How do others look so put together on their Facebook page when we’re drowning? Don’t be fooled. Like ducks, they appear at peace but underneath the surface they’re scrambling to survive.

During this time and when we’re encountering so much stress, keep these tips in mind to get through this hectic time with grace. 

1. Observe your thoughts – Be a curious observer and recognize what you’re feeling. The first step in addressing your emotions is observing them. Don’t try to shove them away or ignore them. Feelings are your bodies way of releasing built up energy. We’re human and we have feelings and thoughts that need to be addressed. Not only is it normal for these feelings to well up, it’s what makes us part of the human race. 

Also, keep in mind that we have a natural negativity bias and tend to dwell on worse-case scenarios for any situation. We let our emotions and not the facts dictate our lives. This causes us to worry excessively and become anxious. That’s why it’s especially important that we pause these thoughts, recognize them, and refocus. Negative thoughts don’t serve us. They spiral and make anxiety worse. Interrupt this pattern by telling it to STOP. It’s you taking control of the negative thoughts that can so easily take over.

2. Practice self-care – With the hustle and bustle of all that’s going on at this time of year, it’s easy to neglect taking care of ourselves. Yet to turn stress into joy, we need to make self-care a priority. This can mean different things to different people. Try to establish a self-care ritual or dedicated time for being together with loved or visiting the gym. Commit to doing whatever that something is that fills your bucket and satisfies you. 

Essentially, taking care of yourself not only feels good, it’s necessary. It’s like sleep. It’s required. It keeps you calm and at peace so that you’re better able to be present instead of spinning out of control. What’s more, you can only take care of others if you take care of yourself. 

3. Live in faith, not in fear – We’re dealing with a lot right now. As we try to take on so much, we need to stay confident that everything will work out. Know that regardless of what happens, it will all be okay. Aggressively protect yourself from negativity and make positivity your priority. 

Think of situations that feel better. Instead of thinking the worst, think of the best-case scenario. For example, if you’re concerned about family members clashing at the holiday dinner table, think about how it would look if they don’t clash, they get along, and they enjoy one another’s company. Isn’t that thought “lighter?” Doesn’t it put less stress on the situation? Remember that your anxious thoughts don’t change the outcome. 

4. Make a plan – Anxiety and stress result when a stressor isn’t addressed. Devising a plan for the holidays helps alleviate the stress. Create lists. Come up with plans for how to navigate situations. 

The key is to not take things so seriously. Lighten up. You’ll feel better and so will others. And, if things don’t go as you had planned, remember that it’s okay. 

5. Express gratitude A sure way to alleviate stress is to reflect on all that you have to be grateful for. We need to incorporate gratitude and appreciation into our lives to see it in a positive light. Finding both the large and the small ways in which we’re fortunate in our lives will help to make us resilient regardless of the stress of the holidays. 

Instead of worrying about clashes at your holiday table, you are grateful that you have the means to provide a holiday feast. Anxiety and worry are replaced with your lens of gratitude.

During this holiday season, become deliberate and thoughtful in your actions. While taking these actions to get you through, remember that everyone is doing their best — as are you.

Written By: Laura Gabayan

*   *   *

Dr. Laura Gabayan is a world-renowned physician, researcher, and Pyschology Today contributor. Through her Wisdom Research Project, she interviewed 60 wise adults across North America and defined eight fundamental elements of wisdom. She describes her findings in her new book, Common Wisdom: 8 Scientific Elements of a Meaningful Life (Redwood Publishing, March 17, 2024), and Common Wisdom Journal (Dec. 2024). For more information, visit lauragabayan.com. 

The post Lighten the Stress of the Holidays appeared first on Wellbeing Magazine.

Stress therapy in NYC can help you to manage your triggers, and it can improve your ability to move past things that stress you and relax as you navigate the things that you cannot entirely control in your daily life. There are many things that you cannot control, but you can learn to control your responses to the things that happen to you or around you. That is essentially the goal of therapy for stress—that you are able to modify your reactions to these kinds of events so that you can thrive.

What Kinds of Therapy Help With Stress?

1.      Somatic Therapy

Somatic therapy is perfect for treating stress because it can help you manage PTSD responses as well as physical reactions to the things that cause stress in your life. Somatic therapy can involve various strategies like meditative focus, cognitive behavioral therapy, and movement to help you manage stress reactions, and mood. Somatic therapy is highly flexible and can be used for patients of all ages and with all kinds of mental health concerns.

Because Somatic Therapy is so effective for treating PTSD symptoms, many people are able to overcome the kinds of stress that have held them back in life once they start therapy. Most stress is linked with PTSD, so it is likely that Somatic Therapy can help you tackle your stress with ease.

2.      Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is a therapy option that helps you to retrain your brain to react in new ways to stimuli. This could be modifying issues with sleep, handling stress related to going out and commuting in crowds of people, or any other kind of experience that causes stress. CBT training can help you to alter the innate reactions of your body and brain to stressors, making it much easier to control your stress each day.

CBT requires consistent practice to be effective, but many people find that the process of reframing their mental reactions to stimuli is very effective. CBT training is also easily transferred to at-home practice, which can be ideal for those who are struggling with stress related to daily events like driving to work, walking in large crowds of people, or going to the grocery store.

Image Source

3.      Talk Therapy

For some people who suffer from strong reactions to stressors in their lives, talk therapy can be the perfect way to resolve internal conflict and keep stress at bay. This is one of the most classic and tried-and-true therapy modalities there is. So many of us are not good at talking about what is bothering us, even with our loved ones. This can lead to bottled-up feelings of anxiety, stress, and shame.

