meganlrees, Author at Megan Rees, LPCC

Does ChatGPT Make a Good Therapist?

Megan Rees, LPCC talks about the safety and efficacy concerns with using ChatGPT as therapist.

“You can’t call it that.” Pedaling Dirty Words in 2025

diverse group of people in a crowd, all with their index finger to their lips as if to say, "shhh." At top, the words, "when you have a genius idea but your team isn't psychologically safe

When HR Loves Your Workshop… But Not the Words You Use Several months ago, when a call for guest speakers came up, this psychological safety consultant answered. As a long-tenured therapist, toxic workplace survivor, and Fearless Organization Certified Practitioner, I suggested a workshop on my signature topic: psychological safety. The HR person loved the idea, […]

Why Saying “We’re Like a Family” at Work Can Backfire

picture from the show Squid Games. A group of people in red jumpsuits and black masks stand facing the camera. Text reads: Hiring Manager: We're like a family. Me: Like this? it's as if "this" references the people in masks.

“We’re Like a Family” — What’s the Harm? A couple of weeks ago, I said something to a room full of filmmakers that I could tell broke a few brains. I told them they might want to think twice before saying, “We’re like a family here.” It’s something I say to leaders all the time, […]

A Therapist’s Insight: Employees & Manager Overwhelm

illustration of a person with medium-toned skin and their hands over their ears. The person is wearing a baseball cap. There are several hands outstretched towards the person, all with images of things like a clock, a wrench, a phone, a clipboard. The vibe is that these hands are demanding attention from the person.

A Tough Love™️ Letter to Managers (and Their Leaders) A therapist’s note you might want to forward to your boss. Today, I’ve got another love letter for managers, but this one leans more into Tough Love™️. Maybe some of you will even pass it along to your company’s leadership, like a note from your therapist, […]

A Love Letter to Managers from a Work Stress/Burnout Therapist

drawing of a person approaching a person seated at a desk. It's a Some Ecard. Text reads: Let me get this straight. It's my job to deal with everyone else's stress but I can't snap?

I started this newsletter with tips on how individuals can define and protect their boundaries. I began there because boundaries are one of the few things we can control, and yes, even leaders have this need. Now that I have your attention, let’s talk about the broader system. I’m pivoting to some love letters for […]

Work Stress, Boundaries, and Burnout: Special Considerations When You Work From Home

two images of women. On the left, a woman smiles in her business casual. Above her the words: When I started WFH. On the right a woman with messed up hair, makeup, and a look of anguish. Above her, the word: Now

Work From Home? Or Live at Work? When I did an AMA recently, several people asked how to separate work from life when you work from home. This post builds on my last one about setting boundaries, but focuses on what that looks like when home and office are the same place. I’m not just […]

A Therapist’s Guide to Work Stress, Boundaries, and Burnout

image from the show Severance. The four main characters look off to the side of the camera and hold onto each other. Text reads: "When they say Work/Life Balance"

Welcome to the First Edition of Work Shrink Hi, I’m Megan, an Oakland, California licensed professional clinical counselor specializing in work stress, burnout, workplace mental health, and helping people recover from toxic work experiences. Why Care About Work Stress? Work stress is an epidemic. Here are a few powerful stats: Dreaming of Being… Severed? There’s a […]

Megan Rees, LPCC

Author: meganlrees