Stress Management

Stress can be a constant undercurrent in our lives—never-ending bills, demanding schedules, work, and family responsibilities—and some days it is higher than others, seeming inescapable and uncontrollable. Stress management is sometimes about developing skills to stay on top of things, other times about accepting what we cannot control, and at other times about gaining deeper insight into deeply seated emotional patterns beyond the circumstances.
In stress management, we want to identify the stressors: sometimes they stem from present circumstances, while other times they are linked to past experiences that resurface in current events.
If we can identify the sources in what is directly in front of us, we can eliminate realistic stressors and develop consistent de-stressing habits. But if the sources seem to arise from subtle cues around us, pointing to unresolved issues from the past, then we may need a therapist to help us dig deeper into that past. In the process, maintaining a healthy diet, exercising regularly, and getting enough quality sleep can ease feelings of stress and help with relaxation, but these may only serve as a necessary baseline from which deeper exploration with a therapist can begin. The key idea is that you don’t have to manage stress on your own—build healthy habits, cultivate a support system, and seek deeper insight in therapy.