Stress Management Therapy

What is stress?

Stress is arguably the most common problem in modern society, where so many people feel that there are many demands placed on them. The word stress is often used to convey an experience that something feels too much for us, we are struggling to cope with the pressures and find them in some way overwhelming. Although the ability to manage stress varies for each individual, when the stress we experience is prolonged and intense, and when we feel that the pressure exceeds our ability to cope, over time our bodies can develop symptoms in an attempt to manage that pressure.

The following symptoms are often related to stress, in that they can either represent a reaction to stress or can be exacerbated by it:

•     Chronic tension

•     Sleeping difficulties

•     Irritability

•     Inability to relax

•     Lack of concentration

•     Headaches

•     High blood pressure

•     Chronic pain

•     Social withdrawal
  

How can counselling and psychotherapy help manage stress?

Counselling and psychotherapy can help you explore the root causes of stress and find ways to manage it better. This may involve examining your habitual ways of reacting to certain events, your beliefs about your role in them, the choices and the amount of control you have. It may also be helpful to examine connections between your thoughts and feelings and find better ways of managing strong feelings in the body without generating symptoms. In this way, psychological therapy can lead to greater self-knowledge and awareness as well as to increased ability to manage stress on a daily level.

For information about the practical aspects of therapy, such as the length of sessions please see the FAQ.