Stress Control

SSSSSSSTRESS CONTROL

STRESS - STRESS -STRESS and MORE STRESS !!!!!!!!! (work - marriage - kids - family - in-laws - physical symptoms, etc.)  Many reasons why people contact a professional therapist are discussed here.

This topic is divided into two parts:

A. The first deals with the nature of STRESS (its causes and effects) and a therapeutic curative approach to dealing with it.

B. Second, is a program for stress control that is preventative - offered both for individuals and groups (a favorite with business and organized groups, police departments, sport teams, etc.)

The Nature Of STRESS

Stress is neither good, nor bad.  It can motivate us to excellence, or can cause serious harm, or even lead to death.   No doubt, you have experienced it yourself, and seen it in others.  Simply put - it is our mental, emotional, physical and behavioral response to anxiety producing events. For example, individuals in all walks of life, including some workers in demanding positions (blue collar and executives alike) thrive on work and life-related pressures and problems. (Anxiety? Who me? - Worry? ...NEVER!)   For others, it can mean anything from occasional anxiety, depression, panic attacks, fears (phobias), or an unhappy home life...all the way to alcoholism, hypertension, ulcers, headaches, even thoughts of suicide.  Many people searching for, or in need of, a therapist, will be suffering form one or more of these symptoms.

(A frequent result of stress that businesses and organizations must deal with, are alcohol and drug abuse.  Please see the data in my Resume for more information on this subject.)

All of the above symptoms (and many others) usually can be treated effectively, if professional help is requested and a process of therapy entered into.  It is always important to remember that therapy - like most types of learning - takes place systematically, over a period of time.  Some individuals enter into therapy but only attend a few sessions and often leave with the feeling that therapy wasn’t helpful, or that the therapist was ineffective.  Therapists do differ in training and personality.  It is important that you carefully question qualifications and experience. Just as my professional history is presented in these web pages, so too should everyone collect full and complete data about a therapist, before entering into any therapeutic relationship.  Even after you have started therapy, you should be sure that you have chosen the correct therapist.  If you are uncomfortable, you should feel free to search out and meet with another. (You should be able to discuss your concerns with the therapist and he/she should be happy to help you explore your feelings.   If you still are uncomfortable, they should refer you to an appropriate colleague. Of course, you can follow the suggestions above and find a new therapist on your own.)

When issues of  STRESS or PERSONAL PROBLEMS bring you to my office, the first task is to determine the appropriate course of therapy for you - at least to start. Techniques are integrated from years of training (Ph.D.) and experience (30+yrs).  They range from Cognitive Behavior Modification to Clinical Hypnosis (short term - goal oriented).    Additionally, my associates in the Middlesex Group, as well as the full resources of THE PRACTICE SENTRY, are available and selected according to the needs of each individual.  The PRACTICE SENTRY, LLC, is an extensive organization which manages and markets a network of independent behavioral health and substance abuse providers. 

STRESS Prevention

The following is usually of interest to Senior Management Executives, who  want to provide a PROGRAM OF PREVENTATIVE STRESS CONTROL for groups of employees.

Here is a real opportunity for employers to provide a resource to the worker, which will have multiple benefits.  It means reduced absenteeism, lower turnover, better interpersonal relations, better adjusted and more productive people. In more recent years, with the stress and strain of time spent commuting, competing, alone at a computer etc., providing a program to deal with stress and "Burnout Prevention" is a more practical business investment than ever.

Experience developing and conducting this "Program" led to my book titled, "Total Mind and Body Control Through Sensory Imagery." (A one hundred page workbook for personal use - for self-help, or for teaching purposes.)   This book relates to the minds' ability to control stress and to concurrently prevent or treat many illnesses.  The value of (Transcendental) Meditation, Hypnosis, Biofeedback, Yoga, etc. is well documented and valued in medical and professional circles today.  Research on the programs above and ones that use similar approaches with cancer treatment (Simonton Approach); and on numerous other symptoms, such as alcohol and narcotic addiction; sexual dysfunction; phobias; anxieties; asthma and allergy; migraine headache; pain, smoking, weight, etc. (Kroger & Fezler), have produced very positive results.  It is important to remember that not all people experience the same positive results.  But when a need exists, it is generally worth the time and effort to learn one or more of these techniques and hope that it will work for you! 

Let me talk about my "Program" at this point, that I call - TOTAL MIND AND BODY CONTROL through SENSORY IMAGERY, hereafter referred to as TMBC.  Combining many of the principles of the techniques listed above, (Meditation etc.) it is designed to accomplish STRESS REDUCTION, by learning a SYSTEMATIC PROCESS to control body function and thought process. If you are interested in the mechanics of this process you will want to read on.  Keep in mind, it involves an 8 Week Program, conducted at your facility and is usually funded by Management.  This program demands that each individual think of him/herself as a "student" participating in an 8 week course. (As many as 15 to 20 individuals can participate at one time making the cost of the Program more reasonable.)  Each student should then spend 8 to12 minutes, 3 times each day, practicing the “MIND AND BODY EXERCISES” of TMBC. That is all the work involved -- it’s easy, simple and fun!!!  In addition to stress reduction, there is ample evidence to show that many areas of the participants lives improve.  How does this happen?

Let us start with an analogy.  If you were going to be in a weight-lifting contest, what would you do?  You might start with a set of barbells, or other suitable weights.  You would start to proceed developing your muscles by lifting the lighter weights first, eventually working your way up to the heaviest weights.  It really wouldn’t matter what kinds of weights you were lifting (barbells or logs), as long as you go from lighter to heavier objects your muscles develop.

Once you develop your muscles, it then doesn’t matter what you lift - barbells, logs, tables, televisions, etc....

Mind development is quite similar.  You start with a series of simple exercises, and work up to more complex ones.  The exercises must be done in a consistent way, over a period of time.  For the purpose of TMBC, the exercises are developed in such a way as to not only strengthen the mind, but also to allow for control and relaxation of the body. (This is where STRESS CONTROL is accomplished.) 

Therefore, after learning this process, executives, office, sales, and business personnel, etc., direct the total power of their mind to their work, while automatically relaxing their body at the same time.  The person, therefore, has more energy, is able to think clearly for longer periods of time, and is more assertive and creative. Not only does productivity increase, but more time becomes available for constructive recreation (further stress reduction).

It is hard to say much more about TMBC at this point -- if you have read all of this, I wouldn’t be surprised if you were now experiencing stress yourself.. So I will conclude and simply say, if you are curious enough to want more information and/or to consider the possibility of bringing TMBC into your workplace,   I would be delighted to hear from you.

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