I would love to tell you that as a mental health therapist I have always practiced great self-care and never felt overly stressed or burned out. However, that is not the case. I have experienced seasons of stress and burnout and have had to walk through them and find support just like I am encouraging you to do in this month’s blog.

Stress and the burnout that often follows it if not managed well can be a tricky thing. Stress comes in many forms and from many sources. Some stressors we can control and others we cannot. Examples of stressors we can control include: serving on a committee, joining a club, volunteering and participating in structured activities like sports or classes. Examples of stressors we cannot control include:  getting sick, facing unforeseen financial challenges, or losing a loved one. Life is beautiful, but it is also unpredictable.  There will always be stress so we must learn to manage it well.

I would like to propose that we should have daily and weekly rhythms of rest and renewal already in place. If you don’t, that is okay. But ideally, you want to have things you do each week that renew your body, soul and mind. Some examples of ways to de-stress may include:

1. Movement. Going for a walk each day or maybe just 2-3 times per week, stretching, going to a gym.
2. Meditation. Practicing being still, clearing your mind and focusing on your body. If you need help with this you can use the Calm app or look up meditations on YouTube.
3. Positive affirmations. Writing down and reciting positive affirmations about yourself. If you struggle to come up with these on your own, try the I am—Daily Affirmations app.
4. Breath work. Practice box-breathing (you can find this on YouTube) or just practice deep breathing 1-2 times each day to calm your nervous system.
5. Journaling.  Write down your thoughts—the good and the hard. Try not to get caught up with grammar and punctuation being correct.
6. Counseling. Therapy is one of the number one ways to process thoughts and emotions and promote self-regulation and feelings of calm.
7. Somatic therapy. According to www.psychologytoday.com , somatic therapy is “body-centered therapy in which practitioners use mind-body exercises and other physical techniques to help release pent-up tension that negatively affects a person’s physical and emotional well-being.”  Somatic therapy may utilize meditation and/or yoga in addition to other techniques.

Having self-care already built into your life will help you buffer the stress of daily life. And ideally, having these rhythms of renewal already in place will also make handling the unexpected stressors of life easier, too. What de-stressing and resting looks like will undoubtedly change given the season of life you find yourself in. The important thing is that you continue to pursue and practice rhythms of renewal. If you are facing a difficult life season and need support, we would love to walk alongside you. Please contact Life Enhancement Counseling Services today at 407-443-8862 to schedule an appointment with one of our experienced mental health therapists.