Stress Management Counseling in MN
Finding Relief from Stress: Stress Management Therapy in Hopkins, MN
Create a Sustainable Schedule with Stress Management Therapy in Hopkins, MN
“Who, me? Stressed?! I’m fine!” Sound familiar? Let’s talk about how “fine” you are. Your schedule is jam packed by the minute and you are exhausted from pretending like you have it all together. You don’t let anyone see your “weakness”, but you know that you are only one bean away from tipping the scale. You want to scream but you also don’t want to draw any attention to yourself or admit defeat. How can you win then? Let stress management counseling be the place where you can take your mask off, free of judgment.
You know that you have a hard time not taking on more than you “should” but it is so hard not to. You are worried that if you don’t, things might not get done. The thing is…this pace is not sustainable. And then nothing gets done and nobody wins. There are non-negotiables in life (AKA work, family), that is just a fact. But living and working in a society where we compete for who is the most exhausted, it is easy to forget that there is also wiggle room for choice. Let me help you identify what is important to you so we can create a more balanced schedule.
Stress Management Counseling in Hopkins, MN for Real Life Struggles
Signs of stress include:
Difficulty controlling worry
Concentration difficulties
Shortness of breath
Chest tightness
Muscle tightness
Fatigue
Trouble sleeping
Irritability
Crying easily
Being forgetful
Feeling like you are “going through the motions”
Feeling flustered
Lack of interest, happiness, or joy
You may find yourself thinking that everyone else seems to have it together, so what is wrong with me? Why am I struggling? Let’s be real here…no one has their sh*t together. No one. We all just have different “faces” that we put on in order to keep living life. Yourself included! But if you cannot find a space where you can take that face off and BE REAL, you will lose yourself. Admitting that you are struggling to juggle all of life’s tasks is not weakness or failure…it takes strength to be vulnerable and ask for help. Let me support you with stress management counseling!
Stress at Home
Stress Management Counseling for Relationships and More
The tasks involved with keeping a house and raising a family can seem endless. There is grocery shopping, laundry, car maintenance, date nights, soccer practice, school conferences…The list goes on and on.
If you are finding yourself struggling to “keep up” with everything, you may also find that you are more short-tempered, not able to complete all of the tasks as thoroughly as you want, or even have enough time to sit down and eat a meal together. Maybe the quality of time spent together is decreasing because you are “in your head”.
If this is the pace you are finding yourself at right now, I would love to help you slow everything down, and take a long, hard look at your values and priorities. It just might be time to let something go, or at minimum stop comparing yourself to others. What you spend your time on and what you can successfully manage will look different from your friends, family, and neighbors. So, try not to compare! I can help you strengthen this skill!
Stress in the Workplace
Stress Management Counseling for Getting Through Your Work Day
Work is called “work” for a reason. It can be tiring, busy, and take up a lot of time. It also can occasionally be stressful. Each person has a different tolerance for various work aspects (e.g., hours of operation, solo vs. teams), but there are some general characteristics that make for a stressful work experience for all.
For example, lacking support and clarity from leadership/administration and not feeling appreciated at work are very commonly reported work stressors. Even if this is your experience, there are still tools we can employ to off-set the negative impacts. Let us explore this together!
Is work “too stressful” for you? Ask yourself:
Do you find yourself frequently talking with loved ones about how stressed/irritated/frustrated you are at work?
Do you dread starting your workday?
Are you unable to fall asleep at night, or wake up in the middle of the night, because you are thinking about your work ‘to-do’ list?
If you answered yes to any of these questions, I think we should at least explore what’s going on for you to see if this current workplace setting is a good fit for you and your values.
Stress & Self-Care
Stress Management Counseling for Taking Care Of Your Own Needs
Sometimes we need MORE than just our basics. Life throws us curve balls from time to time, and our typical routine may not be “enough” to offset these stressors. This is not a criticism of you or your self-care routine (even though it often feels that way).
Instead, it is a very human reaction to only have so much time and energy in a day. If additional stressors are coming into your life, your typical ways of taking care of yourself may or may not have the same impact.
Worthy.
It is important to have some self-compassion during high times of stress and maybe even re-evaluate what your body and mind are needing in this moment. Maybe it is more or less of something, or something entirely different. I can teach you how to identify your needs amidst all the “noise”.
Mindset.
Self-care is extremely hard to define because it looks different for every person. And even for each person it can change at any given time, day, or mood. Personally, I like to think of it more as a mindset than an action or behavior. Maybe today your self-care is a yoga class, tomorrow it is painting, and the next day it is a nap. If the intention is there of “hey, what do I need right now?” and you strive to fill that need…that is self-care.
You First.
It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more. Or maybe you have a creative project to share with the world. Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. When we get stressed, we likely do not engage in self-care because it feels like “one more thing” we have to do. We “don’t have time for that”. The irony is that this “thing” can help offset the negative effects of stress on our life. So instead of it being the first thing that gets cut from your schedule, it should be the last. If you work with me, we will talk A LOT about your self-care. We all need it and it is crucial for our mental health!
Finding Patterns In Stressors
If you find that you have the same reaction every time someone forgets the laundry in the washer, a boss springing a meeting on you, or a loved one being sick, it might be worth looking at these instances closer. For some reason, these situations continue to bring about the same emotional reaction from you and this is a pattern worth looking at closer. Through exploration together during a stress management counseling session, we can see if there is any wiggle room to have these situations affect you differently. We can explore and process any unpleasant life experiences where you have felt similarly. We can look at and explore your boundaries and any possible perfectionistic tendencies that might be wrapped up in these reactions, as well.
How a Stress Management Counselor in Hopkins, MN Can Help
We all know that being stressed is bad for us, but when we cannot seem to get it under control ourselves, it feels like things will never get better. I am here to tell you that there is hope.
Together, we can look at your life right now including stressors and sources of strength. We can identify what and how much you can manage. I can assist you in clarifying your priorities which will actually save you time and money in the long run. We can talk about quick tips and tricks for stress and anxiety relief. We also can explore how and why unhealthy boundaries and perfectionism may be playing a role in your stress level through our online counseling sessions, and work to modify them.
Getting Started With Me
Getting set up with your free 20-minute phone consultation is as simple as clicking the button below. Put in some basic demographic information and schedule an appointment time for a phone call at your convenience. I will call you on the scheduled day and time. During this phone call, I will ask some background questions assessing for personality and clinical fit. Feel free to bring your questions for me to answer, too! I look forward to hearing from you!
Frequently Asked Questions
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Stress management counseling aims to bring you some relief, joy, and energy back into your life. We will look at your life’s demands, prioritize them, and work to increase coping tools and activities to offset the stress.
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Counseling for stress and anxiety can be short- or long-term depending on your goals. The average number of sessions for these concerns is about 8-10 sessions.
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Yes! By working with someone who has an objective view into your stressors and has expertise in how to reduce your symptoms, counseling for stress is extremely beneficial.
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In counseling, I help you identify the source of stress and create a plan for coping with it. This plan often includes a combination of relaxation techniques, cognitive restructuring, and lifestyle and habit changes. It's important to develop self-awareness so that you can better understand the root of your stress and how to overcome the problem.
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The best therapy for stress and anxiety can depend on the individual. It's important to find a therapy that works for you and your needs, so feel free to reach out and we can discuss the options. Not only do you need the right treatment, but you also need a therapist you resonate with and can trust.