Stress
Stress is the trash of modern life; We all generate it, but if you don't dispose of it properly it will pile up and overtake your life.
—Danzae Pace
Life can be incredibly stressful! But many of us see stress as a normal part of life, while not really being trained on healthy ways to manage it. Consistent high levels of stress over time can negatively impact our psychological, physical, and brain functioning and can lead to adverse physical/medical and mental health conditions: You may feel tense and overwhelmed, irritable, angry and impatient with others around you or you may have difficulty with concentration, memory, and be constantly worrying and have racing thoughts. Other times stress may present itself through physical symptoms such as headaches, Irritable Bowel Syndrome/digestive issues, fatigue, low immunity, and/or sleep disturbances/insomnia. Stress can also lead to unhealthy coping strategies such as procrastination, unhealthy eating, smoking and drinking, and self-medicating.
Because of this stress can be considered a leading health problem and if left unmanaged its can really impact life satisfaction, quality, contentment, and success.
Common Sources of Stress
Work/Employment difficulties
Burnout
Academics/School
Major life changes
Family responsibilities
Daily Life hassles
Divorce/Marriage
Finances
Eldercare
Personal safety
Health issues
Parenting/Children
Work/life balance
Relationships
When to See a Professional for Stress?
Stress can look very different for every person. However, it may be time to get a little extra help if you notice that the stress is becoming overwhelming, you are “buckling under pressure”, or that you are drowning in a sea of stress and feel like there is no escape from it. Sometimes being stressed may not be very obvious and instead stress may present itself as decline in work or school performance, changes in eating and sleeping habits, physical symptoms, or that you are unable to cope with everyday life.
If you find that you are unable to manage your current stress or future stressful episodes, despite your best efforts, then it is time to reach out for support.
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Some things are easy to do alone, but dealing with stress isn't one of them.
How Will We Manage Your Stress?
Together we will identify the major stressors in your life and assess the thoughts, actions, and circumstances that influence the amount of stress that you are experiencing. We will identify areas where you are coping optimally and are balanced, understand and address difficult feelings, and apply techniques to manage the symptoms.
Stress Management therapy will focus on learning what stress is, what effects it has, and how to control it effectively. An individualized plan will be developed that is tailored to your specific needs, issues, and resources to help better manage your stress. The plan may include approaches to modify stress-producing thoughts, determine and improve effective coping mechanisms, relaxation training, and enhancing self-care activities. The skills learned will help you manage your current stress so that you can live your life in peace and feel in control, as well as helping you effectively managing any future stressors.
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To help with managing and improving Academic-related stress in a post-secondary setting, in addition to utilizing the approaches above, we can also work together to develop and improve goal setting, time management and organizational skills. Practical support can also be provided around navigating school administrative and support systems, as well as consultation around helpful academic accommodations.