If you feel you are in crisis and want to speak to someone quickly you can ring the Samaritans on 116 123 (24 hours a day)
If you are suffering from the affects of stress and want to do something about it now, I will work alongside you to to suit your individual needs, types of issues and what you wish to achieve.
Stress is inevitable for you as a human being making sense of a complex, ever changing world and the effects of stress can be confusing; sometimes terrifying and debilitating.
I will work with you to explore the issues that are causing you stress, give you space and feedback to help you to gain insight and help you to manage the symptoms you experience and find solutions.
You can contact me or come for an appointment to discuss any questions you may have and how we might work together before you make any decision to continue.
Some clients have found as part of our work together Mindfulness, Relaxation and de-stressing techniques useful. You may find your energy, concentration and tolerance is lessened when you feel stressed and would benefit when guided and supported by the energy and skill of a therapist. You may also chose to learn some valuable techniques to do yourself and use in between sessions and in your life generally.
These could include Counselling and Psychotherapy to identify and explore areas of difficulty and patterns of thought, feeling and behaviour which may be a factor and might include : Mindfullness; thought observation, relaxation exercises, guided visualisation, Meditation and Mindfulness. I have on line resources I can recommend for use in your own time.
No problem is too big or small and some of the issues that I work with are:-
Relaxation Techniques
You can find many exercises to manage stress and anxiety and its effects on line. I can recommend those you can access in your own time. Let go of expectations of the exercise or of yourself ; just by slowing down, giving yourself this time is beneficial for your mind and body. This time is Your time - a short time with Nothing else to do and Nowhere else to go.
The ideas below just two examples to try; you can do them as long as suits you and you can learn to do yourself.
At times, however when you are feeling particularly tense and anxious it can help having someone there to guide and support you. Whether certain techniques are useful depends on you as an individual, your issue and circumstances. For you it maybe that a combination of relaxation and increased physical activity is appropriate. Counselling and Psychotherapy will give you a confidential non judgemental place to work out what is causing you difficulty and help you to make long term changes to identify stressors in your life and ways and practice in session to manage them.
Please do contact me to discuss what would be useful to you - in the meantime here are two exercises for you to try though you might find you benefit more from someone reading the instructions so you can relax into the experience. The symptoms of stress often leave you feeling alone and can be distressing - don't stay on your own with them - do contact me for an initial hour appointment .
Exercise One - Gentle relaxation and breathing exercise - Try sitting supported by a chair or lying still .. Gently close your eyes and just notice the movement in your body with each in and out breath. Continue for as long as you have the time. Adjust your position for comfort as and when you choose.
Gently, take four steady breaths in through the nose, and out through the mouth. Do this for three minutes and then return to just noticing the natural unhurried rise and fall of each breath. Have a good stretch and end by opening your eyes when you are ready.
Exercise Two - Thought observation
Go to a comfortable place in your home where you won’t be disturbed. Start
with a series of slow, deep breaths. Keep going with this throughout the exercise.
Imagine your mind is a white room with two doors. Your thoughts come in
through one door and leave out the other door. Pay close attention to each
thought as it enters the room. Now label the thought as either a judging
thought or a non judgemental thought.
Watch the thought until it leaves. Don’t try to make sense of it or hold on to it.
Don’t believe or disbelieve it. Just accept having the thought. It’s just a brief
visitor to the room. If you find that you’re judging yourself for having the
thought then that’s just another thought, just notice that. Don’t argue it. Just
notice it for what it is and label it: “judging – there’s judging.” The key to this
exercise is to notice the judgemental thoughts rather than getting caught up in
them. You’ll know if you are getting caught up in them by your emotional
reactions and by how long you keep each thought in the room.
Keep Breathing. Keep watching. Keep labelling. A thought is just a thought.
Each thought does not require you to react; it doesn’t make you do anything;
it doesn’t mean you are less of a person. Observe your thoughts as if they
were visitors passing in and out of the white room. Let them have their brief
moment on the stage. They’re fine the way they are-including the judging
thoughts and all the other uninvited visitors. The important thing is to let them
leave when they are ready to go and then greet and label the next
thought…..and the next.
Continue this exercise until you sense a real emotional distance from your
thoughts. Wait until even the judgments are just a moment in the room- no
longer important, no longer requiring action. Practise this exercise at least
once a day.
If we do work together I can take you through an exercise that brings together several of the techniques that prove helpful to my clients that takes about 10 minutes. I explain what the exercise may entail so you can ask questions and decide if you think you may benefit. After the exercise we discuss how YOU experienced it; what was helpful or not so helpful . we can do again tailored made to you and you can also then have the option of doing the whole of it or part of it in your own time.
Is stress impacting negatively on you? Would like to have a more relaxed and satisfied life? Are you ready to make those changes now and want support in doing so? Then do contact me.
M 079 69 1111 69
Email - click here to email me
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