Navigating Career Dissatisfaction with Internal Family Systems
You are not your job.
But if you work full time, you will spend a third of your life on the job. That’s half of your waking hours. Naturally, how you spend that time has a major impact on your quality of life, self-image, and mental health.
Many of my clients are struggling in their careers. Some have their “dream job” but grapple with long-held expectations that do not match reality. Others hold sought-after creative roles that feel stifling and antithetical to the creative process. Some feel trapped by “golden handcuffs” – they earn a great salary but are always on call, making work/life balance impossible to achieve.
Regardless of the core issue, navigating career dissatisfaction is always complex, with implications far beyond the workplace.
Internal Family Systems (IFS), known as ‘parts work’, is a therapeutic modality ideally suited to tackling such multifaceted problems.
Using parts work, we collaborate with clients to identify the parts of them that are activated around career dissatisfaction and the parts that come up when assessing their best path forward.
To get to know these parts, we may explore questions such as: how does your body feel when you begin work each day? What impact does this role have on your self image? Does this industry align with your values?
Common “parts” or internal conflicts that may come up:
The Advocate:
This part reacts strongly to dissatisfaction in the workplace and can be impatient about seeking change. The Advocate is the voice that encourages you to quit without another job lined up, or to spearhead workplace reform. Depending on how it presents, The Advocate can be your greatest ally or your greatest obstacle to overcoming career dissatisfaction.
Fear:
This part tends to crave stability and will work against The Advocate to maintain homeostasis, no matter how dysfunctional the situation. This part may seek to justify any career dissatisfaction with thoughts like, “No job is perfect,” or “I don’t get paid to be happy.”
Hopelessness:
This part likes to team up with Fear to work against The Advocate. The hopeless part is typically content to take what it can get from a job and focus its energy on counting down the days to retirement. It will tell you that striving to achieve career satisfaction is a fool’s errand.
Anger:
This part likes to team up with The Advocate to catalyze change. Anger may fixate on injustices in the workplace or thoughts about other areas of your life that feel neglected when you’re on the job. Like The Advocate, anger can be a useful tool or a major hindrance.
The Identifier:
This part equates your identity with your job. Whenever someone asks, “So what do you do?”, The Identifier steps up to explain who you are by what you do. Sometimes, The Identifier sounds like a proud parent. But when career dissatisfaction is present, The Identifier’s voice tends to have an uncertain, anxious, or depressed tone.
Navigating career dissatisfaction is rarely a linear process. IFS can help explore the internal voices that shape your decisions and feelings, ultimately guiding you toward a more integrated and balanced approach to your career. When you are able to understand your internal system, you are better equipped to make decisions that align with your values, reduce internal conflict, and move into the future with greater clarity and self-compassion.
Start Working With a IFS Therapist in Highland Park, CA
Many people benefit from working with an IFS-informed therapist to navigate career dissatisfaction. If you are ready to start your therapy journey, our team of caring therapists is happy to offer support from our Highland Park, CA-based practice. Simply: Our team of IFS trained and IFS-informed therapists is happy to offer support from our Highland Park, CA-based practice. Start your therapy journey by following these simple steps:
Speak with an IFS therapist regarding career stress, burnout, and transitions.
Navigate your career with confidence!
Other Services Offered at Therapy on Fig
At Therapy on Fig, we offer therapy services that fit the unique needs of couples and individuals. In addition to IFS Therapy, we also offer Grief and loss therapy in Highland Park, CA, Therapy for Empaths, Trauma Therapy, and couples therapy. We also address related issues such as anxiety, stress management, and relationship issues. Whether you're seeking support for a specific issue or looking to strengthen your relationship overall, our therapists are here to help. Reach out today to learn more about our services and to begin your journey to a better relationship for you and your partner.
Janelle Malak is a Registered Associate Marriage and Family Therapist (AMFT #144798), supervised by Sharon Yu. As someone who became a parent and changed careers in my late 30s, I understand the challenges of giving yourself permission to evolve. My own therapist helped me navigate the emotional landscape of “beginning again” – it is a frightening, overwhelming place to be, especially in midlife. Reach out to learn more about our experienced therapists.