When Feedback Feels Like a Threat

Why can one comment, one evaluation, or one piece of feedback trigger panic, shame, and a spiral of self-judgment?

In Episode 1 of What Triggers You?, Stacy Pelletieri speaks with an anonymous guest about why feedback at work can feel so overwhelming. What begins as a conversation about criticism opens into something much deeper: perfectionism, childhood roles, the fear of being bad, the need to be accepted, and the nervous system patterns that turn ordinary moments into perceived threats. As the conversation unfolds, they also explore the pain of trying to stay true to your values inside a system that feels misaligned with them.