STRESS

Stress comes in many forms. It can be good and beneficial or not so good and taxing to the body. In the form of pressure, stress has some usefulness: goals may be attained through an improvement in motivation and mental focus. Over time, though, excessive pressure accumulates and can lead to stress and distress. People experiencing stress and distress sometimes complain of:

• a physical malady that seems to be caused by a psychological stressor

• fear of serious physical disease, without any medical basis for concern

• chronic pain or a multitude of physical complaints that have no physiological foundation but that have led to life impairment or changes, such as seeing doctors often, taking unnecessary or excessive quantities of prescriptive medications, self-medicating through unprescribed drugs, or withdrawing from responsibilities

• physical pain with both psychological and medical factors

• emotional exhaustion

It is important to establish a proper balance to your perspective on life. Although you have concerns about the circumstances of your life, there is much more to you and your life than those concerns. Your identity as a person is much greater than someone who is only focused on worries. Counselling can help you control the amount of time and energy given to your stresses and refocus your life on constructive, productive, and enjoyable activities. The Meilan Counselling Clinic provides stress-management therapy to help you regain your focus and broaden your perspective.

Therapy can assist you to:

• reduce the frequency of stress-related physical complaints and improving your level of functioning

• increase your productive activities and your focus on positive bodily experiences

• explore and accept your life

• liberate stagnant or stuck emotions

• rediscover your healthy and sane self

• improve stress coping mechanisms