Talking to a therapist who can help guide you toward a new understanding of your stress can provide significant relief for some patients suffering from increased stress responses. If you are not good at talking about personal struggles with friends or family, talk therapy might help you to discuss the things that are bothering you so that you can figure out how to handle stressors and get your life back on track.

4.      Acceptance and Commitment Therapy

ACT therapy can be ideal for those who are struggling to accept stressors as part of their daily lived experience. All of us experience stress, and there are some kinds of stress that you cannot avoid due to the place that you live, the people in your life, or other factors that cannot be altered. While you can make larger changes to your life over time, you will still need to cope with stressors that you cannot avoid all the time.

Being able to accept and commit to managing your stress with regard to the people and places in your life can help you to react in a calm manner toward the things that have been causing you emotional harm. So often, stress is the result of fighting against things that we cannot actively change. Being able to accept that this is a normal part of life and being provided with coping skills to help with acceptance can allow you to move past these stressors into a happier and healthier life.

5.      Animal-Assisted Therapy

For some people, loneliness or a lack of meaningful human connection in their lives can be the root cause of their stress. Animal-assisted therapy can help ground people who are missing the emotional connections that make life feel full and complete. Animals are patient and kind and can help those who are struggling with stress associated with fear or loneliness to fill in the gaps in their life with positive connections.

Animal-based therapy can be done with many kinds of animals, from dogs and cats to horses. You might need to head out of the city to find a program that can offer you this kind of support, but it might be the perfect way to manage your stress and bring positivity to your life.

There Are Many Kinds of Therapy to Manage Stress

Stress impacts all of us, even if we try to avoid it. If you are struggling with stress that is taking control of your life, these kinds of therapy can help you to experience joy and feelings of contentment in your life again. Don’t chalk your stress up to the fact that you live in a big and busy city or have a stressful job. Stress should not take over your life and make every moment miserable.

These kinds of therapy can help you to thrive and control your stress in highly effective ways that will work for years to come.

Main Image: Source

The post What Kinds of Therapy Can You Get For Stress? appeared first on Wellbeing Magazine.

Whether you’re feeling the weight of assignments, struggling with social isolation, or dealing with stress about your future, there are effective ways to manage your mental health during university. In this article, we’ll explore the common mental health challenges faced by students and share strategies to cope with them.

Stress in University: Causes and Consequences

Stress is an almost inevitable part of university life. With coursework, deadlines, exams, and social pressure, it can often feel like there’s too much to handle. Students face stress from various sources, such as:

• Academic pressure: Keeping up with coursework, projects, and exams can feel like a never-ending cycle.
• Social expectations: The desire to fit in and maintain social connections can add pressure, especially when navigating new social dynamics.
• Financial strain: Managing tuition, rent, and personal expenses while often working part-time can add additional stress.
• Uncertainty about the future: Many students struggle with questions about their careers, especially when they’re still deciding on a path.

When stress becomes chronic, it can impact both physical and mental health, leading to burnout and reduced academic performance. It’s essential to recognize the signs of stress early and find healthy ways to manage it.

Anxiety: Facing the Unknown

Anxiety is another common challenge for university students, often triggered by the pressures of academic life and the uncertainty that comes with it. For many, the fear of failure, the overwhelming amount of work, or even social anxiety about fitting in can cause significant distress.

Students often experience anxiety about:

• Academic performance: The fear of not doing well or meeting expectations can feel paralyzing.
• Social comparison: Constantly comparing oneself to others can heighten feelings of inadequacy or fear of missing out.
• Unclear career paths: The pressure to figure out one’s future can lead to anxiety about making the “wrong” career choices.

Though some anxiety is natural, chronic anxiety can take a toll on mental and physical health. Developing tools to manage anxious thoughts and feelings is essential for overall well-being.

Loneliness in University: Feeling Isolated

Loneliness is a prevalent experience in university, especially for those who are living away from home for the first time. Being away from family and familiar faces can make it challenging to form deep connections. The competitive and fast-paced environment can also make socializing feel difficult.

Loneliness in university often manifests as:

• Homesickness: Missing home and familiar relationships can lead to feelings of isolation.
• Difficulty making friends: The large, diverse student body can sometimes make it feel hard to meet people or find like-minded individuals.
• Social anxiety: For some, the idea of meeting new people can feel overwhelming, leading to withdrawal and further loneliness.

While loneliness is common, it’s important to take steps to combat it and seek out meaningful connections. A strong social support network is critical for maintaining good mental health.

Coping Strategies for Stress, Anxiety, and Loneliness

While managing stress, anxiety, and loneliness may feel challenging, there are many effective strategies to help you cope. Here are some practical ways to improve your mental health and maintain balance during your university years:

Develop a Healthy Routine
Establishing a routine can help alleviate stress and prevent feelings of chaos. Try to incorporate regular sleep patterns, balanced meals, and physical activity into your day. A structured routine can bring a sense of control, making it easier to manage daily tasks and responsibilities. Taking time for relaxation is just as important as staying productive.

In addition, practicing mindfulness through simple exercises like deep breathing or meditation can help you stay grounded and reduce anxiety. A few minutes of mindfulness each day can help calm your mind, improve focus, and make it easier to manage difficult emotions.

If you find yourself struggling with loneliness, remember to reach out to friends, family, or campus resources. Many universities offer counseling services, support groups, and student organizations where you can meet others and form connections. Don’t be afraid to seek help if you need it.

Finally, for students who are concerned about their future career, such as those interested in pursuing a healthcare path, understanding specific career expectations—like the family nurse practitioner work schedule—can help create a clearer vision of the future. Knowing what lies ahead and how to get there can provide reassurance and motivation during uncertain times.

