Work, Wellbeing, and Finding Your Way Through
Work takes up a significant part of our lives. When it is going well, it can be a source of meaning, connection, financial security, and genuine satisfaction. When it is not going well, it can affect everything: your mood, your sleep, your relationships, and your sense of who you are.
If work is feeling difficult right now, you are not alone. And you do not have to wait until things reach a crisis point before seeking support.
At Excel Psychology, we work with people navigating a wide range of work-related challenges. Whether you are dealing with burnout, returning to work after an injury, struggling with workplace relationships, or questioning whether your current path is still right for you, we are here to help you make sense of what is happening and find a way through.
How Work Affects Mental Health
The relationship between work and wellbeing is well established in the research. Good work, work that is meaningful, reasonably managed, and supported by decent relationships, is genuinely good for mental health. It provides structure, purpose, social connection, financial security, and a sense of contribution.
But when work goes wrong, or when it stops giving back what it takes, the effects reach into every part of life. Stress at work becomes stress at home. Burnout affects relationships. Career uncertainty can erode self-worth. Difficult workplace dynamics can make even the thought of going in feel impossible.
These are not small problems, and they deserve proper attention rather than simply being pushed through.
What We Can Help With
Workplace Stress and Burnout
Sustained pressure, unrealistic demands, and the feeling of running on empty take a real toll. We work with people who are struggling to keep up, who have lost their motivation, or who are starting to wonder how much longer they can continue at the pace they are going. Support in this area focuses on understanding the sources of stress, developing practical strategies for managing pressure, and addressing the psychological patterns that can make burnout harder to recover from.
Return to Work After Injury or Illness
Returning to work after a physical or psychological injury, or after a period of significant illness, is rarely straightforward. There are practical challenges, but there are often significant emotional ones too. Anxiety about whether you will cope, uncertainty about how colleagues will respond, and questions about whether the role or workplace you are returning to is still the right fit are all common. We provide support throughout this process, helping people prepare, manage setbacks, and rebuild confidence at a pace that is right for them.
Career Uncertainty and Transitions
Not knowing what you want from work, or feeling stuck in a role or career that no longer fits, is a genuinely difficult experience. It can bring up questions about identity, purpose, and what matters most. We work with people at all stages of career uncertainty, whether they are early in their working life and trying to find direction, mid-career and questioning whether this is still what they want, or approaching a significant transition and wanting to think it through carefully.
Difficult Workplace Relationships
Conflict with colleagues or managers, experiences of bullying or unfair treatment, or simply the exhaustion of navigating a difficult interpersonal environment can have a significant impact on mental health. We work with people to understand the dynamics at play, develop strategies for managing difficult relationships, and decide what they want to do when a situation feels untenable.
Leadership and Performance
The pressures that come with leadership roles are often underestimated and rarely discussed openly. Managing teams, making difficult decisions, holding others accountable, and sustaining your own performance and wellbeing at the same time is genuinely demanding. We work with leaders and high-performing individuals who want to develop their capacity, manage the psychological weight of their role, or work through the impact that performance pressure is having on them.
Work-Life Balance
When work consistently takes more than its share, other things suffer. Relationships, health, rest, and the activities and people that make life meaningful outside of work all pay a price. We work with people who want to reset the balance, including those who struggle to switch off, who feel guilty when they are not working, or who have lost sight of who they are outside of their job.
Our Approach
Psychology support for work-related difficulties is practical, collaborative, and focused on what matters most to you. Sessions are conversational rather than clinical in feel, and the work is tailored to your specific situation rather than following a one-size-fits-all model.
We draw on evidence-based approaches that are well suited to work-related presentations, including cognitive behavioural therapy, acceptance and commitment therapy, and solution-focused work. The goal is both understanding and action: making sense of what is happening and developing the capacity to respond to it differently.
Most people find that even a small number of sessions provides useful clarity and practical tools. Others choose to work with us over a longer period, particularly when the challenges are more complex or longstanding. There is no single right way to use this support, and we will work with you to find the approach that fits.
Our registered psychologist Bryan Lee has a particular interest and background in work-related psychology and sees clients with presentations across all of the areas described on this page. If you would like to work specifically with Bryan, please let our admin team know when you get in touch and they will do their best to accommodate your preference.
Getting Started
Do I need a referral?
You do not need a referral to see us at Excel Psychology. You are welcome to contact us directly to make an appointment. If you have a Mental Health Care Plan from your GP, this will entitle you to a Medicare rebate on your sessions, which significantly reduces the out-of-pocket cost. If you are unsure whether you have one or how to get one, our admin team is happy to help you work that out.
Is telehealth available?
Yes. We offer sessions via telehealth for people who prefer to meet remotely, whether for convenience, accessibility, or simply because it suits you better. Telehealth sessions are conducted via secure video call and are just as effective as in-person sessions for most presentations. If you are unsure whether telehealth is right for your situation, please get in touch and we can talk it through with you.
Where are you located?
Excel Psychology is located at 445 Upper Edward Street, Spring Hill, Brisbane, close to Central Station and easily accessible by public transport. Parking is available nearby.
Further Reading
Our psychologist Bryan Lee has written about the relationship between work and mental health, including a practical exploration of what genuinely good work looks like and a short self-reflection quiz. You can read the full piece on our blog: The Tricky Balance of Work and Mental Health.
You can also go directly to the reflection tools here:
You Do Not Have to Have It All Figured Out Before You Call
Many people who contact us are not sure exactly what they need or whether psychology is the right kind of support for what they are experiencing. That uncertainty is completely normal and it is not a barrier to getting in touch.
If work is affecting your wellbeing and you would like to talk to someone who understands this area well, we would be glad to hear from you.
Excel Psychology
(07) 3868 2221
info@excelpsychology.com.au
445 Upper Edward Street, Spring Hill QLD 4000
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