Classes for Stress Reduction

Are you experiencing emotional or physical discomfort? Do you often or always feel rushed? Do you worry a lot? Do you feel “on edge” or ready to “snap?” Are you more tired than you should be? Do you have frequent tensions in certain parts of your body? Do you avoid feeling the emotions that come up during your day? Do you worry about how much stress you have in your life!?

If yes to any of the above, stress reduction classes can help relieve your pain and suffering, and bring peace and wellbeing into your life. In these classes I help you identify the causes of stress in your life and teach you practical and effective strategies to reduce stress.

Stress can cause headaches, impaired memory, a weakened immune system, high blood pressure, heart disease, stomach ulcers, stress-related gastrointestinal problems, other digestive difficulties, skin problems, sleep disorders, chronic pain, anxiety, panic and. You might have emotional problems like depression, anxiety, or a sense of hopelessness or despair due to stress.

We will work to understand the long-term consequences of stress in your life, the most serious sources of short-term stress. We will learn to make use of all of the stress reducing resources available to you, discover stress management techniques that will best help you and create a plan to manage your stress.

Why reduce stress? Humans have evolved with an unnatural tendency to experience the flight or fight stress response. Our ancestors needed stress so that they could chase down their meals or escape threats from their environments. Unfortunately, we still have the stress without the proper means to release it. This stress response leads to the release of chemicals that increased heart rate, blood pressure, muscle tension, and respiration rate. By providing increased strength, agility, and stamina at critical moments, the stress response plays a valuable role in maintaining our survival. However, the “stress response” is the same whether the threat is physical or emotional, real or imagined. In today’s high pressure, achievement oriented society the stress response can be triggered almost continuously. Other conditions such as chronic physical and/or emotional pain can also over activate the stress response.

Reducing stress brings many benefits including improved focus, unity of mind and body, reducing excess arousal and emotional reactivity, calmness, clear thinking, confidence, being comfortable and focused on what you are doing which leads to increased enjoyment of all your activities. And attending this course can help you maintain your practice of stress reduction techniques and help integrate the tools and make practicing stress reduction part of your daily life.

HeartMath is one tool we’ll use to put stress in its place. Come to this class, and become familiar with the causes of stress in your life. Learn practical and effective strategies on how to live a more balanced, healthy, happy and joyful life. The class will include a community of participants that come together for a single all-day class, a 2-day class, or an ongoing series of classes.

Stress Reduction Classes are one of many Healing Services that can be used in Family Counseling and Individual Counseling.