When to Seek Help

While self-care strategies can be helpful, it’s important to recognize when professional support is needed. If your stress, anxiety, or loneliness becomes overwhelming and starts affecting your daily life, academic performance, or physical health, reaching out to a counselor or mental health professional is a positive step. Many universities offer free or low-cost counseling services for students, making it easier to get the support you need.

Conclusion

Mental health challenges such as stress, anxiety, and loneliness are common during university, but they don’t have to be overwhelming. By recognizing these challenges early and using coping strategies like mindfulness, a healthy routine, and building a support system, students can navigate the ups and downs of university life. With the right tools and support, you can maintain a healthy balance and succeed academically and personally.

Remember that you’re not alone, and help is available when you need it. Prioritizing your mental health is essential to your success in university and beyond.

Photo by Becca Tapert on Unsplash

The post Mental Health in University: Coping Strategies for Stress, Anxiety, and Loneliness appeared first on Wellbeing Magazine.

Living at the end of the world is not easy; fighting for climate justice and resisting rising inequalities, unjust wars, and declining funding structures for arts and charity , many of us might not yet feel fully burnt out, but we could be unwittingly trapped in a cycle that leads us there. Inspired by the work of Amelia and Emily Nagosky, authors of Burnout: The Secret to Unlocking the Stress Cycle, it’s crucial to recognize the signs and symptoms of burnout to break free from this potentially debilitating cycle.

Understanding the Cycle of Burnout

Burnout is not merely a state of exhaustion; it’s a complex interplay of emotional, physical, and mental depletion caused by prolonged stress. The Nagoskys explain that burnout often manifests in a cycle, where stress accumulates, leading to increased symptoms and, ultimately, a diminished capacity to cope. This cycle can perpetuate feelings of overwhelm and helplessness, pushing you further into burnout.

Drawing on over 10 years of lived experience navigating the vicious cycle of burnout, I have learned three key symptoms that often indicate someone is in this cycle of burnout: brain fog, sensory overload, and compassion fatigue. Understanding these symptoms is essential for recognizing when you need to take action.

Symptoms of Being in a Chronic Stress Cycle: 

1. Brain Fog:
   Brain fog is characterized by a lack of mental clarity and focus. It can feel like your mind is clouded, making it difficult to think critically or remember important details. This symptom often results from chronic stress, as your brain becomes overwhelmed with information and unable to process it effectively. When you notice this cognitive dullness creeping in, it’s a sign that your mental resources are depleted and that you may be entering the burnout cycle.

2. Sensory Overload:
   Sensory overload occurs when your brain is bombarded with too much sensory input—noise, light, information—and can lead to feelings of anxiety, irritability, and an inability to concentrate. In our hyper-connected world, this overload is increasingly common, and recognizing it is vital. The Nagoskys highlight that when stress accumulates, our tolerance for sensory input diminishes, making it harder to navigate daily life without feeling overwhelmed.

3. Compassion Fatigue:
   Compassion fatigue, often seen in helping professions, is the emotional residue that comes from exposure to the suffering of others. When you consistently care for others without adequate self-care, you may find yourself feeling drained, detached, or unable to empathize. This symptom not only affects your mental health but can also diminish your effectiveness in your work or personal life. It is a critical indicator that you may be in a cycle of burnout that requires urgent attention.

Breaking the Cycle

Recognizing these symptoms is the first step toward breaking the cycle of burnout. Here are some strategies, influenced by the Nagoskys’ research, to help you reclaim your well-being:

1. Complete the Stress Cycle:
   Engage in activities that help you physically and emotionally release stress. This could include exercise, mindfulness practices, or creative pursuits. Completing the stress cycle allows your body to recover from the toll of chronic stress.
2. Prioritize Self-Care:
   Make self-care a non-negotiable part of your routine. Schedule breaks, prioritize sleep, and engage in activities that replenish your energy and joy. Remember, self-care is essential for sustaining your ability to care for others.
3. Set Healthy Boundaries:
   Establish clear boundaries to protect your time and energy. This includes saying no to additional responsibilities when you’re already stretched thin and creating time for yourself to recharge.
4. Seek Support:
   Reach out to trusted friends, family, or colleagues to share your feelings and experiences. Social connections can serve as a buffer against burnout, reminding you that you’re not alone in your struggles.
5. Consider Professional Help:
   If you’re feeling overwhelmed, don’t hesitate to seek support from a mental health professional. Therapy can provide valuable tools to manage stress and prevent burnout, enabling you to navigate your challenges more effectively.

Life Coaching as a Path Out of Burnout

One effective way to escape the cycle of burnout is through life coaching. As a certified Positive Neuroplasticity Teacher, I focus on helping individuals transform their experiences and develop healthier habits. My 10-step program: R.E.S.U.R.G.E.N.C.E. is designed to guide you in reclaiming your vitality and breaking free from the grips of burnout.

Through personalized coaching sessions, we will explore your unique challenges and develop actionable strategies tailored to your needs. This program emphasizes self-compassion, positive neuroplasticity, and mindfulness to create sustainable change in your life.

By addressing the root causes of burnout and implementing these strategies, you can cultivate resilience and a renewed sense of purpose. Life coaching provides not just guidance but also accountability, helping you stay committed to your well-being journey.

Conclusion

The cycle of burnout can be insidious, but recognizing the symptoms—brain fog, sensory overload, and compassion fatigue—empowers you to take action before it spirals out of control. By implementing strategies inspired by the Nagoskys’ work and prioritizing your well-being through life coaching, you can disrupt this cycle and foster a healthier, more fulfilling life.

