Berkeley Stress Management Help
Chronic or frequent stress
Chronic or frequent stress can feel like you’re addicted to being busy. There’s always something that needs to be done, or a situation that challenges you and won’t let you go. You go from one concern or task to another and feel that there’s no time to stop or slow down. This is a problem that seems to go along with our fast-paced, competitive culture.
Getting Off the Treadmill of Stress
The truth is, though, that there is a way to get off the treadmill. Together we can look at what thoughts drive your activity or your concern. Bringing awareness to your thoughts is the beginning of the end of stress.
We can also look at the requirements and responsibilities of your life and place them in a hierarchy of importance. Sometimes things that you may believe are your responsibility, when explored, turn out to be self-appointed jobs that may not even be your own. You may believe that if you are not doing a superhuman job, you are failing somehow. This is where feeling like a workaholic can come in, and also, if you’re a woman, you may be one of those women who do too much. In this process of exploration, you can learn to understand when your urge to do something comes out of necessity, and when it comes out of a belief that you are not allowed to refuse a request for a favor, or that if you slow down or relax, your life, your bank account, your family and even the planet could fall apart. Usually, there are many alternatives to these kind of fearful expectations, and when we explore them together, they become more obvious and appealing.
You may be surprised to find your “to do” list shrinking, and in its place, you may find time to play, relax, or do the things that inspire you.
Mindfulness-based Stress Reduction
If you are interested, through a simple process called mindfulness-based stress reduction you can learn basic techniques which automatically lessen stress. By becoming more aware of what you are doing, thinking and feeling in each moment--even basic things like noticing your breath--you can begin to take charge of your life in a new way--one that creates relaxation, a clear mind and more space in your life and your heart. Research has shown that this kind of simple awareness actually makes people more relaxed, efficient, and physically healthy. Because of its effectiveness many companies are now embracing this practice.
To find out more about this process, or to begin to explore how to get off the treadmill of stress, please feel free to call for a free 30-minute consultation either at my office or by phone. I am happy to explore this with you. You can reach me at (510)540-0813, e-mail me at ninashilling@msn.com or simply click here.
Specialites
About Nina
Nina Shilling provides warm, nurturing therapy to individuals and couples. She welcomes spiritual inquiry and is LGBT friendly. Her office is near the Downtown Berkeley Bart station and all major freeways.