Your boss, executives, and teammates rely on you for almost everything, right? You’re probably the first person they run to when even the slightest details go wrong; the first person they run to get things scheduled, repaired, or some other office-related verb. An article by The Examiner says, “The organization relies on administrative and executive assistants to remain calm, cool and professional, no matter how chaotic things are in the office – which often makes their job extremely stressful.”

Who is the first person you run to? Do you have a particular ear to whisper to when the noose of work stress and holiday frenzy tightens around your neck?

If you don’t need (or want) full-blown couch therapy, but the idea of talking to someone is still appealing, allow me to introduce you to 7 Cups of Tea.

7 Cups of Tea is one part forum community, one part private chat, and one part emotional health resource. The website “anonymously and securely connects real people to real listeners and online counselors in a one-on-one anonymous chat rooms.” Speaking to an Active Listener is completely free, and there are over 30 forums covering topics like depression, grief and loss, and (just for you) a work stress corner.

Five Reasons to Give 7 Cups of Tea a Try

Skepticism is natural. Why would you want to divulge your carefully guarded emotions to strangers on the internet? Why would you trust anything altruistic in nature that’s on the INTERNET, of all places? As it turns out, there are still nice people in the world, and you can find some of them dwelling on 7 Cups of Tea.

1. Being an Office Ninja is Not Easy

CareerBuilder published an article titled, “10 Stressful Jobs That Are Worth It.” Take a guess which job was listed at #1. “Make this copy,” it says, “schedule this meeting, distract these clients, get me notes to prepare for a meeting. People bark orders at you and expect snappy results because, after all, you’ve got nothing better to do.” If you have a free resource that could help you alleviate some of that stress, do you really have anything to lose by giving it a try?

2. Experience the Surprising Joy of Talking to a Stranger

Complete objectivity. Think about the last time you griped about work to your family and friends. After a while, even against their best intentions, they lose interest. Active listeners are trained to offer non-biased responses and give you the opportunity to freely get your troubles off your chest. Excluding paid therapy, when was the last time you got to enjoy just venting to someone who was ready and willing to just listen?

3. Talk About the #1 Workplace Problem No One Talks About

Bonnie Low-Kramen, former celebrity assistant turned coach to executive assistants, published an article about workplace bullying. If you’ve been a victim of work sabotage, threats, nasty emails, yelling, or any other abusive workplace behaviors, you might just need an objective person to talk to. Talking to a stranger online, without divulging personal information, can help you put things into perspective.

4. They Give You Tools to Help Yourself

Even if you’re still skeptical about chatting with an Active Listener, you can still take advantage of their impressive library of self-help guides. Unlike most mental health resources, 7 Cups of Tea organizes their resources into the form of step-by-step lesson plans that actively guide you in reaching your goals. You’ll also have access to general topics like exercise guides and sleeping well guides.

5. They Value Your Privacy

All of your contact information is kept completely confidential. In other words, none of the Active Listeners or other community members will ever be allowed to see your personal information. All private chat transmissions are SSL encrypted and maintained on secured servers. 7 Cups of Tea is serious about protecting your identity while allowing you to get the help you need.

A Free Resource to Free Your Mind

Office Ninjas are a uniquely talented group of people. You’re able to juggle end of year reports, kitchen wars, executive meetings, office parties, and pretty much any mini-crisis that comes your way. Despite your abilities, you’re obviously not a robot or a super hero. You’re beautifully human, and if you need someone to talk to, DO IT. 7 Cups of Tea is free, easy, and has people ready and willing to be active listeners. Give it a try and let us know what you think.

What do you do to relieve your workplace and holiday stress? Share with us in the comments below.