Help! I Don't Feel Safe Anymore: How Counselling Can Help When Work Becomes a Source of Harm

If you've landed on this page, there's a good chance something at work doesn't feel right. Maybe you're dreading Monday mornings, lying awake at night replaying conversations, or noticing that the confident, capable person you used to be feels like a distant memory. If any of that resonates, please know — you're not alone, and what you're experiencing is real.

The Scale of the Problem

Workplace bullying and harassment is one of Australia's most significant and underreported public health challenges. Estimates suggest it costs the national economy between $6 billion and $36 billion annually — but behind those numbers are real people, real families, and real lives being quietly turned upside down.

Here in South Australia, the state has introduced nation-leading Workplace Protection Orders (WPOs) to protect workers — particularly in retail — from abuse. SafeWork SA provides clear guidance for employers on preventing harmful workplace behaviours, and Safe Work Australia continues to advocate for better psychosocial safety standards across all industries.

And yet, despite these important advances, bullying claims have increased by 75% over the past decade. The laws are improving. Awareness is growing. But for many people sitting in their cars before a shift, or crying on the way home, the lived reality tells a different story.

What Prolonged Stress Actually Does to You

When we spend extended periods in a psychologically unsafe environment, our minds and bodies pay a price — often a steep one. It's worth naming this clearly, because many people can minimise what they're going through through self-talk, or even self-medicating with alcohol and drugs to ease the pain. These can present unique risks and challenges.

The mental health impacts of long-term workplace psychological harm can include depression, generalised anxiety disorder, PTSD, exhaustion, reduced cognitive function, heightened fear or paranoia, and a loss of confidence that can feel utterly destabilising.

The physical toll is equally serious. High blood pressure, cardiovascular strain, chronic headaches and migraines, musculoskeletal disorders, persistent fatigue, and disrupted sleep are all well-documented consequences of prolonged workplace stress.

And this isn't just about what happens at work. The strain tends to follow people home, quietly eroding the relationships and the life they're working so hard to protect.

Reaching Out for Support — What Are Your Options?

Many workplaces offer access to an Employee Assistance Program (EAP) — a confidential counselling service funded by your employer. For many people, this is a helpful first step.

That said, it's completely understandable if the idea of using an employer-funded program gives you pause. Concerns about confidentiality are valid, and you always have the right to seek support independently. Seeing a private counsellor gives you full autonomy — you choose who you see, how often, and for how long. This can be especially important for complex or chronic difficulties that benefit from deeper, longer-term therapeutic work without session limits.

The Most Important Question to Ask Yourself

Here's something that matters enormously, particularly when the harm you've experienced comes from a place that was supposed to feel safe: Do I feel safe with this counsellor?

If the answer is no — or even "not quite" — it's okay to keep looking. Finding the right fit isn't a luxury; it's a necessity. A good counsellor will understand this completely.

The reason safety matters so much in therapy is that it's the foundation of what's known as the therapeutic relationship — the bond of trust that develops between a client and their counsellor through genuine empathy, non-judgement, and authenticity. Decades of research point to one consistent finding: the strongest predictor of positive therapeutic outcomes isn't any particular technique or approach. It's the quality of that relationship. It's feeling truly heard, accepted, and understood — perhaps for the first time in a long time.

You Deserve a Space to Heal

If you're in a work situation where you feel psychologically unsafe, if you're experiencing stress, anxiety, or burnout that's starting to affect your health and your sense of self, reaching out to a counsellor — whether through your EAP or privately — can be the beginning of something genuinely transformative.

Recovery is possible. And it starts with finding someone safe to talk to.

If you'd like to explore whether counselling might be right for you, I'd warmly invite you to get in touch. The first step is simply a conversation — and there's no pressure, no judgement, just a genuine willingness to listen.