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Stress Management

Stressed Man

We all experience stress in our daily lives, from the stress of balancing work and family life, to the stress of big life events like moving, getting married, or welcoming the birth of a new child.

Even when stress is caused by happy life changes that we go into willingly, it can become too much to handle on our own. Stress can have physical, cognitive, and emotional effects, and if left untreated, stress can affect our relationships, work, and our overall functioning.

Feeling stressed out is completely normal, but that doesn’t mean that you need to deal with stress symptoms on your own. Our specialists are experts in supporting clients in developing stress management skills and coping with stressful life circumstances. We can help you take charge of your stress, rather than letting it take charge of you.

What is Stress?

 

Stress is a normal human reaction to an ever-changing environment and its demands. Stress is something that the human body is built to weather, and our experience of stress can actually be beneficial if it helps us stay alert to potential threats or cope with challenging circumstances. You can think of stress as your body’s way of saying “We need to be on high alert.”

 

In a perfect world, periods of stress would be followed by long periods of rest and recovery to help your mind and body come back to a state of calm. Unfortunately, in today’s world, it’s all too common for periods of stress to go on for long stretches of time, with only short breaks. 

 

This kind of prolonged stress is unsustainable. When stress gets to be too much or lasts for too long, it can have several negative impacts, including leading to health issues like:

 

  • Headaches

  • Ulcers

  • High blood pressure

  • Heart attack

  • Stroke

  • Chronic pain

  • Muscle tension

  • High blood sugar

  • Fertility problems

  • Poor immune system functioning

  • Insomnia

What are Stress Symptoms?

 

There are several physical, cognitive, and behavioral stress symptoms that are common in people who are stressed out. These stress symptoms are important to recognize because they can help you better understand how your body reacts to stress.

 

Physical stress symptoms include: 

  • Headaches and dizziness

  • Muscle tension

  • Difficulty sleeping or alternatively sleeping too much 

  • Feeling tired or fatigued

  • Heart palpitations or chest pain

  • Upset stomach

  • Reduced or increased appetite

 

Cognitive stress symptoms include:

  • Anxiety or worry

  • Depression

  • Restlessness

  • Lack of motivation

  • Feeling irritable or frustrated

 

Behavioral stress symptoms include:

  • Self-medicating with drugs or alcohol

  • Decreased productivity

  • Social withdrawal

  • Avoidance

  • Decreased intimacy

 

Each person experiences stress symptoms differently. Working with a therapist can help you bring more awareness to the physical, cognitive, and behavioral symptoms that you experience when you’re stressed out.

What is Burnout?

 

Burnout is a specific kind of work related stress that has become more and more commonly talked about in recent years. Burnout is a more pervasive form of stress that shows up in work settings, often when someone feels overworked and under-appreciated, although burnout symptoms can show up in many different areas of life, not just at work.

 

Researchers have identified several key burnout symptoms to look out for:

  • Feeling cynical or bitter about your work

  • Lack of energy, especially around work-related tasks

  • Feeling irritable or impatient with co-workers

  • Lack of satisfaction with work

  • Disruptions in sleep, eating, and/or exercise habits

  • Having a hard time getting the energy to do tasks that used to feel easy

 

Do you recognize any of those burnout symptoms in yourself or someone you know? Don’t hesitate to act. Burnout requires making changes and will not go away with time. Burnout can also have dire consequences on your mental and physical health. Working with a therapist is a great place to start in treating burnout symptoms and figuring out a plan to move forward.

What is Stress Management?

 

One of the hardest things about feeling stressed out is that it can impair your ability to do things like prioritize, solve problems, or find ways to relax - the very stress management techniques that you need when you’re feeling stressed out.

 

Stress management starts with identifying stressors and becoming aware of stress-inducing thoughts, feelings and behaviors. By developing coping skills, recognizing how stress impacts you, and remaining alert to any stress symptoms, you’ll be well on your way to conquering your stress.

 

Every person experiences stress differently, and so stress management needs to be tailored to the individual and how their body reacts to stress. For example, some people react to stress by diving head first into work and checking things off their “to-do” list. Other people react to stress by avoiding their work, even when they know they need to do it. Stress management techniques might look very differently for these two people!

Stress Management Techniques

 

There are several different stress management techniques that you can use to manage your stress symptoms. Some examples include:

 

  • Deep breathing

  • Meditation and mindfulness

  • Journaling

  • Using planning tools (like planners or task management systems)

  • Exercise

  • Sleep

  • Practicing gratitude

  • Sticking to a routine/schedule

  • Yoga

  • Therapy

  • Connecting with close friends and loved ones

 

The best stress management strategies are customized to your preferences, interests, and how you respond to stress - but you don’t have to figure that out on your own! A therapist can help partner with you to identify the stress management techniques that will work best for you.

How We Can Help

 

Our specialists are experts in helping people navigate stressful life circumstances. No matter the cause of your stress, we can help you gain better awareness of what’s causing you to feel stressed out and how stress impacts you.

 

In addition to helping you gain awareness, our therapists will provide you with concrete tools that can help you better manage your stress. These tools include mindfulness (staying in the moment), distress tolerance (crisis survival strategies), emotion regulation (self-care, building positive experiences, and reducing suffering), and interpersonal effectiveness (communicating assertively).

