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Journey Well, LLC
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The terms "anxiety" and "stress" are often used interchangeably, but do not necessarily mean the same thing.
Stress and Stress Management
Generally, stress is defined as "an organism's total response to environmental demands or pressures" or an "organism's way of responding to challenges". It is a very natural reaction that includes physiological, psychological, and behavioral components. The Mayo Clinic notes the following common signs and symptoms of stress:
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Physical:
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Psychological:
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Behavioral:
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All of us -- children, teenagers, adults -- experience stress at times throughout our lives when we face certain demands or pressures, when we feel uncertain about situations or events, or when we question our ability to make healthy decisions. When we are able to manage it adequately, stress does not significantly impact our daily functioning -- though we feel "stressed out", we are still able to be productive at school or work, be engaged in activities with friends and family, and believe that we will get through the stressful period.
If it becomes too overwhelming or we are unable to adequately manage it, stress can cause us to have difficulties at school, work, and/or home. Those signs and symptoms listed above occur more frequently or become more intense, leading us to feel less capable than we typically feel. When we experience a high level of stress, we may have trouble believing that we will get through it. This is when it is important to "rally the troops" -- call on the people in your life who are caring, understanding, and supportive. Engaging in healthy and enjoyable activities, like exercise, sports, creative arts, meditation, yoga, Tai Chi, spending more time with positive people, can help us to alleviate some of the stress, get grounded and refreshed, and feel more prepared to handle life's challenges.
If we find that these things are not enough, we can seek assistance from a mental health professional. As a counselor, I work with children, teens, and adults by providing support and helping them to develop more effective strategies for managing stress and restoring their confidence, enjoyment, and productivity.
Anxiety and Anxiety Disorders
While having the same physical, psychological, and behavioral signs and symptoms as stress noted above, anxiety is an emotional state that also typically involves an intense sense of inner turmoil, distress, and/or dread. Anxiety can take the form of excessive worrying about any or all aspects of one's life, it can include extreme fear about certain situations, animals, or objects, and it can include a sense of feeling unsafe. Every day can be a struggle for a person with anxiety and they often feel uncomfortable in their own skin. When experiencing anxiety, a person might feel unable to control behaviors such as pacing, biting their finger nails, or rocking. There are times when feeling anxious is an understandable and natural reaction; it becomes problematic when the anxious thoughts and feelings are out of proportion to the situation, event, or object that provoked them. It is also problematic if the intensity and/or frequency of anxiety symptoms are interfering with our abilities at work or school, our relationships, and our enjoyment of life.
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Anxiety can look different in men compared to women and different in children compared to adults. There are different types of anxiety and different types of Anxiety Disorders. My approach to addressing anxiety varies, depending upon the specific symptoms and difficulties an individual is experiencing. I provide a safe space in which all of the thoughts and emotions that accompany anxiety can be openly explored. I utilize psychoeducation to help a person gain a better understanding of anxiety and their symptoms. Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy techniques assist a person in recognizing the beliefs and thoughts that contribute to their anxiety and ways to challenge and modify those beliefs and thoughts. Developing strategies for relaxing the mind and body and increasing one's ability to cope with anxiety triggers can involve a variety of methods - we work together to discover the best ones. |
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If you are concerned that the level of stress or anxiety your or your child/teen is experiencing is creating problems in your life, please contact me at 513-445-9959 or via my Contact Form and we can discuss how counseling could help.
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