Stress is the body’s natural and adaptive response to pressures, threats and danger.

When the system perceives a threat to our well-being or needs for survival, the stress response is triggered. The body is knocked out of homeostatic balance. Chemicals and hormones flood the body, turning off the digestive/elimination systems, the immune system and others. It directs all resources to the cardio vascular, respiratory and muscular systems whilst also sharpening our senses; it goes into survival mode (FIGHT-FLIGHT-FREEZE), in attempt to deal with the potential threat and danger.

 

Stress can be triggered by external, environment factors like: toxins, pollution, diseases, physical over exertion, lack of sleep, substance abuse, violence and dangerous/life threatening situations. In these situations the stress response is a natural, adaptive attemptto keep us alive. In this sense stress is good for us, and we are designed to go in and out of stress in acute situations in a relatively short space of time. Interestingly, and more importantly, for today’s society , it can also be triggered by internal psychological factors such as: thoughts, beliefs, perceptions, parental and societal expectations, social situations, low self-esteem/self-worth, negative moods and emotions.

 

In today’s society, we are no longer exposed to as many environmental threats to our physical actual self as we once were and yet we are more stressed than ever. This is due to our internal psychological factors, what is called Psychological Stress. Today, our ability to survive and prosper is much more dependent on our social,

intellectual and economic skills and abilities. We believe our Value and Worth as human beings is determined by how well we succeed at these pursuits and the subsequent contributions we make to our families, communities and societies as a result. Our success and therefore our esteem, is measured by our financial gains, achievement of goals, status, and the respect admiration and approval of others. The lack of these things leads to shame, guilt, low self-esteem and self-worth and ultimately a sense of failure as a human being. These thoughts, beliefs and feelings of failure and lack are perceived by the mind as danger to our sense of ‘self’, as threats to our Value and Worth as a human being, and just like in the physical threats to our actual self, the stress response is triggered and we go into

survival mode.

 

In these situations, there is nothing ‘out there’, to fight or flight from, and we end up going around in circles, creating habituated patterns of thoughts, feelings and behaviours that keep us stuck in the stress response. When stress becomes chronic, we are then putting undue wear and tear on our systems, taking us closer to mental, emotional and physical dis-ease, and ultimately to breaking point.

 

Firstly you will understand that your Psychological Stress response is a habituated belief that 'life has gone wrong'. You will realise the stress itself is not bad, or wrong and neither are you. You don’t need to be ‘fixed’, it’s just that believing life only holds Value and Worth when it goes to plan makes life more stressfull than it needs to be. We will help you create a more effective way of coping with life and its stresses. By starting to see that all life experinces hold value for growth and development, that sometimes things out of your control occur and that does not make you a failure, but simply human, you will no longer take lifes experiences so personally or allow them to define your Value or Worth. By seeing life’s situations differently and having a more accurate understanding of your journey in life, you will be more relaxed and confident, moving through life with less effort.