Sometimes clients may feel hopeless in managing their stress levels. They may have longer than desired work hours, too many chores to complete, and not enough leisure time. In therapy, I help clients manage stress by first gaining insight into the cause of stress. Understanding where the stress comes from assists with acknowledging the factors that maintain stress.
I also help clients acknowledge their role in the maintenance of stress in order to gain control over their lives and prevent further feelings of burnout and exhaustion. Although some stressors in life are inevitable, such as deadlines and bills, therapy involves focusing on some of the thoughts and emotions that exacerbate feelings of stress in response to life demands. We also engage in problem solving strategies largely through solution focused and cognitive behavioural approaches to determine stressors that are controllable, even though clients may initially anticipate no factors to be within their control.
After working through a range of possibilities to improve wellbeing clients often gain awareness of the resources that they have in order to cope with life demands.
