Halifax Stress Management

Stress is unavoidable but it can be controlled

Looking for stress management in Halifax? Help is available in Nova Scotia.

As much as we not want to admit it, stress is an undeniable fact of life. Although we usually associate stress with undesirable changes (e.g., being fired) or pressure (e.g., giving a public speech), even a lack of change (e.g., being “stuck” in an unhealthy relationship) can produce stress.

Furthermore, stress can come from both negative events (e.g., the loss of a loved one) and positive events (e.g., purchasing a home).

So to summarize:

Change or a lack of change can both result in stress.

Positive or negative events can both produce stress.

Consequentially, having some stress is unavoidable fact of life.

Is stress always bad?

Wouldn’t it be great to completely eliminate stress from our lives? For a day – absolutely. For a week – sure. For a month – perhaps. However, not all stress is bad. In addition to be unavoidable, some stress is also desirable! Without stress we would probably have little motivation, we would take no steps to improve our lives, we would never respond with any sense of urgency, and we would not seek out new experiences. Without stress life would be undeniably dull.

When is stress a problem?

Stress becomes a problem when either...

1) You are in an environment with continual or extreme stressors

or

2) You do not respond to stressors in a healthy way

In either of these situations, stress is no longer motivating and activating, but is likely interfering with your ability to function and attend to the responsibilities of life. For example, when overly stressed you may neglect your physical health, experience relationship difficulties, ignore work or school responsibilities, and feel completely overwhelmed by your situation.

If you have too much stress or poor stress management strategies over time this can have a serious impact on your psychological, physical, and emotional health.

What are the signs of being over-stressed?

Symptoms vary depending on the person and the situation, but common signs of stress include:

● Depression

● Feelings of powerlessness or helplessness

● Irritability and anger

● Poor self-esteem

● Muscle tension

● Headaches

● Relationship difficulties

● Poor concentration

● Restless sleep

● High blood pressure

● Neck pain

● Irregular or unhealthy eating habits

● Weight gain or loss

● Nausea

What does stress management counselling involve?

● Identifying the areas of one’s life that can be altered to reduce either the number of stressors or the intensity of these stressors. This may include addressing problems or challenges at work, at home, at school, with finances, or in a relationship.

● Learning specific skills to deal with stress. For example, relaxation techniques, visualization, deep breathing, meditation, progressive muscle relaxation, etc.

● Making healthy lifestyle choices regarding eating habits, sleep schedules, caffeine intake, smoking, drinking, and exercise.

● Identifying and challenging unhealthy thought processes (e.g., “I need to succeed in everything I do.”)

Stress Management in Halifax

If you would like help for stress management (and live in the areas of Halifax, Bedford, or Dartmouth) please read more about therapy and counselling, how to choose a psychologist, my treatment approach, and feel free to contact me if you have any questions or if you would like to set up an initial consultation.