If you find yourself experiencing these symptoms, take a moment to reflect on your needs and make the necessary adjustments. Together, we can create a culture that values well-being and compassion—both for ourselves and those we serve.

If you find this article helpful, consider joining our online 90-minute monthly compassion circle. Circles offer a space space to practice self-compassion and compassion towards others with guided practices. We will share how we are doing, and to receive understanding, kindness and support from each other. These circles will help increase your personal resilience through meaningful connection, these circles help provide you with the energy to engage more effectively among your family, friends and community. You are most welcome to join our weekly compassion circle on the Insight Timer. For more information, visit: Courses.DeepListeningPath.ca. For any inquiries, feel free to email: shumaila@deeplisteningpath.ca

© copyright 2024. The Deep Listening Path. Website. Facebook. Linkedin, Instagram, Youtube. Tiktok

Photo by Karsten Winegeart on Unsplash

The post You May Not Feel Burned Out Yet, But Are You Trapped in a Vicious Cycle of Chronic Stress? appeared first on Wellbeing Magazine.

The surprising answer is yes. Elevated cortisol levels can occur even in individuals who don’t consider themselves to be stressed. Cortisol is essential for various bodily functions, including regulating metabolism, immune response, and energy levels. However, when it remains high for extended periods, it can negatively impact both physical and mental health.

How Do You Get High Cortisol Without Feeling Stressed?

Cortisol is produced by the adrenal glands in response to physical or emotional stress. Yet, many factors beyond obvious stressors can elevate cortisol levels, including:

1. Chronic Sleep Deprivation
   Sleep is crucial for the body to recover and regulate cortisol. If you’re consistently getting less than seven hours of sleep, your body may interpret this as a form of stress. Over time, this leads to higher cortisol levels.
2. Poor Diet Choices
   High-sugar diets or excessive caffeine can stimulate the body to produce more cortisol. Although you may not feel overtly stressed, consuming these in large amounts places stress on your metabolism and insulin levels, triggering a cortisol response.
3. Sedentary Lifestyle or Over-Exercising
   Interestingly, both extremes—too little physical activity and too much—can lead to elevated cortisol. Sedentary behaviour reduces cortisol regulation, while excessive high-intensity exercise can flood your body with stress hormones.
4. Unresolved Emotional Issues
   Sometimes, past trauma or unresolved emotional stressors quietly simmer in the background, subtly affecting your physiology. You might feel mentally “fine” because you’re good at suppressing feelings, but your body responds as if it’s under chronic stress.
5. Constant Multitasking and Information Overload
   The habit of juggling multiple tasks at once, or being bombarded by notifications, emails, and to-do lists, can create low-level, continuous stress. You might not register this as overwhelming, but the constant demand on your attention can elevate cortisol over time.
6. Gut Health Issues
   Emerging research suggests a strong link between gut health and cortisol levels. Imbalances in the gut microbiome or chronic inflammation in the digestive system can increase cortisol production, even if you’re not mentally stressed.

What High Cortisol Feels Like: Symptoms You May Be Missing

The tricky thing about high cortisol is that its symptoms often masquerade as everyday complaints, making it hard to pinpoint. Here are some signs to watch out for:

• Constant Fatigue: Despite feeling like you’re sleeping enough, you wake up tired and feel drained throughout the day.
• Weight Gain, Especially Around the Midsection: High cortisol increases appetite and fat storage, particularly in the belly area, which can contribute to insulin resistance and metabolic issues.
• Frequent Illness: Cortisol suppresses the immune system over time, making you more susceptible to colds, infections, and other illnesses.
• Anxiety or Irritability: Even if you don’t feel “stressed,” high cortisol can still cause nervousness, agitation, or difficulty relaxing.
• Poor Sleep: Ironically, the stress hormone makes it harder to fall asleep or stay asleep, which perpetuates the cycle of fatigue.
• High Blood Pressure: Constant high levels of cortisol can cause your blood pressure to rise, even if you’re not actively anxious or stressed.

How to Recognise Lifestyle Choices That Contribute to High Cortisol

Acknowledging that your lifestyle might be contributing to your high cortisol levels is the first step in addressing the issue. Take a moment to reflect on your daily habits. Are you:

• Drinking several cups of coffee just to get through the day?
• Skipping meals or grabbing sugary snacks on the go?
• Frequently missing out on sleep to finish work or watch TV?
• Pushing yourself to work out at high intensities without sufficient rest?

If any of these behaviours resonate with you, it’s possible that you’re inadvertently putting your body in a state of stress.

Steps to Lower Cortisol and Restore Balance

1. Prioritise Sleep
   Aim for 7-9 hours of quality sleep each night. Establish a calming bedtime routine—dim the lights, avoid screens before bed, and consider incorporating calming activities like reading or meditation.
2. Revamp Your Diet
   Focus on whole foods, including plenty of fresh fruits, vegetables, and lean proteins. Minimise your intake of refined sugar and caffeine, which can spike cortisol levels. Foods rich in magnesium, like leafy greens, nuts, and seeds, can help lower cortisol levels.
3. Exercise Smartly
   Regular, moderate exercise is key. Instead of pushing yourself to the limit with intense workouts every day, opt for a mix of cardio, strength training, and low-impact activities like yoga or walking. Balance is essential—rest days are just as important as workout days.
4. Mind Your Mental Health
   Pay attention to your emotional well-being. Practicing mindfulness, deep breathing exercises, or meditation can help you become more aware of hidden sources of stress. Journaling or speaking to a therapist may also help you uncover unresolved emotional issues contributing to cortisol elevation.
5. Practice Single-tasking
   Instead of multitasking, try focusing on one task at a time. This approach can reduce the cognitive overload that often triggers a cortisol spike. Set boundaries with your time and allow yourself breaks from your to-do lists and devices.
6. Balance Work and Leisure
   Make time for hobbies, relaxation, and fun. If you’re constantly in “go” mode, your body will keep producing stress hormones. Incorporating moments of joy and relaxation is not just a luxury—it’s essential for your health.

