Have you ever found yourself in a meeting with so many ideas in your head, but when it’s your turn to speak… your mind goes completely blank? Or maybe you’ve noticed that when conflict or pressure shows up at work, instead of speaking up or setting a boundary, you shut down, avoid eye contact, or silently retreat into the background.
If this feels familiar, you may be experiencing how a neglect wound and a freeze response play out in the workplace.
The Neglect Wound at Work
When you grew up with emotional neglect, you learned—often silently—that your needs, voice, or feelings weren’t important enough to be noticed. Fast forward to adulthood, and that old wound can whisper to you at work:
“Don’t take up too much space.”
“Stay quiet so you don’t bother anyone.”
“If you need something, it’s probably asking for too much.”
This can show up in your career as undervaluing your contributions, hesitating to ask for opportunities, or overworking just to prove your worth.
The Freeze Response in the Office
The freeze response is your nervous system’s way of protecting you when things feel overwhelming. In the workplace, it might look like:
Going silent during brainstorming sessions.
Procrastinating on projects because the pressure feels paralyzing.
Avoiding difficult conversations with coworkers or managers.
It isn’t laziness or lack of skill—it’s your body remembering an old survival strategy.
The Cost of Staying Silent
When you constantly freeze or silence yourself, you may feel invisible at work. Promotions pass you by. Your creative ideas stay hidden. You may feel stuck in a role that doesn’t reflect your true abilities, reinforcing that old belief that “I don’t matter.”
Moving Toward Healing
The good news is that awareness changes everything. Once you recognize these patterns, you can begin to pause, breathe, and gently remind yourself: “This is old. I’m safe now. My voice matters here.”
Small steps—like speaking up once in a meeting, requesting clarity on a project, or even checking in with your body when you feel frozen—are powerful ways to shift from survival into presence.
If this resonates with you and you’re ready to learn more about yourself — reach out to book your first session.
Sandra Ragheb
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