Tips for Reducing Stress
Stressors are what cause stress (a physical, mental and emotional response). Before you can
take action to reduce stress, it is important to identify the category of stressor you are dealing with.
Environmental
Stressors
These include people, things, events and circumstances beyond your control.
You can learn to manage these, by
acquiring skills. Skills can be learned:
Time management skills stop procrastinating and learn how to get things
done
"People skills" reduce feeling shy or intimidated, express yourself more fully and comfortably, stop being so much of a people
pleaser, so that you don't get your own needs met, and learn how to manage anger effectively, so that you can get what you need, and
still maintain good relationships, at home and at work
Organization skills get rid of what's in the way, and have handy,
what you need
Coping skills such as learning how to calm, soothe and ground yourself when demands are being made. These skills
can be learned through psychotherapy, and enhanced by a dedicated practice to disciplines such as meditation, yoga, tai chi, etc.
Internal Stressors
These consist of habitual, ineffective, often not-conscious patterns of thinking, emotionally responding and
behaving as you react to environmental stressors. You most likely acquired these in your early family environment
and even though they don't work well, you continue to repeat them out of habit. Examples include obsessive worry, imagining people
are negatively evaluating you, explosive anger, avoidance, procrastination, etc. If you find yourself feeling very stressed
much of the time, learning about your internal patterns and finding better alternatives to reduce your stress and become
more effective, can be a huge benefit of psychotherapy. Yes, people often generate much of their own stress!
How
to Reduce or Eliminate Stress
External stressor + management skills + adaptive internal response = a stress response that resolves
quickly, doesn't drain energy and does not feel particularly uncomfortable, sometimes even feels energizing and pleasurable!
External
stressor + maladaptive response = You now have twice the amount of stressors, both external and internal, with no relief,
exhaustion from the on-going demands of stress, and a lot of discomfort, sometimes even physical problems because when the body is
flooded with stress hormones. Over time, chronic stress can compromise the immune system, and cause other serious problems.
Barbara Elbl, MFT, CEAP, CGP
Marriage and Family Therapist Ca Lic #33788
Certified Employee Assistance Provider (EACC #028021)
Certified
Group Psychotherapist (AGPA)
EMDR practitioner
Substance Abuse Professional
4333 California Street
San Francisco, CA 94118
415-681-1757
Call
now for a free brief assessment
EDUCATION CENTER
What is Psychotherapy?
What
is Counseling/Brief therapy?
What is EMDR?
What is (psychological) Trauma?
What
is Group Psychotherapy?
How do you find a good therapist?
Tips for Coping
Stress
Depression
Anxiety
Grief
or Loss