Stress Management

Nowadays the word ‘stress’ seems to be a generic term which is used to describe feelings ranging from a little annoyance to a mental and/or physical breakdown.   Stress is one of the greatest causes of absence from work in the UK.

We can all experience stress at one time or another – in both our personal and professional lives.  But what one person may regard as highly stressful another may regard as a motivational challenge and thrive accordingly.

Examples of stressful situations could include:

• Changes in personal life (relationship and family, retirement, caring for a relative, bereavement, financial worries, housing worries)
• Changes in professional life (new job, discontentment, fears over job security, redundancy)
• Not having an effective ‘work-life balance’
• Working in high pressure environments
• Constant worrying
• Not achieving your goals
• Not having enough going on in your life
• Not feeling like you have control over a situation
• Feeling like you have an overwhelming amount of responsibility

It is important to note that stress can also arise with ‘happy’ things too e.g. getting married.

Problems arise when a person finds it difficult to deal with the level of stress they face which can then impact upon both their physical and mental health.  Stress can lead to symptoms such as headaches, feeling sick, insomnia, palpitations, faster breathing, indigestion, aches and pains and high blood pressure.

When an event happens that causes stress the body goes into an emergency mode to try and deal with the situation (known as ‘Fight or Flight’) but when the emergency passes all the extra energy that is generated has to go somewhere and feelings of anger, depression, distrust and rejection can permeate.  If these feelings are not addressed they can detrimentally impact both physical and mental health.

With the pressures in modern day life it is hardly surprising that so many people are experiencing and seeking help to deal with stress in their life.

At its worst stress can be very debilitating and prevent fulfilling potential in both personal and professional lives.

There may be just one cause of stress but it can also occur because a number of issues have built up over time.  The reaction to stress can depend on how an event is perceived as our view can be influenced upon past experiences, thought processes and our own self-esteem.  The more emotionally resilient that a person is the more likely that the difficult situation can be overcome.  Additionally some people are more able to deal with higher levels of pressure than others.

When dealing with a stressful situation it is beneficial to:

• Eat a well-balanced diet
• Try to get 7-8 hours sleep per night
• Exercise
• Set realistic goals
• Aim for excellence but not perfection
• Try not to worry about things you don’t have any control over
• Prepare yourself, to the best of your ability, for stressful events
• Try to look at change as a positive thing not a threat

How can hypnotherapy help with stress?

Hypnotherapy is very effective at identifying the cause of stress, offloading unwanted emotional baggage, focusing on achieving the desired goals and building confidence.  In addition to Hypnotherapy I may use other modalities if deemed beneficial (e.g. CBT/ACT/Healing/Tapping/Havening). Clients often notice positive changes immediately e.g. feeling calmer, more relaxed, more resilient and confident.  My stress relief programme usually requires four to six sessions.  As we work together I will encourage you to complete tasks that you feel able to implement  (e.g. listen to my relaxation audios, practice self-hypnosis, practice being more mindful, keep a to do list, journal, write down any worries before bed, change your daily routines etc.).  The more you implement on a practical level the quicker your progress will be and the less sessions you will need!