Stress ~ The Mind & Body Connection
"If you’re going through hell keep going.” – Winston Churchill
Emotional stress is a major cause of physical illness, from cancer to autoimmune conditions and many other chronic diseases. The brain and body systems that process emotions are intimately connected with the hormonal apparatus, the nervous system, and in particular the immune system. Dr. Maté’s insight into the relationship of the mind and the body are presented in: When The Body Says No, a groundbreaking book published in multiple languages on five continents. ~ Dr Gabor Mate
Stress is a natural physical and mental reaction to life experiences. Everyone expresses stress from time to time. Anything from everyday responsibilities like work and family to serious life events such as a job change, new diagnosis, or the death of a loved one can trigger stress. For immediate, short-term situations, stress can be beneficial. It can help you cope with potentially serious situations. Your body responds to stress by releasing hormones that increase your heart and breathing rates and ready your muscles to respond.
However, if your stress response doesn’t stop firing, and these stress levels stay elevated far longer than is necessary for survival, it can take a toll on your physical and mental health. Chronic stress can cause a variety of symptoms and affect your overall well-being. Symptoms of chronic stress may include:
Sound Familiar?
Sometimes we feel external pressure to succeed or to be perfect, and we do not know how to shift our thinking and beliefs. I’m a therapist who believes we can shift our perceptions by examining those parts of ourselves with compassion and understanding. I specialize in Compassionate Inquiry, a modality that gives you permission to engage your body sensations, emotions and self beliefs - often in less time than other types of therapy.
“Your vision will become clear only when you look into your heart. Who looks outside, dreams. Who looks inside, awakens......Until you make the unconscious conscious, it will direct your life and you will call it fate." ~ Carl Jung
"If you’re going through hell keep going.” – Winston Churchill
Emotional stress is a major cause of physical illness, from cancer to autoimmune conditions and many other chronic diseases. The brain and body systems that process emotions are intimately connected with the hormonal apparatus, the nervous system, and in particular the immune system. Dr. Maté’s insight into the relationship of the mind and the body are presented in: When The Body Says No, a groundbreaking book published in multiple languages on five continents. ~ Dr Gabor Mate
Stress is a natural physical and mental reaction to life experiences. Everyone expresses stress from time to time. Anything from everyday responsibilities like work and family to serious life events such as a job change, new diagnosis, or the death of a loved one can trigger stress. For immediate, short-term situations, stress can be beneficial. It can help you cope with potentially serious situations. Your body responds to stress by releasing hormones that increase your heart and breathing rates and ready your muscles to respond.
However, if your stress response doesn’t stop firing, and these stress levels stay elevated far longer than is necessary for survival, it can take a toll on your physical and mental health. Chronic stress can cause a variety of symptoms and affect your overall well-being. Symptoms of chronic stress may include:
- anxiety
- depression
- headaches
- loss of appetite
- difficulty falling asleep and/or staying asleep
- muscle tension - how tight are those poor shoulders of yours?
- shortness of temper - maybe you’re feeling really snappy lately?
- inability to focus on tasks or the positive things in your life
Sound Familiar?
Sometimes we feel external pressure to succeed or to be perfect, and we do not know how to shift our thinking and beliefs. I’m a therapist who believes we can shift our perceptions by examining those parts of ourselves with compassion and understanding. I specialize in Compassionate Inquiry, a modality that gives you permission to engage your body sensations, emotions and self beliefs - often in less time than other types of therapy.
“Your vision will become clear only when you look into your heart. Who looks outside, dreams. Who looks inside, awakens......Until you make the unconscious conscious, it will direct your life and you will call it fate." ~ Carl Jung