Welcome to The therapist’s corner With Israa Nasir, a monthly column where we unpack the deeper psychological and emotional themes behind today’s biggest pop culture moments. From viral entertainment trends to Sports accounts and literary breakthroughs, I will share my honest thoughts as a psychotherapist (@well.guide) Explore how our favorite media reflects broader social change, mental health reality and the cultural forces that shape our lives. Up first: “Severrance.”
At first glance, “Severrance” may seem like a dystopian sci-fi thriller, but how far away is from our current reality? In addition to its eerie premise (and questionable ethics), the show acts as a mirror, which reflects our increasingly complicated relationship with work – how we define ourselves through it, how we flee through it and how companies shape our lives more than we realize – and perhaps, most importantly, how the work affects our mental health.
Here are four insights I took from “departure” as a therapist:
The negative effect of increased surveillance culture in workplaces.
While no, you do not sort numbers that control your spouse’s conscious under Mr. Milchick’s awake and the “board” – it can still feel that we are seen at work. “Severance pay” criticizes the ever-growing surveillance culture in modern workplaces, where AI-driven monitoring, key printing and time management software is used to improve productivity. The result? Increased stress, burnout and a labor that feels less like humans and more like cogs in a machine. Anything that can take a toll on your psyche, strip your work and yourself for purpose and control.
For the tip: You can regain a feeling of control by setting small boundaries. Log in at a consistent time, disable unnecessary notifications or take the screen interruption. If the work culture affects your mental health, document your problems and, if possible, take them up with HR or leadership. Seeking help from a mental health expert to learn to set boundaries can also be advantageous.
Grief does not just disappear.
Mark S. Severs to escape his wife’s death and believes that if he doesn’t remember, he doesn’t have to feel it. This avoidant mechanism does not relieve his suffering but instead complicates his emotional state. As Season 2 shows, unprocessed grief has a way to surface, no matter how much we try to suppress it. And in the end, he has to meet it to save his wife, gemma from her prison. “Severance” reminds us that grief demands to be recognized; The question is not “whether” you should process grief, but instead, “how” you should process grief. (If you are struggling with grief please seek professional support for mental health)
For the tip: Instead of suppressing pain, try to admit it in small, manageable ways, through record keeping, therapy or even simple rituals of memory. Healing is not about “moving on”; It’s about learning to bear your loss in a way that allows you to continue to live.
Existence purpose and work.
The MDR team spends hours sorting numbers without any idea why until the last episode of Season 2, a perfect metaphor for jobs that feel meaningless. And they are not alone. The Great departure and silent end Prove that people wake up to a tough truth: If the work is not in line with their values, no amount of loyalty or benefits will compensate for it. A 2023 Deloitte Survey found that almost half of Gen Z and Millennials would leave their jobs within two years due to lack of purpose or balance between working life and life. The lesson? A paycheck alone is not enough – people want meaning in their work to feel fulfilled.
For the tip: Try to reconnect with what gives you the purpose outside the work, whether it is a creative hobby, community involvement or in -depth personal relationships. Filling your life with rich, different experiences outside of work makes it a small part of your life.
Using topics as a way to deal with stress.
In Salt’s neck, people turn to ether to escape their gloomy reality – an dependence on systemic decline. It’s not just about subject use; It is about how people can manage when they feel caught. The city’s descent to dependence reflects the deep impact of socio -economic decline in mental health, and emphasizes how environmental factors and companies’ negligence can lead to widespread psychological disorders and abuse. In our world, we see this in the emergence of “doomscrolling” – the compulsive consumption of negative news, which psychologists link to increased anxiety and a sense of helplessness.
For the tip: Consider small, intentional ways to regulate stress. Minding activities such as movement, time in nature or talking to a reliable friend can give relief that does not disconnect you from yourself but help you go through discomfort. If you are stuck in unhealthy handling patterns, it is to seek support a sign of strength, not weakness.
While the show reflects some of the gloomy reality in our present world (albeit, a little more exaggerated), the show also reflects a way forward. Mark, Helly, and the rest of the MDR team are starting to question their reality, withstand their conditioning and seek truth even if it is painful. (But after the last episode, I’m a little unsure where Mark and Helly take their new realities.) Consciousness is the first step to break away from these cycles, whether it is dependent, emotional anesthesia or the passive consumption of despair. Only by recognizing what is happening can we start recovering our agency and building something better.
This can also apply to your own career and mental health. If you feel trapped in any environment that loses you or feel replenishment, start by identifying what is within your control-if it sets fixed boundaries, seeks mentoring or exploring opportunities that adapt you to your values. Small steps, such as having an honest conversation with yourself about how fulfillment looks or making a plan to transition out of a toxic environment, can make a significant difference. You have more power than you think to shape your life, professionally and otherwise, in a way that supports, does not undermine your well -being.
Israel Nass is a New York City-based psychotherapist and author of “Giftal Productivity: Recover your time and energy in a world that always requires more. “Israa received its undergraduate education in psychology at the University of Toronto and her master’s degree in advice at Adelphi University in New York. She is also certified in cognitive behavioral therapy and rational emotional behavioral therapy. Isra is a PS council member.
