The Unhappy Professional

A Robinhood Therapy Brand

Therapy for Executives

At The Unhappy Professional, we specialize in therapy for executives, CEOs, and high-level leaders who shoulder extraordinary responsibility both at work and at home.

Whether you’re managing billion-dollar decisions, leading a growing company, or steering a complex organization, the pressure can feel relentless.

Our therapy helps executives reduce stress, prevent burnout, and make clear, confident decisions — without sacrificing personal wellbeing.

Sessions are private, results-focused, and available nationwide via secure telehealth.

You’re the one others depend on.

You’re expected to lead with clarity, carry risk, manage people, drive results, and make the hard calls.
But no matter how strong your title or team is—you’re still human.

That part gets ignored.

You’re under constant internal and external demand:

  • Meetings that drain more than they produce

  • Board or investor pressure to always scale or stabilize

  • A team that needs your energy—even when you don’t have it

  • Critical decisions that keep you up at night

  • A schedule that feels like it’s never truly under your control

And in the rare moments alone, a quiet question shows up:

“How long can I keep doing it like this?”

Common Challenges Executives Bring to Therapy

While every leader’s journey is unique, many executives we work with share similar challenges:

  • Decision fatigue from constant high-stakes choices

  • Emotional isolation at the top — limited safe spaces to be vulnerable

  • Work-life imbalance and difficulty switching off after hours

  • Pressure to always perform even when personally struggling

  • A sense of success without fulfillment — achieving goals but feeling empty

Addressing these patterns is about more than managing stress — it’s about creating lasting changes that improve both leadership performance and personal satisfaction.

At Home, It Doesn’t Let Up

It’s not just the board that needs you.

You juggle fast-sliding staff…

  • A partner who wants connection — but you’re too mentally tapped out

  • Kids that see the stress in your eyes

  • A guilt that creeps in for missing your own family dinners

  • A growing sense that work is bleeding into everything

You’re also aware this mix doesn’t work — but until now, it’s felt like you can’t slow down long enough to actually change it.

What Therapy For Executives Can Do

Therapy for executives isn’t about one-size-fits-all solutions.

It’s about clearing the mental roadblocks and untangling the real internal blocks behind burnout, indecision, or disconnection.

With our process, we show you how to get aligned so you can move forward with less friction.

Why EMDR Works for Executives and Leaders

Many executives choose EMDR therapy because it’s effective for processing the high-pressure experiences and unresolved stressors that can quietly influence decision-making, confidence, and focus.

By targeting these root causes, EMDR helps leaders respond calmly under pressure and lead with clarity.


Learn more about EMDR therapy here.

Common benefits:

  • Mental clarity when the pressure doesn’t stop

  • Emotional recovery after conflict, criticism, or high-stakes events

  • Better boundaries that keep work from taking over everything

  • Reduced stress so you can lead without the constant drain

  • Confidence that isn’t tied to outcomes — but to sustainable self-worth

Why Work With Us for Executive Therapy

  • We understand executive responsibility

  • No fluff — clear goals, high-yield results

  • EMDR + performance-focused therapy gets to the source of what’s slowing you down

  • 100% private sessions tailored for your life and schedule

This is not coaching.
This is what coaching can’t reach.

Details

  • Private-pay only — no insurance

  • $250 per session

  • 30-minute video consultation available at no cost

  • Virtual sessions offered in CO, DC, NC, NY, TX, VA & WA

Schedule a Free Consultation

No pressure. No obligation.


Just a confidential space to talk about what’s really going on—and whether this is the right next step.

Real Questions Executives Ask Before Starting Therapy (FAQs)

What’s the best therapy for CEOs and executives?

While every leader’s needs are unique, approaches like EMDR and targeted talk therapy are highly effective for executives. They address both the immediate stress and the deeper patterns that influence leadership performance.

I’m successful—why do I still feel like I’m not doing enough?

That internal pressure often comes from old, invisible rules you’ve been following for decades. Achievement was probably how you created safety, earned love, or avoided chaos early on. We help you rewire that system so your drive becomes a tool—not a tyrant.

Can therapy really improve leadership performance?

Yes. Therapy doesn’t just help you feel better — it can sharpen decision-making, improve communication, and reduce stress reactions that might impact your leadership style.

What if therapy opens up things I’ve kept buried to stay functional?

That’s a valid concern. You’ve built a life that works—so we’re not here to dismantle it. We honor the protective strategies that helped you survive. The work is to gently make room for what’s underneath, in a way that doesn’t destabilize but strengthens you.

Can this help with decision fatigue and overthinking?

Yes. Many executives are mentally overloaded—juggling staff, family, risk, and outcomes. Therapy reduces mental noise by helping you resolve unprocessed conflicts that clutter your inner world. The result is more clarity, less self-doubt, and faster decision-making.

I compartmentalize well. Why would I want to stop?

Compartmentalization is a skill, and we won’t take it away. But sometimes, what’s locked in one box bleeds into others—resentment shows up at home, stress leaks into your sleep, intimacy feels distant. We help you integrate those boxes so you don’t live fragmented.

Can therapy help with executive burnout?

Yes. If you’re experiencing burnout, therapy can help you recover faster and prevent it from recurring.
Learn more about executive burnout here.

Will this actually make me better at what I do—or just more emotional?

Both—but not in the way you fear. Better emotional processing leads to better focus, resilience, and leadership presence. Emotional authority doesn’t mean getting lost in feelings. It means knowing what drives you so you lead yourself (and others) with clarity.

I understand first hand how difficult it can be to carry the weight of unresolved emotional pain. My diverse personal and professional experiences have given me a deep appreciation for how unique each individual’s journey is.

Whether it’s healing from childhood trauma, navigating relationship difficulties, or overcoming professional stress, I’m here to help you find the peace and fulfillment you deserve.

Zack Rothwell, PMHNP

Psychiatric Health Nurse Practitioner

Master of Science - UNC Chapel Hill

Accepting New Clients

What clients say:

“Zack was a patient and caring guide through a difficult time.

He provided a therapeutic relationship that offered a balance of support and challenge, helping me build a stronger foundation from which to live my life.

Through EMDR I was also able to travel to the root of many beliefs that were stifling my growth — making core changes to how I see myself and my world — opening up more love in all directions.

I’m grateful.”

-AB

We help high-achieving professionals succeed by becoming authentic.


When you stop living behind armor, your work and relationships come alive.

How Therapy Works