation skills can also help management get to the root of issues. “If leaders aren’t willing to explore what is going on with someone’s feelings and thoughts that are driving behavior, they’re going to spend a frustrating amount of time correcting the same behaviors over and over,” said Morris.
For more mental health exercises that help with burnout, anxiety, depression, work stress and more, sign up for Centered.
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