Last week, Gabriela de Queiroz, Director of AI at Microsoft, posted a message on LinkedIn that hit like a punch to the gut: “No matter how hard you work… none of that makes you immune to restructuring.”
She wasn't alone. Around 6,000 people across Microsoft’s global teams were laid off in what’s being called the company’s largest round of job cuts in over two years even though their profits were up.
The message was clear: the AI boom gives, and the AI boom takes away. But what happens after that email lands in your inbox? The one that says: “We’re restructuring and your role has been impacted.” Not the professional consequences but the emotional ones.
The mental toll no one talks about Let’s be honest. Layoffs aren’t just about losing a job. They mess with your entire identity. One day you’re in back-to-back meetings, juggling targets and mentoring juniors. The next, your calendar is empty, your laptop’s deactivated, and your Slack says “guest.”
And that silence? It’s deafening. People don’t always talk about the emotional consequences
The shame of updating your LinkedIn
The anxiety of explaining the gap in interviews
The weird guilt you feel even though you did nothing wrong
The fear that maybe you’re not as valuable as you thought
Add to that the unique pressure of being an immigrant where your work isn’t just a paycheck, but your visa, your pride, and your family's stability and the stress multiplies.
“I feel like I should be doing something, but I can’t get out of bed.” Sound familiar? You're not alone. After a layoff, your brain goes into survival mode. You might:
Scroll job boards at 3 AM
Feel burnt out without doing anything
Swing between hope and helplessness every 10 minutes But that doesn't seem to be helping - at all.
So what can you actually do to feel okay again? Here are a few psychologically-backed strategies to gently hold yourself through this phase:
Name the emotion: Is it fear? Anger? Shame? Naming your emotion reduces its intensity. It gives your brain something to work with instead of against.
Resist productivity guilt: You don’t need to build a personal brand or launch a newsletter this week. Rest is not wasted time - it's repair.
Create a soft routine: Not a hyper-optimized Notion board. Just small rituals that make your day feel safe - a morning walk, a 10-min journal, calling a friend at 6 PM.
Reach out even when it feels awkward: A message saying “Hey, I was impacted by the layoffs; would love to stay in touch” is not a burden. Most people are kinder than you think.
Talk to someone who gets it: Therapy isn’t just for breakdowns. It’s a space to process transitions. Especially when that transition shakes your core.
At TheraWin, we offer therapy that understands the immigrant context - the unspoken pressures, the cultural expectations, the silent sacrifices.
Why this moment matters? This isn’t just about Microsoft. Meta, Google, Amazon - the whole industry is shifting. Even as AI unlocks new possibilities, it also makes the future of work feel more fragile. But you’re more than your job title. And this pause no matter how forced might just be the beginning of a different kind of growth. You don’t have to navigate this alone.
P.S.: You’re still valuable. Always were. If you or someone you love is dealing with the emotional aftershocks of a layoff, TheraWin offers culturally-sensitive therapy designed for immigrants navigating uncertain times. Let’s help you feel like you again.
