If you're feeling stressed out, you're certainly not alone - these are extremely stressful times we are living in. Stress is not all bad - we need a certain amount to function optimally (keeps us on our toes) - it's when we have too much stress all at once (overwhelm), or constant stress over a long period of time (chronic stress), that we suffer.

The human stress response is referred to as the "fight or flight" response - it's an automatic physical reaction to any perceived threat to our safety or basic well-being (or to that of our loved ones).

Activation causes the heart to pump faster, increases muscle tension in arms & legs as well as mental & visual hypervigilance, while slowing other bodily functions such as digestion, elimination, immune response - ideally suited to help us fight or flee, but not so ideal for sitting stuck in traffic or at a desk in an office for hours!

Women seem to have a slightly different physiological and behavioral response to stress than men, referred to as "tend and befriend", which confers a protective benefit from some of the negative health effects of stress. (See article on UCLA research at www.sciencedaily.com) 

Common but ineffective ways of dealing with stress include overeating, abusing alcohol, pills or illegal drugs, and yelling at our kids and spouses.

Stress management involves finding healthy ways to discharge physical tension as well as relieve mental anxiety. I've been teaching people about stress and how to manage it for many years, and I can help you develop an effective stress management program tailored specifically to your needs.