The Path Forward: Acknowledge, Adjust, and Thrive

It’s easy to fall into patterns that lead to high cortisol, especially in a world that values constant productivity. But remember, your body needs balance. Acknowledge the signs, adjust your habits, and make self-care a priority. By doing so, you can help lower your cortisol levels and feel more energized, resilient, and calm.

In summary, high cortisol can affect anyone, even those who don’t feel overtly stressed. By paying attention to your body, recognising the subtle lifestyle factors contributing to elevated stress hormones, and making small but impactful changes, you can regain control over your health and well-being.

Photo by Liam Simpson on Unsplash

The post High Cortisol: The Silent Stress Hormone That Could Be Affecting Your Health appeared first on Wellbeing Magazine.

After navigating her own journey of overcoming life’s challenges, ‘Me Helping Me’ is a mobile app designed to help people calm their nervous systems by providing a wide range of easy to access energy practices. These practices are intended to promote emotional wellbeing and overall quality of life to help people to feel better and take back control of their lives. The app features video practices ranging from 90 seconds to 20 minutes, and are designed to appeal to the masses, not just those who are used to mindfulness and meditation. 

Emily developed the app after recognising the toll the pandemic had taken on her clients’ mental health and sought to provide a self-help guide and tool for them to integrate into their everyday lives. Emily’s aim is for individuals to start to see, enjoy and create more positivity around them, as part of their regular habits.

Emily said: “I wanted to help my clients when they are not having a ‘treatment’ with me, and to find a way to be in their pockets to bring a sense of calm to them, to help them find balance, harmony and essentially feel better. I created the app to be used as a self-help guide and tool and really worked hard on making it accessible for all – many people miss out on the incredible benefits of meditation and mindfulness, as they feel unable to, or do not enjoy meditating. Watching these videos enables them to find a calming  focus without even ‘trying’.”

The app includes a healing platform and enhancement tips and techniques. The healing platform encourages the “parasympathetic nervous system” our “rest and repair” response and encourages users to achieve balance to aid in healing. The enhancement part of the app includes tips and techniques to help users with things such as; work stress, family conflict, and overall positivity, allowing broader perspectives enabling more clarity and understanding. An additional goal of the app is to help users find answers from themselves without waiting for their environment to change. 

Emily added:  “I am really proud of this app as it provides an opportunity for human beings to understand and feel the power they have in themselves to heal and help them live this physical existence with all the challenges and difficulties that they face. It is simple for people to use – they watch the videos and feel their energy change. When we understand how our energy can change with our focus we then encourage that to be a way of living. I want to get it on business portals, in schools and community centres, and for it to be available in doctor’s waiting rooms, there is such huge potential for helping people feel better in everyday environments.”

“The app is going to show you that you’re not in the abyss, you don’t have to spiral down and cover everything up and pretend. The app is the helping hand pulling you back from where you seem to be stuck. It enhances the amazingness you have within you, and supports you in finding yourself.”

Emily’s journey like many has had its rollercoaster of ups and downs. With complex emotions and life changing trauma mixed through it. With negative emotions of guilt, shame, sadness, and anger, living in ‘stress response’ of fight, flight and freeze for most of her adult life and with challenges around her, she found the strength within her to get through.

Emily, who was married at 23, faced numerous challenges, and she knows what it’s like to have to dig deep to find strength when you are faced with life’s challenges.  Emily said: “With 3 children and my youngest just 22 months, my husband had a brain abscess, just after his 40th birthday. He was in hospital for 6 months, and had to learn to talk and walk again. As we had just moved, I had a new job, no family locally, no further support financially, and a Mortgage to cover. I was a childminder and cleaner so I could be with my children, but I had to find something else to help pay the bills. I became a support worker for Headway, worked at pre-school and helped run it for a while… then started training as a massage therapist (so I could find a career to do around husband and children). I then became a support assistant in Acquired Brain injury Education service and trained as an adult tutor, and became a day centre coordinator for a local mental health charity. We did have to downsize to help financially and then I focused on becoming a full-time massage therapist, and I created a wonderful business I loved.”

Supporting individuals as they come up against obstacles or challenges themselves, Emily comes from a place of compassion, a place of knowing that she will never fully understand anyone else’s journey from their perspective but she encourages them to see new perspectives, bringing a new way of enabling them to carry on forward, not constantly feeding the negative narrative they or others are telling them. Emily wants people to understand that they do not have to get to the bottom before they start feeling the strength they have in themselves. 

During the pandemic, Emily started her journey to awakening, working more spiritually and ultimately found balance and inner peace. She now aims to share her message with others and help them find the strength within. She says: “I became a 5th Dimension Energy Healer and created my first app Igniting intention.  So much made sense to me about the skills I had that I could share to help others. Now, the ‘Me Helping Me’ app is an extension of this, that shows others we have it all within us to heal – and thrive.” 

Throughout her career Emily has helped many people cope with depression and life changing events. With the app her support can now have an even bigger impact. In feeling better we have so much more capability to heal and to thrive. In a place of overwhelm, depression and sadness we can feel so stuck, we don’t need more challenge we need more balance, equilibrium and harmony, Emily’s app possesses videos that have the energies weaved within them. The imagery and words will encourage those energies to ‘ignite’ within the watcher, enabling a peacefulness, a calm and thereby allowing a broader perspective, more insight, more clarity because you have interrupted the ‘stress response’ and your body and your mind can process and function better.  

