Managing Stress
We humans are biologically and evolutionarily designed to cope with short, sharp periods of stress. Chronic stress however is a very different beast and can have serious and deleterious impacts on our health. Many illness processes have roots in or are exacerbated by chronic stress. Finding positive ways to mange and reduce stress in our lives is an absolutely vital component of healthy living endeavours. Like most health care planning , effective stress mitigating plans need to be highly personalised. In addition to a movement, mindfulness and meditation practice, finding ways to reconnect with nature, with loved ones and with ourselves are important considerations. Carving out time for creativity, learning simply for interests sake and pleasure should all be prioritised, even if just in very small pockets of time across the day or week.
Contemplating and re-working priorities, living in alignment with our values and scaling back on commitments is often work people find themselves urgently pushed into during times of crisis or illness.
Mustering the courage to make big changes in life in order to address some of these things takes time, self-compassion and thoughtful planning These lifestyle changes can be well supported through coaching.
Movement
Incorporating different forms of daily movement into our lives is crucial for our physical and mental health. This doesn’t mean we need to be sweating it out at the gym or in organised fitness classes necessarily. There are many different ways we can get our heart rates up or engage in strength and flexibility training. Finding activities that are enjoyable and easily accessible are the keys to sustainability when it comes to exercise. Consciously and regularly engaging in different forms of incidental physical activity throughout the course of the day, particularly for those of us working indoors in mostly sedentary jobs, is so important and often largely overlooked by people. Exploring different types of movement and ways of incorporating more variety and frequency in the every day routine, can have a lasting impact. Small changes can make a big difference.
Mindfulness & Meditation
Everyone can benefit from mindfulness and meditation practices. Whether you are seeking to explore a mindfulness practice by learning how to be more present and connected more deeply to your environment and life’s little moments, or seeking to tap into your innate capacity for healing and rejuvenation through meditation, there is a practice that will feel right for you. Supporting clients to learn more about the many potential gains of these powerful practices and begin or deepen a personal and instinctive journey with the mind, is work I routinely incorporate into my sessions with clients. I can help you to discover a vibrant personal practice that supports a healthy life and relationships. The scientific evidence is rapidly growing and I delight in sharing these remarkable developing insights.
Learn to harness the healing power of your own breath. Simple breathwork practices can provide immediate support to the nervous system and help to manage experiences of acute stress and anxiety. Come back to centre and anchor yourself in the present moment through the breath. Many of us, impacted by our modern lives, don’t routinely breathe deeply and conciously. Regular breath work practices are a key ingredient in supporting many optimal physiological processes within our bodies.
Areas we can work on together
Introduction to breath work, mindfulness & meditation
Exploration of writing & journalling as a therapeutic tool
Finding ways to reconnect with nature
Increasing and diversifying movement practices
