Stress Management

Anxiety is quite common, and in many cases, it is a good thing.  Anxiety can help us feel attentive and help us accomplish important tasks.  In addition, if we are too calm during certain situations, we can feel less motivated and perform poorly.  However, too much anxiety leads to stress--thinking that the demands of situations or life in general are too much for us to handle. Stress can lead to physical problems such as difficulty sleeping, overeating or loss of appetite, depression, panic attacks, anxiety disorders, social isolation, relationship conflict, and substance abuse.  

Life Transitions
Life is constantly changing, adapting to change can be hard, and even beneficial life transitions can cause some stress. Changes such as marriages, births, and new jobs, are positive, but they may be accompanied by unique stressors. Other major life transitions, such as moving, retirement, or entering the “empty nest” phase of life, may cause significant stress. If you are having difficulty coping with life transitions, therapy can help you better adjust to changes and situations that you cannot control.

​Adjustment Disorders
An Adjustment Disorder is a type of stress-related mental illness.  It is a short-term condition that occurs when a person is coping with  a great struggle, or adjusting to a particular source of stress.  Some sources include marriage, divorce, starting school, or starting a new job.  You may feel anxious or depressed, and normal daily routines may feel overwhelming.  You have a tough time adjusting to a change in your life, and it has severe symptoms. Therapy can help you manage your stress and cope with symptoms of anxiety and depression.

TREATMENT: Psychotherapy can help you overcome stress, life transitions, and adjustment disorders (minimum 5-10 therapy sessions recommended).  Available therapies include:
Relaxation training and behavioural activation: Involves regularly practicing breathing exercises, relaxation exercises, and engaging in activities that are relaxing, enjoyable, or useful.
Cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT): Teaches you how to challenge/change problematic thought patterns and unhelpful behaviours that contribute to symptoms.
Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT): Teaches you how to be in the present moment, on purpose, in a non-judgmental way.
Problem-solving therapy: Helps you solve complex problems in a strategic way.
​Interpersonal therapy: Helps you improve your relationships and communication skills.

"In times of stress, the best thing we can do for each other is to listen with our ears and our hearts and to be assured that our questions are just AS important as our answers."

-FRED "MISTER" ROGERS

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