“My job is to help people feel better, whether it is physically, emotionally or mentally. I see people 121 or in small groups. The app will enable me to be accessed energetically through the app all around the world.” 

“We have this ability to find strength within us when things become difficult but I am wanting people to understand they have this Strength, this Love, this Hope, this Truth and Trust within themselves always. I want them to start using it in their everyday to find the inspiration and understanding to be able to use the perspectives that enables them to move forward. I have seen family, friends, community and those in the workplace cope with depression, massive life changing events and managed to help them to help themselves. This app can do that for millions.”

“As I journeyed through my own challenges, I discovered the incredible power we all possess to heal and find harmony within. ‘Me Helping Me’ is a reflection of that discovery, a tool to help individuals connect with their inner strength and resilience.” 

“I have grown in so many ways and I will continue to do so, who knows where this will take me, I’m not stopping anytime soon. I am on the most wonderful journey living this physical existence as an energetic human. I know this physical part is for a ‘blink of an eye’ so I am going to try and make it the best it can be and help others see and feel this on their journey, in whatever capacity I can.”

You can follow Emily’s journey via: https://www.instagram.com/mehelpingmeapp/

And you can find the App Here:

https://apps.apple.com/us/app/me-helping-me/id6444574255?platform=iphone

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.p46b373e2590.www

https://www.mehelpingme.com/

The post Your Path to Stress and Anxiety Relief: Entrepreneurial  Healer Launches Stress Relief App, To Enable Inner Harmony in Minutes appeared first on Wellbeing Magazine.

1.Take a Walk 

One of the best ways to clear your mind and relieve feelings of stress or anxiety is by taking a walk. Additionally, spending time outside is linked to decreased rates of stress and anxiety, and can actually act as a natural mood booster. If you’re able to walk to and from work, doing so could allow you to unwind and relieve stress on your nightly commute. If this isn’t an option, taking time to enjoy a walk around your neighborhood alone or with your family can help improve your mood and provide mental clarity following a long day in the office. 

2.Journal 

Journaling is one of the best tools for stress management, and can help you to process and understand your own emotions especially after a particularly difficult day at work. Journaling by hand or even on your phone is important in maintaining positive mental and emotional health, and can be done in very little time, making it a great tip for those with busy schedules who don’t have much time to decompress or unwind after work. 

3.Call a Friend

Sometimes, venting to a friend or loved one is the best way to relieve stress and elevate your mood, especially after a long or tiring day in the office. Taking the time to call a friend on your commute home from work, while you prepare dinner, or just while you unwind at home can not only help you process your feelings about work, but is likely to put you in a better mood and improve your mental health moving forward.

The post 3 Ways to Relieve Stress After a Long Day at Work  appeared first on Wellbeing Magazine.

Stress is a part of our daily life. In fact, stress episodes are normal, natural, and needed in nature for survival. In dangerous or emergency situations, acute stress allows us to focus and react more efficiently for our safety. However, when these stress signals become commonplace and we experience stress for extended periods throughout each day, it begins to have a negative effect on our well-being. When people are chronically stressed they can experience a variety of physical and mental health problems; from hypertension and heart disease to physiological disorders and physical ailments. Managing your stress in the over-stimulating, over-active world that we live in is a worthy task and essential for maintaining your highest and best self physically, mentally, and emotionally.

As a practicing cosmetic and general dentist, I see the signs of stress in people’s teeth on a daily basis. Clenching and grinding are usually indicative of stress and can be seen as wear on a patient’s teeth or cracks and chips on the patient’s teeth. These patients will often also have TMJ disease and pain and soreness in their jaw, shoulders, temples, and ears. Stress and TMJ often work together where there is an underlying issue with the joint or bite, but it is the stress that the patient is constantly under that is the underlying trigger. It is as if you had one leg slightly shorter than the other; if you are only walking about your day this slight deviation may never cause a problem, but if you were to start running several miles a day, the difference in length would cause all sorts of pain in your back and knees because you are putting stress on the uneven system. 

When we see these symptoms in our patients, the first thing we always want to do is to try and fix the underlying stress issue. Lifestyle changes, such as getting more sleep, meditating, exercising daily, drinking enough water, and limiting caffeine and alcohol intake, can all drastically help lower your stress levels. If these changes are implemented and yet, they are still experiencing too much stress, we often will next recommend that the patient look into therapy or consult a psychologist. While we would prefer to manage stress holistically, without medication, it is sometimes a very viable method that often isn’t explored enough because of the stigma behind it. We are strong believers that everyone could benefit from therapy and that psychiatry is a very good option for certain individuals. 

Along with managing the patients’ stress levels, we want to protect our patients’ teeth and jaw by balancing the bite. Our first step is to make our patients a custom orthotic appliance and give them physical therapy exercises to help mitigate the TMJ symptoms. This is analogous to giving the runner a shoe that is slightly taller than the other so that when they run they are running on legs that are the same length. This is a very non-invasive first step that can provide the patient with a lot of relief. They will often experience much more relaxation in their jaw and shoulders which, by itself will help the patient experience less stress.

Whether through your dentist, another health professional, or other home remedies, it is important to take the first step towards lowering your stress levels and protecting your body and teeth from the effects of stress. Chronic stress is too often ignored and normalized when it should be managed to improve your overall health and quality of life. Kick the stress and find your smile again.

