April is Stress Awareness Month

5 Apr

Stress Awareness Month has been held every year since April 1992.

We know that stress and poor mental health are one of biggest public health challenges since well before the pandemic. We know that stress can lead to physical health problems like insomnia, heart disease, stomach digestive issues, weak immune system, to deeper mental health problems such as anxiety and depression. Stress Awareness Month is to get us to act, make changes in our life and to think about doing things differently. With the current cost of living crisis, it can be hard to get a good work and life balance. Stress Management Society have lots of resources to help you manage stress better www.stress.org.uk

I am using Stress Awareness Month to let you know of some new alternative health services I will be offering:

Embodied Emotional Holding Sessions

Embodied emotional holding sessions are in person sessions for those that may not feel ready to commit to weekly therapy sessions, or you may be an experienced therapy client and feel like you would like to be emotionally held whilst going through a stressful situation. These sessions will involve some consensual touch, but this will be agreed before you come and embodied relating brought from the body psychotherapy modality. These may be a few sessions or a one-off session.

Please note these sessions are not suitable for those going through a mental health crisis, presenting with suicidality or those presenting with psychosis, or those under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

Cost £65 per hour in person

Reiki Healing Sessions

In 2022 I qualified as a Reiki Master; I came to being trained in Reiki as I found it of great benefit to my chronic health and chronic pain conditions. I am trained Mikao Usui reiki approach which originated from Japan and blends in some more western reiki approaches. Reiki is where I work with natural healing energy across your mind, body, and soul. Reiki offers you deep relaxation, serenity and what I would call a well-being MOT. It is great for life stressors or for deeper health concerns. It is a simple and spiritual process of self-empowerment.

Cost £30 for 30 minutes/ £60 for 60 minutes in person (in East Finchley, London, N2)

Mindfulness Coaching Sessions

Jon Kabat-Zinn - one of the finding fathers of mindfulness - defined mindfulness as:

“The awareness that arises from paying attention, on purpose, in the present moment and non-judgmentally”.

Some of the benefits of mindfulness are:

Reduces anxiety and stress.
Prevents, treats, and gives us another coping mechanism when dealing with depression.
Improves relationships as makes us less reactive in our relational dynamics.
Keeps us young as it improves our working memory and executive function.
Keeps us in the here and now thus preventing us becoming distracted and worrying about the future.
Improves our self-esteem and how we feel in our bodies.
For those living with chronic conditions or pain it helps them develop acceptance and resilience when being faced with flare-ups or periods of ill health.

Over time and with patience through focusing on my breath, I have been able to pay attention to my mind, body, and soul; non-judgementally and with acceptance living moment to moment; to deal and help with emotional, psychological, and physical pain.