Stress, Pressure & Overwhelm

Photo by Djim Loic on Unsplash

Stress, Pressure & Overwhelm

Photo by Djim Loic on Unsplash

The word stress was once more commonly used to describe pressure on objects and materials to understand what loads things could take before breaking. I think that is very much how we use the word to describe ourselves today; under pressure from something external.gative impact on our ability to get by socially.

Some people truly strive on stress and find that they achieve much better results under pressure, but usually only up to a point. We all have our own Window of Tolerance which is where we can successfully function. Too much arousal such as trauma can push us above our WoT into hyperarousal, a state of increased psychological and physiological tension marked by such effects as reduced pain tolerance, anxietyexaggerated startle responses, insomnia, fatigue. Too little arousal and we can go below our WoT into hypoarousal; less alert, reduced emotional and cognitive capacity, and less motor control.

Counselling - Stress Window of Tolerance

Although stress is not an illness it can be a factor in a great number of physical illnesses and can have a large impact on our mental well-being and affect our sleeping and eating patterns and many sufferers experience anxiety, panic attacks and sometimes depression.

Although we usually think of stress as being caused by an external pressure a great deal of pressure can seem to come from outside when it actually comes from within “I must meet my sales target or I won’t get that bonus!” or “I have to get this absolutely perfect otherwise no-one will like it”.

How can counselling help?

Stress can often be difficult to talk about with family, friends and peers. Sometimes it can be those very people who don’t understand or who are the source of stress in the first place. Counselling can provide a safe place for you to talk without judgement and to understand how you can best look after yourself.

Counselling can help with stress by understanding why we often put ourselves under unnecessary pressure and also by looking at the methods we have learned through life for coping with external pressures.

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Decision-making - counselling

Everything has a price. The subtle art of decision making.

Maybe you’re ready to make that big decision, or multiple decisions. Maybe you’re clinging awkwardly to the barbed wire of that fence. Maybe you understand why you’re choosing to stay where you are. What ever the case it could be time to stop facing your desire to make change alone.

Pull-Yourself-Together - Counselling

‘Pull Yourself Together’ – Kinder words than you think?

Breathing techniques are the easy bit. If the source or cause of your distress or unhelpful behaviour feels bigger than your capacity to make change, then counselling can help.

The love trap - Ben Wrigley

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Unconditional love is something we all crave and we have all craved since we were babies and guess what, we do actually deserve it

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Who needs feelings anyway?

Living life without feelings is surely not living life to the full, it’s like blurred vision, muffled sound or numb touching.

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And … How are you?

This time of year can be really hard for so many of us and for so many reasons. Counselling can be a helpful space for you to be what you need to be.

Anxious Child - Counselling

The Anxious Child

Take a breath dear superhero. We live in a world where we have forgotten how to model calm.

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Can you take advice from yourself?

In counselling there can be many exercises that help us to become aware of how we keep ourselves in places we don’t actually want to be. The process of speaking these things out loud to another person, to be shared and understood together, can dramatically change our perspective.

river or dam- counselling

Are you the River or the Dam?

Counselling can help you find and uncover and understand your dams and help you to re-identify with yourself while you decide if you wish to remove them. Is it time to talk?

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Counselling is a place you can explore the defences you have spent many years developing and honing. They were your friend once, without a doubt. Are they still helping you now?

Men Stress - counselling

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In counselling you will not be judged for expressing what you are really feeling, you will not be doubted. We are interested less in the facts of what you need to achieve, than how you are affected by the expectations. It is an opportunity to talk freely and explore any options you may have.

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