Jason B. Cellars, D.D.S., Seacliff Dental: Dr. Cellars is dedicated to serving his patients and caring for all their individual needs. He is committed to providing excellent and comprehensive dentistry and takes pride in getting to know each of his patients individually to tailor his treatment to their specific needs. He believes in minimally invasive dentistry and emphasizes preventative care to minimize the amount of treatment that his patients need.

The post How Chronic Stress Can Impact Your Smile appeared first on Wellbeing Magazine.

The freeze response is exactly what it sounds like. You become immobile and unable to say anything due to fear. According to an article in Healthline, “The freeze response serves as a stalling tactic. Your brain presses the pause button but remains hypervigilant, waiting and watching carefully until it can determine whether fleeing or fighting offers a better route to safety.

Do you freeze up when your partner uses a different tone of voice or looks at you a certain way, even if they’re not angry? Do you lose your ability to speak and stare out blankly as if you’ve just left your own body? Learning how to stop freezing up is something that plagues a lot of people who’ve experienced trauma. It’s a primal response that’s automatically carried out by the nervous system to protect itself. It can be very difficult to break the pattern.

You may beat yourself up for reacting in such an “odd” way, but this is not your fault – nor is it uncommon. It is a behavior that’s become hardwired due to past trauma – and it is out of your mind’s control. It’s activated within your nervous system whenever your body is subtly reminded of past trauma. The non-verbal part of your brain essentially “tells” your body, “Remember when your father raised his voice? Your mom got seriously hurt. Let’s get out of here NOW!”

In this instance, your partner’s tone of voice reminds you of how your father was abusive towards your mother. Then, within a split second, this sequence of events occurs:

1. Your amygdala (brain’s fear center) becomes activated and triggers the nervous system to react in Fight, Flight, Freeze or Shutdown.
2. Your Hippocampus (distinguishes past events from current reality) becomes virtually useless.
3. Your Prefrontal Cortex (higher brain that governs verbal language and logic) desperately tries but fails to convince you that this is your loving partner, NOT your father.
4. BAM! You’re frozen.

Nothing you tell yourself in this moment can stop your body from freezing up, even though you know in your mind that your partner is different – they’re amazing and they would never intend to maliciously hurt you. Yet all it takes is a subtle trauma trigger to go into freeze mode, which can make it feel impossible to change this old pattern. However, you can rewire your trauma reactions and become in command of your nervous system and body’s behaviors.

Become Aware of Your Specific Pattern

Some people freeze up and stand there without saying anything until they finally “come back.” They may not even remember what just happened in the moment of conflict with their partners. Some isolate in bed for days feeling completely fatigued or sick after they freeze up. Others snap back into the moment quickly and proceed into a fight response, in which they explode into a yelling rage, or a flight response to escape the situation as quickly as possible. Everyone responds in their own unique way depending on the specific trauma they’re storing in their bodies. Let’s dig a little deeper and see what’s going on for you.

List Your Events and Triggers

Three words: Get. Really. Specific.

My client Zoe’s partner asked her to prepare dinner when he worked late at night. He communicated that this would be really helpful for him to get to sleep earlier. Zoe was happy to do this for him when she was free, but one night, she didn’t follow through.

When he used a frustrated tone of voice to express his disappointment, she immediately froze up and didn’t say anything. He became more agitated as he tried to discuss this with her and she continued to just stood there (she noted that his agitation was never abusive).

When we explored this in session, we pinpointed that Zoe froze up every time her partner’s face hardened, and his tone was more assertive. Even if he practiced the kind words that they discussed in couples therapy, she was already frozen as soon as she noticed these changes in his expressions.

What specifically makes you freeze up? It’s important to understand the first signs that trigger you into a freeze response before you can change it.

Understand the Root Cause

Many people try to understand their unhealthy patterns by talking about it, thinking it through, and other mind-based techniques. But they never fully understand what they need to know in order to stop freezing up. That’s because the freeze response is a very physical behavior that occurs in the body. You can only access the deepest root cause through techniques that connect you to the wisdom of your body.

Back to Zoe. What she really wanted to say to her partner was, “The kids were so difficult this evening. It took all my energy to get them to listen and calm down. I felt so drained, and time slipped away. I’m really sorry, I should’ve been more aware and communicated that I wasn’t going to be able to do it.”

The mere thought of speaking up to her partner triggered extreme anxiety. This signaled to me that her brain and body were not able to distinguish the imagined scenario (where she could speak up to him) from the reality of the present moment (where she was safe in session with me).

When she talked about asserting her needs, her body seemed to get pulled back into the trauma of her father being abusive whenever her mom tried to speak up. Instead of letting her body get warped into an old memory, I guided her to explore her anxiety through a gentle and safe process. By exploring this in her body, we opened up the opportunity for her to become more in command of her body’s response rather than dissociate, become numb, or escape.

Movement Was the Key

We tried a movement “experiment” together:

“You’re going to come up with different movements and I’m going to purposely not follow you.” I explained. She nodded.

I added, “Your job is to tell me how to change what I’m doing in order to mirror your movements accurately. Then we’ll switch roles and try it the other way around.”

When it was my turn to lead, I had to speak up and tell Zoe how to change her movements to match mine. She did the same when it was her turn to lead. Essentially, we had a conversion through both our bodies and our words that said, “This is how I’m expressing myself, and here’s how you can listen to me and see me better.”

Zoe gave me directions with no hesitation at all. She appeared to be very calm and confident while being assertive with me.From the outside, she seemed to be completely in her comfort zone.

The twist? She confessed that she was freaking out on the inside the entire time.This was her norm. She appeared calm and cool on the outside, but on the inside, her anxiety escalated so much, and she became highly stressed.  This often flung her nervous system into a freeze response because it was all too much to handle.

