Stress Management Coach Los Angeles

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Stress Management

Do you feel overwhelmed, tired of keeping up with a never-ending to-do list? Are you often exhausted, depleted of energy, worried about how stress is affecting your work performance? Is stress taking a toll on your personal relationships and physical health?

It’s natural and normal to be stressed occasionally. We all deal with stress at some point in our lives, and often in the course of a day. Maybe it’s your job, a family illness, romantic relationship problems such as a breakup, or financial woes. These are some of the common stress triggers. According to a recent study, about half of all Americans say they are dealing with moderate stress. Americans are among the most stressed people in the world, according to The New York Times. In the United States, about 55 percent of adults said they had experienced stress during “a lot of the day” prior, compared with just 35 percent globally. Long-term stress can cause physical symptoms, emotional symptoms, and unhealthy behaviors. Research suggests that stress also can bring on or worsen certain symptoms or diseases.

Los Angeles is considered the most stressed-out city in US. Despite our city’s pop-culture image as a place where everyone surfs, hikes, eats the healthiest diet, and constantly invests in their well-being, many Los Angelenos are dealing with chronic stress. This is one of the reasons Alison Ashley, founder of The Vertical Wellness Spa and a long-time Los Angeles wellness practicioner, has added stress management coaching to her scope of work.

Under-standing Stress

Let’s start with the definition of stress. Stress is the feeling of being overwhelmed or unable to cope with mental or emotional pressure. Stress is a normal human reaction that happens to everyone. In fact, the human body is designed to experience stress and react to it. When you experience changes or challenges (stressors), your body produces physical and mental responses. That’s stress.

Stress responses help your body adjust to new situations. Stress can be positive, keeping us alert, motivated and ready to avoid danger. For example, if you have an important test coming up, a stress response might help your body work harder and stay awake longer. But stress becomes a problem when stressors continue without relief or periods of relaxation.

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Stress Symptoms

Now, let’s review the common symptoms of stress. Whether you find it hard to focus on a task, manage your temper, or fall asleep, whether your symptoms are emotional or physical, it’s important to identify and recognize the symptoms of stress.

There are two types of stress:

Acute stress symptoms

Sometimes you can feel stressed for a short period of time. An acute stress reaction occurs when symptoms develop due to a particularly stressful event. The word ‘acute’ means the symptoms develop quickly but do not usually last long. Maybe you are on a deadline to hand in a project, or you have to present in front of a large audience. Perhaps you feel “butterflies” in your stomach, your voice is shaky, or the palms of your hands get sweaty. These types of positive stressors are short-lived, and your body’s way of helping you get through what could be a tough situation.

During an acute stress response, the autonomic nervous system is activated and the body experiences increased levels of cortisol, adrenaline and other hormones that produce an increased heart rate, quickened breathing rate, and higher blood pressure. Acute stress can be easily managed because it occurs and then it’s over. Acute stress is not associated with the toll on health that comes with chronic stress.

Chronic stress symptoms

Now, let’s talk about chronic stress. Chronic stress occurs when the body experiences stressors with such frequency or intensity that the autonomic nervous system does not have an adequate chance to activate the relaxation response on a regular basis. In other words, if you allow your stress to spiral on, it can have damaging effects on your physical, mental, and emotional health, especially if it becomes chronic.

You need to be aware of the warning signs of chronic stress so you can take care of it. Physical effects of chronic stress include:

Headache
Trouble sleeping or sleeping too much
Muscle pain or tension
Digestive issues
Change in sex drive
High blood pressure

Emotional effects of chronic stress include:

Feeling you can’t get things done
Moodiness
Anxiety
Restlessness
Lack of motivation
Irritability
Sadness or depression

What are Some Strategies for Stress Relief?

Stress doesn’t have to negatively affect you if you learn to handle it. Most of us cannot completely avoid stress, but you can stop it from becoming overwhelming, or turning into chronic stress, by practicing some daily strategies.

Common stress relief strategies include:

Recognize what causes you stress and find ways to avoid or reduce the occurrence of those situations.
Exercise when you feel symptoms of stress coming on. Even a short walk can boost your mood.
Meditation, deep breathing, guided imagery, or other relaxation techniques can help quiet your mind.
Set goals for your day, week, and month. Narrowing your view will help you feel more in control of the moment and long-term tasks.
At the end of each day, take a moment to think about what you’ve accomplished. Keeping a journal is a great way to accomplish this.
Create a network of close friends and co-workers you can go to when stress starts to build. A hobby or a cause to volunteer for can be good outlets.

How Does Stress Management Work?

While there are many techniques for handling stress on your own, sometimes you may find yourself needing help in this area. Stress management gives you a range of tools to reset your alarm system. It can help your mind and body adapt (resilience).

The three general steps of stress management are:

Determine the current stressors within your life
Identify ways to reduce the stressors
Make changes and prioritize your life accordingly

A stress management coach teaches clients to maximize the positive stress and to minimize the negative stress through the use of relaxation techniques such as meditation, progressive relaxation, or guided imagery. Working with a coach can teach you to identify your stressors, and to deal with these more effectively. A stress management coach can offer both emotional support and accountability on your journey to a more balanced and intentional life.

Stress management coaching can include:

A review of your stressors in your personal life, professional obligations, health factors, and relationships
A discussion of past attempts at managing triggers and your most common coping strategies
A Stress Management Plan with short and long-term goals, and tracking of progress
Working with you on creating a more balanced scheduled and daily routine
Implementation of healthy practices in every aspect of your life

Benefits of Working With a Stress Management Coach

A stress management coach can help you identify the triggers of stress, manage your response to these triggers, and live a more balanced life.

A stress management coach can help you:

Slow down your racing thoughts
Relax your muscles that tend to tense up when you are stressed
Stay focused, even when you are stressed
Get rid of excess demands in their lives that drain their energy and steal their time.
Say No to people and commitments that cause you excessive stress
Develop healthy ways to release stress-related tension
Create a more stress-resistant lifestyle and routine

Your Stress Management Coach in Los Angeles

If you are ready to work with a stress management coach in Los Angeles, The Vertical Wellness Spa can offer help. In addition to being Los Angeles’ #1 electrologist for over 20 years, Alison Ashley is also a Certified Health and Wellness coach. By enabling clients to feel more comfortable in their bodies, Alison wanted to help them regain their confidence, freedom and joy. Many clients considered their sessions with Alison “like therapy” and felt so much better after the treatments, so it was only natural that Alison went on to receive a life coaching certification. With stress management coaching, Alison’s goal is to empower her clients, facilitate insight and growth, and help them work towards a happier and more fulfilled life. Alison appreciates the uniqueness of every person and tailors her stress management approach to their individual needs. To learn more about Alison’s coaching services, or to schedule a consultation, please contact us today.