 

Stress may be a normal part of life, but you don’t have to bear it alone. Reach out to us today to get support in taking the weight off your shoulders.

Our Stress Management Specialists

Counselor, PhD, LMHC, NCC

Ken Vehec

My passion working with people feeling disconnected from themselves and/or others. Helping a client to connect the dots of their personal story to why one thinks, feels and behaves the way they do.

Anxiety, Grief Counseling, Family Therapy, Depression, Chronic Illness & Mood, Stress Management, Life Transitions, Trauma and PTSD, LGBTQ+, Self Esteem, Couples Therapy, Sport and Entertainment Psychology, Certified in Hypnotherapy

Specialties

LSW

Eliana Jorgensen

I am a Licensed Social Worker who has experience working with kids, teens, and families through a strength-based approach. I seek to create an environment in which my clients feel safe and supported.

Anxiety, Teens, Family Therapy, Stress Management, Life Transitions, Trauma and PTSD, LGBTQ+, Self Esteem

Specialties

LPC, MSIMH, EMDR trained

Maren Herman

I am a Licensed Professional Counselor with a graduate education specialized in Infant Mental Health and trained in EMDR.

Anxiety, Teens, Family Therapy, Depression, Stress Management, Life Transitions, Trauma and PTSD, Self Esteem, Anger Management, prenatal, attachment, early childhood 0-6 yr and new parent/co parenting skills

Specialties

MSSA, LSW

Mary Lynn Hammond

As a Licensed Social Worker with 27+ years of experience providing therapy to children, adolescents, adults, and families. I have specialized training In Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Motivational Interviewing, Solutions Focused Therapy and Family Systems Therapy.

ADHD, Anxiety, Depression, High Functioning Autism, Self Esteem, Anger Management, Stress Management, Life Transitions, Teens

Specialties

Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW)

Amy Schlonski

As a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with 30+ years of experience, I have specialized training in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Dialectical Behavioral Therapy, Interpersonal Social Rhythm Therapy, and Family Focused Therapy.

I work with children, teens and young adults struggling with depression and anxiety. As a clinician, I worked for 20 years in the Child & Adolescent Bipolar Spectrum Clinic at Western Psychiatric Hospital. As such, I have expert knowledge in the diagnosis and treatment of bipolar disorder in children, adolescents, and young adults.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Dialectical Behavioral Therapy, Family Focused Therapy, and Interpersonal Social Rhythm Therapy, Teens, Depression, Trauma, Stress Management, Life Transitions

Specialties

Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW)

Jessica Murray

I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker who has experience working with individuals, couples, and families, especially those who have a history of traumatic experiences. I ground my work in a strengths-based framework as I believe that my role is to assist my clients in identifying, refining, and highlighting the strengths they already have within themselves.

Anxiety, Grief Counseling, Family Therapy, Depression, Stress Management, Life Transitions, Trauma

Specialties

Licensed Professional Counselor, EMDR Therapist

Ethan Tuxill

As a licensed professional counselor and EMDR therapist, I’ve trained specifically to help individuals struggling with PTSD, complex PTSD, and the lasting effects of trauma. I primarily work with adults and young adults (ages 17+) who have PTSD, depression and anxiety. I pull from a diverse set of therapy models to meet each individual's unique needs, including EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, and Mindfulness.

Trauma, PTSD and Complex PTSD, Anxiety, Depression, Shame and Vulnerability, Family of Origin Concerns, Stress Management, Life Transitions

Specialties

Clinical Social Work/Therapist, LCSW, BCD

Jennifer Strohm

We all have times when we feel like we’re on repeat, stuck, overwhelmed or stressed. I offer a safe and supportive environment to help you make positive changes in your life.

Anxiety, Depression, Trauma, Chronic Illness & Mood, Stress Management, Life Transitions, Children & Teens

Specialties

Licensed Professional Counselor, PhD, LPC, BC-TMH, ACS

Michelle Colarusso

My goal as a therapist is to create an environment in which my clients can safely work though the complexities of their thoughts, feelings, and personal experience.

Anxiety, LGBTQ+, Relationship Issues, Depression, Trauma, Stress Management, Life Transitions

Specialties

Licensed Professional Counselor, MA, LPC

Jena Skelton

Struggle is something that I believe every single living thing experiences. It is a concept that can bring us into some of our hardest moments in life, but it also presents the opportunity to connect, grow, and learn. I believe that confronting our struggles and working through them is one of the most valuable journeys that life brings.

Anxiety, Depression, Addiction, Grief Counseling, Trauma, Chronic Illness & Mood, Stress Management, Life Transitions, Teens

Specialties

PhD, PMHCNS-BC, RN Psychiatric Clinical Nurse Specialist/Therapist

Kathleen Spadaro

As a psychiatric clinical nurse specialist, I offer a holistic approach to clients. You bring into therapy your physical self, feelings, thoughts and spirituality needs, all of which are accepted and supported in my practice.

Anxiety, Depression, Trauma, Chronic Illness & Mood, Stress Management, Life Transitions

Specialties

Founder & Owner/Therapist, MSW, LCSW, BCD

Wendy McSparren

As a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with 30+ years of experience, I have specialized training in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Dialectical Behavioral Therapy, and EMDR.

Trauma and PTSD, Anxiety, Depression, LGBTQ, EMDR, Stress Management, Life Transitions

Specialties

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