Support with stress management

We can all experience stress at different periods in our lives. Some people experience stress as a youth, others as a young adult, and some when they are much older. Some of these people seek support to manage their stress by accessing counselling services. Sometimes there is no one singular cause of stress, there are many causes, for example:

Many people cope with stress differently. Some people talk to a family member, some join a gym and some seek counselling. There are many different means of coping with stress, for Example:

Some people deal with stress by not dealing with it. What I mean is they deny feeling stressed, or they minimize it and some normalize it. Avoiding stress or ignoring it may appear to work in the short term but it very often catches up with us in the long run. Many people are impacted by stress in a variety of ways including:

Lack of sleep and/or energy
Physical symptoms for instance a headache or stomach ache
Irritable and/or easily annoyed with others
Unmotivated at work or struggling with tasks
Disengaged and avoiding social situations

Some people continue to work even when stressed and this can sometimes lead to burnout. For others, this can lead to other health conditions. Some people access counselling when they are feeling burnout as opposed to when they are feeling stressed.

If you or someone you know is feeling stressed, here are some questions to consider:

What triggers your stress?

It may be work-related or meeting deadlines. If we can
identify our triggers, we can take measures that will help us cope in the moment. We
may not control how many assignments we need to complete but we do control how
we respond and complete these assignments. A counsellor can help with this
process and provide tools.

What helps you cope with stress?

This could involve going to the gym or practicing
some mindfulness before or after work. If we can implement healthy coping mechanisms, we can feel more in control, and we are less likely to feel overwhelmed.
A counsellor can suggest coping mechanisms and share strategies.

What do you need or want that would help you cope when you feel stressed?

Once we identify our triggers and coping mechanisms, we may also be able to focus on
what else we need that could help us. Sometimes our previous coping mechanism
may no longer work or we are experiencing a new life transition that may require a
new technique or strategy. Some people seek counselling when previous coping
mechanisms are no longer effective.

Many of us will continue to experience stress and the goal is not necessarily to eliminate all stress in life but more so to ensure we can cope when and if faced with stressful situations. If you would like to talk about how stress is impacting you or if you would like tools to help you manage your stress, please get in touch.