Tag: Stress Management

Question and Answer: Anxiety Disorder

Q: I feel “keyed up”, can’t relax and worry constantly, about everything. I’m exhausted from worrying! Please help.

A: You don’t need to suffer with this alone. It’s possible that you have an anxiety disorder. In any given year, 18% of the adult population has an anxiety disorder, which includes generalized anxiety disorder, post traumatic stress disorder, and obsessive compulsive disorder. There are many things that can help relieve your symptoms: exercise, stress reduction, guided imagery, deep breathing, journaling, changing your thoughts, talk therapy and medications. Changing how we think will help change how we feel! But we have to work at it and be consistent. If you don’t find relief on your own, seeking out a therapist can help.

Research update:

Workers antsy as morale plunges
March 28, 2011, USA TODAY
Employee loyalty is at a three-year low, but many employers are precariously unaware of the morale meltdown, according to a study out today.

Stress may alter gut bacteria to hinder immune system
March 25, 2011, U.S. News & World Report
By changing bacteria levels in gut, stress may cause changes in physiological function, study finds.

Can prayer control anger?
March 23, 2011, MSNBC
Praying may help ease anger, lower aggression and lessen the impact of provocation, new research suggests.

Blog Excerpt: Being Alone

I do know people who are afraid of being alone. Sometimes it is just that they are not used to it, and think it will be awful, and other times, it’s that they are afraid, of what, they don’t know, but for some it is because they feel they need the constant validation of another and if they are alone it means no one is thinking of them or caring about them. That almost sounds like attachment issue- where you can’t sustain the emotional attachment feelings if the other is not with you. Remember your love and connections are sustained even if you are apart! Tell yourself if you are afraid to be alone; It is safe for me to be alone. Practicing being alone is helpful. Do some planned activities with yourself (reading, drawing, walking, writing, dancing, etc) , and my guess is that you will find that you do like your own company!
www.devonamarshall@blogspot.com

From the Director:

Our newest therapist, Bill Driscoll LCSW is up and running and doing great! If you would like an appointment with him, please call or email the clinic. Many people utilize their insurance benefits for counseling, but the insurance maze can be difficult to maneuver, even for me who has been in the field over 10 years. The good news about insurance is that most insurances have to provide “mental health parity”, which basically means that if medically necessary, insurance companies cannot limit sessions, and they must cover mental health issues at the same level as they cover physical concerns. Our clinic will check your benefits before your initial session if requested. We believe everyone should have access to care and it shouldn’t be that difficult to accomplish!
Devona Marshall

 

Question and Answer.
I feel so stressed out and irritable all the time! What are some ways I can get a handle of this?

First off, good job recognizing that something needs to change! There are many reasons why we feel a lot of stress and many ways to make changes in our stress level. First off, try and identify which areas of your life cause the most stress (work, family, finances, physical health, etc) and then deal with each area individually. For example, if getting the kids off to school is a very difficult part of your day, there are organizational things you can do to make it easier, the same with supper time, or with taking better care of yourself. Getting more organized will help enormously on your stress level.

Next, there are some general stress reduction tips that work for many of us. How we label an event or situation greatly contributes to how we feel about it- so putting things in a more positive light helps us to feel better about it (reframing). Get support- our relationships are important, and nourishing those relationships is a huge stress reducer (as long as the relationships are conflict ridden). Physical activity is important for reducing stress so make time to take a walk, ride a bike, or do yoga. Particularly doing an activity in nature is even more healing. Touching is a big stress reducer for me- hugging or holding hands with my husband almost always brings my stress down a few notches. Reduce your internet and TV time- these can be huge time wasters. Don’t cut them out because a certain level is fun and stress reducing, but watching/surfing too much causes our stress to rise. And finally, don’t beat yourself up! Be gentle and encouraging with yourself and you will find that will translate to other relationships also.

Excerpt from blog Mindful Living: Self Esteem

What is self esteem? It seems like a not so well defined word that we use a lot in daily life. I see many people who think they do not have high self esteem, and it always takes some digging to find out what that means to them.

How I define self esteem is this sturdiness inside, and a love for ourselves on a deep level, even with our imperfections. It’s the sense that we know we are OK. The most beautiful part of knowing that we are OK, is that others are OK then too- and that is very powerful for relationships and healing. www.devonamarshall@blogspot.com

Kettle Moraine Counseling has openings for clients! And we can usually get people in that day or the following day. We take most insurance, and also, work out payment arrangements when needed.

Research:

Chronic Stress Linked to Obesity; September 5, 2010, PsychCentral : Everyday stress can cause metabolic changes that, in the long run, contribute to obesity.

We are happy to announce 2 new therapists joining us!

Deb Graf sees children, adolescents, adults and couples and she comes with many years of experience as a teacher. One of Deb’s specialties is working with children who have experienced trauma or have attachment issues.

Layne Sampson is another new therapist who is energetic, accepting of others and very skilled. She sees adolescents, adults and couples and one of her specialties is intimacy/couples issues. Layne is also working on becoming a yoga instructor!

Kettle Moraine Counseling now has a play therapy room (pictures coming soon)! It’s a wonderful, safe place for children to explore, heal and express themselves.