The Power to Change Your Response

Once you pinpoint how your freeze response begins – whether it’s small bits of stress that add up over time or huge bursts of fear that happen all at once – you have the information you need in order to change it.

In our session, Zoe’s movement experience revealed how often she ignored her own body’s stress signals to avoid negative feelings and conflict with her partner. Finally, we were in a position to rewire this pattern together in session before it happened again in real life.

“Let’s go back and do it again,” I said, guiding us back into our movement experiment. Except this time, I’d like for you to tell me the instant you start to feel anxious inside your body, even if it’s not obvious from the outside.” She agreed.

We initially did this in short spurts to avoid overwhelming her nervous system. Pushing her too far, too fast would be counterproductive, as the point of the intervention was to strengthen her nervous system and expand her window of tolerance to stop reacting with a freeze response.

By the end of the session, Zoe told me exactly how to mirror her movements, exactly the way she wanted, without feeling any fear. It primed her body to be ready and be assertive with her partner the next time they got into conflict.

This was already so much more effective than the years of couples therapy they had tried, in which she constantly talked about how she wanted to stop freezing up but could never physically do it.

Is Your Nervous System Ready to Rewire?

Neurophysiologically speaking, Zoe was not any more capable of healing than you are. But she was ready. Therefore, the big question shouldn’t be, “Am I capable of healing in a way that really lasts?” The question needs to be, “Am I ready for it?” Because you, as a human being with a nervous system, are completely capable of rewiring and healing in a way that truly lasts.

###

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Orit Krug is an award-winning Board-Certified Dance/Movement Therapist. Ms. Krug specializes in helping individuals & couples heal from past trauma and enjoy healthy lifelong relationships using her unique approach with Dance/Movement Therapy. For more information,visit here.

The post Fight or flight, make room for another stress response: Freeze appeared first on Wellbeing Magazine.

With this awareness, every individual has a better chance of working on these problems to improve their mental health and well-being. From various professional therapy sessions to self-awareness training, there are numerous ways one can work on improving their overall well-being.

One popular method of treatment that has recently risen to popularity and stands out amongst the rest is hypnotherapy.

With places such as Susannah Saunders Hypnotherapy And Coaching offering bespoke treatments involving hypnotherapy, you can work on various issues from anxiety and insomnia to chronic pain and skin conditions.

However, due to the lack of awareness about how the process works, many people don’t fully understand how they can leverage the treatment for improving their mental health and well-being.

With this in mind, if this problem is something you’re facing as well, we’ve got just the thing for you. We’ve put together a list of the different benefits that hypnotherapy Caulfield and other centres can help an individual with.

So without further ado, let’s take a look!

1.Helps With Anxiety And Stress

Nearly more than half of the population in the world suffer from anxiety and stress making them more common than any other problem in the world. While there are many medications and other ways to tackle them, very few things work as effectively.

Here’s where hypnotherapy comes in.

Hypnotherapy involves getting into a trance-like state while also being hyper-focused. In this state, people are more open to being vulnerable and susceptible to opening up and feeling relaxed. In a state of anxiety or stress, people bottle up their emotions and don’t open up quite as easily.

With hypnotherapy, any negative thought patterns that occur due to stress can be removed. This treatment allows you to change how you deal with such situations and helps you change your way of approaching something stressful.

2.Tackles Insomnia And Other Sleeping Issues

A person struggling with sleepwalking or simply failing at falling asleep easily can also be treated through hypnotherapy.

Since there may be certain triggers that are impacted by any stress you may be feeling, you might not be able to sleep easily or may struggle with sleepwalking. Overcoming this through bespoke treatment helps rid yourself of these triggers to have a sound night of sleep.

With hypnotherapy, you learn techniques and productivity tools that help you handle and understand your behaviour, thoughts, and feelings better, to find ways to change your approach and move away from negative thinking.

Any negative emotions, including anxious thoughts that may plague your mind or stress you out while you attempt to sleep, can thus be taken care of

Moreover, your therapist can work with you to learn self-hypnosis techniques that will help you improve your sleeping patterns to have a restful night.

3.Can Help Overcome Addictions

From substance abuse to smoking, hypnotherapy can help you overcome whatever addictions you may be facing. Since dealing with addictions is no easy task, leaving them may take a long time unless you don’t have the motivation and willpower in you.

Hypnotherapy essentially aims at changing your thought process and feelings to a more positive approach, the tools and techniques used can also help you deal with addictions. Be the best hypnotherapist in London or any other city, you’re guaranteed good results when you work with a professional who can help you deal with the different problems you may be facing.

Moreover, with this approach, any other side effects of the addiction you may be facing can also be dealt with during your bespoke or online hypnotherapy session. The state of hypnosis can lead you to a state of vulnerability in which you can get to the root cause of the problem and whatever obstacles you face in overcoming it.

To Sum Up

Hypnotherapy whilst fairly popular amongst many is still a treatment method that many do not know about. From improving physical ailments and chronic pain to tackling negative emotions for better mental health, it has several advantages that it brings about to change your life for the better. If you’re interested in exploring this treatment method, consider reaching out to a hypnotherapist in such as leading hypnotherapist Manchester.

Finding the right hypnotherapist thus becomes key in helping you overcome whatever problems you may be facing for better well-being. While you’re on the lookout for this, make sure to work with someone with experience to ensure that you entrust yourself to the right person.

Additionally, if this is something you’re still sceptical about, try to keep an open mind and see how the treatment works for yourself. You’ll definitely see positive changes and a difference in the way you feel about yourself.

The post 3 Benefits Of Hypnotherapy For Mental Health And Well-Being appeared first on Wellbeing Magazine.