Holding Steady in an Uncertain Job Market
Work stress is something that brings many folks to therapy, but lately we’ve noticed an uptick in anxiety around work here in Seattle and Kirkland.
Conversations are peppered with news of layoffs. Teams are shrinking. Roles are being redefined - or eliminated entirely. AI is no longer a distant idea but something actively reshaping how work is done and who is needed. And all of this is unfolding as we head into the holidays, a season that already asks a lot of us emotionally.
Many people we connect with in therapy are carrying a similar, heavy mix of feelings: uncertainty, vigilance, dread, and a quiet question humming in the background - Am I safe?
“I Don’t Feel Like I Can Take Time Off”
One theme that keeps coming up is fear around rest, especially taking time off during the holidays.
People tell us they don’t feel comfortable taking vacation days, even ones they’ve already earned. They worry that being away will make them look expendable. That rest could be misinterpreted as a lack of commitment at exactly the wrong time.
From a nervous system perspective, this makes a lot of sense.
When there’s a perceived threat - financial instability, job loss, rapid change - our systems shift into protection mode. We scan for danger, and in this case may try to stay useful and indispensable. Rest can start to feel risky instead of restorative.
And yet, this hyper-vigilance often comes at a cost: chronic stress, difficulty sleeping, irritability, emotional numbness, and a sense that life is shrinking to only what’s necessary to survive. We lose creativity.
Are You Making Decisions From Panic or From Values?
Panic decision-making often feels narrow and rigid. There’s a sense that there is only one safe option, and everything else feels reckless. When we’re here, we may overwork, under-rest, and silence our own needs without even realizing it.
That doesn’t mean the fear is wrong - it means it’s asking for attention.
One gentle place to start is noticing how your decisions are being made right now. You might ask yourself:
Am I making choices from a place of fear, urgency, or panic?
Am I acting in alignment with what actually matters to me - my health, my relationships, my long-term wellbeing?
What do I really want?
“Is This Just Me?”
Another common question I hear: Is everyone else handling this better than I am?
Uncertainty has a way of making us feel uniquely inadequate, as though we’re the only ones struggling while everyone else is quietly confident and secure. In reality, feelings of dread, self-doubt, and “not-enoughness” are incredibly common during times like this! You’re definitely not alone! You’re not weak for feeling unsettled. You’re human, responding to real instability.
Periods of economic and technological change often stir up very old fears:
Am I replaceable?
What if I can’t provide?
What if I let someone down?
What if who I am isn’t enough anymore?
What Is Your Fear Really About?
Sometimes it can be helpful to gently peel back the layers of fear, rather than trying to push it away.
You might reflect on:
Is the core fear about money and basic security?
Is it about disappointing family, partners, or people who depend on you?
Is it about identity - If I lose this role, who am I?
Is it about control in a world that feels unpredictable?
Often, the fear isn’t just about losing a job. It’s about losing safety, dignity, purpose, or belonging. Naming this can bring clarity and compassion to what otherwise feels like a vague, overwhelming sense of doom.
Holding Uncertainty Without Letting It Run Your Life
We don’t need to pretend things are stable when they aren’t. At the same time, living in a constant state of bracing can quietly erode us.
If you’re navigating this season, consider:
Where can I allow myself small moments of rest without needing them to be perfect or fully relaxing?
Who feels safe enough to talk honestly with about what I’m carrying?
What parts of me need reassurance right now - not productivity?
Uncertainty doesn’t mean you’re failing. It means you’re living through a moment that asks for adaptability, self-compassion, and support.
As therapists, we don’t have answers for how the job market will shift or how AI will continue to evolve. But we do know this: you don’t have to face these questions alone, and you don’t have to decide everything right now.
Sometimes the most meaningful work is simply slowing down enough to ask, What do I actually need in this moment? and letting that answer matter.
You’re not behind. You’re responding to a world in flux. And that deserves care.