Stress
A certain level of stress is healthy and productive. It helps us to feel in charge of things, get on with our lives and cope with whatever is put our way. But sometimes our levels of stress occur in an unhealthy way and we struggle to keep up with everything. We can't say ‘No' to anyone and take on more commitments than we can manage. We feel trapped and overwhelmed by the demands of others, unable to get off the treadmill of life.

We can suffer from a number of debilitating physical symptoms like headache, back ache, pains in our joints. Our sleep pattern is disturbed, we lose enthusiasm for everything, even things we once enjoyed. Our appetite changes, we either eat less and lose weight or we comfort eat and gain weight. Our stress spills on to those closest to us and we become moody and irritable, leaving them feeling ignored and unsupported as well. Many people increase their intake of alcohol during periods when they feel stressed.

If these symptoms are happening to you this is an unhealthy level of stress and you could be helped by counselling. There are a number of self-help ways for containing and dealing with stress, regular relaxation, a space to be yourself, making time to do something you enjoy doing, re-prioritising the balance between your work and your home life, learning when to say 'no' and have your decision respected.

I would be happy to discuss such strategies with you as part of counselling but I would also encourage you to look at yourself and your relationships (especially those that are contributing to your high level of stress). I would encourage you to look at ways you can be more assertive when you need to be. Together, we would work to make those changes in both your work and personal life that offer you more fulfillment and satisfaction. If you would like to contact me for some counselling about managing stress, please email me using the link below.

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Site last updated 08.01.10