When Trauma Triggers Show Up at Work
For Many Professionals, anxiety and depression don't just "stay at home". They quietly show up in the workplace - often in ways that get overlooked or misinterpreted.
Kate McDavid
8/27/20251 min read
A trauma trigger isn’t always dramatic. Sometimes it’s subtle:
· Your heart races before speaking in a meeting
· You freeze when receiving unexpected feedback
· You overwork to avoid disappointing others
· You feel drained after navigating office dynamics
These are not signs of weakness. They are your nervous system responding to old, unresolved patterns of stress. The body remembers, even when the mind tries to push through the signals.
In a workplace context, triggers can look like procrastination, overthinking, irritability, or a constant sense of being “on edge.” Over time, these patterns fuel burnout, self-doubt, and even physical symptoms like headaches, fatigue, or digestive issues.
Here’s the empowering truth: recognizing triggers is the first step towards change. They are not evidence you are broken. Triggers are signals from your body asking for care and regulation.
With the right tools you can retrain your nervous system and change your subconscious programing. Some tools that have been shown to help regulate and reeducate include:
· Journaling activities
· Emotional Freedom Technique (called EFT or Tapping)
· Guided Meditation
· Grounding exercises
Engaging in these activities can help you learn to pause, respond with clarity, and feel more present in your workday. They can also help shift thought patterns, which reduces the fear around the situation. This means what used to be a triggering event for you will cease to be one – inciting no trauma response.
If you have noticed anxiety or depression showing up in your professional life, you are not alone. Many people carry hidden trauma that quietly shapes how they show up at work. The good news…healing IS possible. It begins with awareness of what your triggers are and then using the right tools to begin the healing journey.
I specialize in helping professional women recognize and shift trauma patterns that show up at work. If you would like tools to manage triggers with more ease, send me a message. I would be happy to share some resources with you.