Stress Management Therapy

you don’t have to cope alone.

At ECC, we provide personalized therapy to help you manage and reduce stress,
find healthy ways of coping, and find inner peace.

Stress is a common experience in life, from feeling overwhelmed about work or school, to managing family life and interpersonal conflict. We all go through phases of increased stress versus times when our stress feels manageable. Yet prolonged and intense stress can deplete our energy and ability to care for ourselves, regulate our emotions, and connect with others. In this post, we'll unpack what stress is, signs that you may need therapy for stress management, and how a multidisciplinary approach to stress management can help you. 

What is Stress? 

Stress is a natural human reaction that happens to everyone, in response to all kinds of changes and challenges, a.k.a., stressors. (Source: Cleveland Clinic) Your body is designed to produce physical and mental responses to help you adapt to these stressors, and these responses can be positive or negative. A positive stress response can help you stay awake at night with a newborn baby, run from a dangerous situation, or pass your finals with flying colors. Stress becomes a problem when you're exposed to stressors for prolonged periods without rest. 

There are three main types of stress: 

• Acute stress that is intense but brief and can happen in response to a wide range of experiences, from a jump-scare during a horror movie to having a fight with someone. 

• Episodic acute stress is the experience of acute stress that recurs frequently, and is a common experience among people working in demanding professions, such as first responders.

• Chronic stress is stress that is prolonged over weeks, months, or even years, usually due to life circumstances, such as illness, family conflict, financial instability, and more. 

The Health Impacts of Stress

Our body's autonomic nervous system, which controls things like breath, heart rate, vision, and more, has a built-in stress response known as fight-or-flight to help our bodies react to different situations. 

Episodic acute stress and chronic stress put our bodies in a state of activated stress response, which can negatively impact our health by causing a mix of physical, psychological, or behavioral symptoms.

• Psychological symptoms of stress can include anxiety, irritability, depression, panic attacks, and more. 

• Behavioral symptoms of stress can include social isolation, relationship conflict, substance use disorder, compulsive behavior, disordered eating, and more. 

• Physical symptoms of stress can include muscle tension, elevated heart rate, chest pain, headaches, high blood pressure, digestive problems, trouble sleeping, and more. 

Chronic stress can lead to long-term health issues that can affect several of the body's core systems, including the immune system, cardiovascular system, digestive system, and reproductive system. Stress can also put a person at higher risk for severe mental health issues such as depression, anxiety, self-harm, and suicidal ideation.

What is Stress Management Therapy? 

While stress can't be diagnosed, in stress management therapy your care provider will ask questions to understand the stressors you face and how they may be impacting your mental and physical health. From there, you can work with your therapist to reduce your stress levels, take steps to prevent stress, and find healthy ways to cope with situations that may be causing elevated stress. 

At ECC, we take a multidisciplinary approach to stress management therapy, working with our clients to find the right mix of practices and strategies that meet their unique needs. This can include: 

• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (commonly known as talk therapy) 

• Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR)

• Dialectical Behavioral Therapy

• Acceptance and Commitment Therapy 

• Somatic-based therapies

• Solution-Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT)

Signs You May Need Stress Management Therapy

When stress begins to interfere with your everyday life, it's time to seek professional help from a mental health provider. For example: 

• You feel overwhelmed and can't find relief throughout the day

• You can't concentrate or function day-to-day, or you can't sleep at night

• Your physical health is affected by chronic stress, with symptoms such as high blood pressure, headaches, digestive issues, or panic attacks 

• You’re struggling with maladaptive coping behaviors such as alcohol or drug abuse

• You're feeling depressed or anxious, or may be experiencing suicidal thoughts 

Benefits of Stress Therapy

None of us can ever avoid stress completely, but what we can do is seek mental health support and learn healthier ways of coping with stress. Processing the sources of stress that are impacting your mental health, discussing your typical approach to stress and how it may or may not be helping you, and practicing new coping strategies with a therapist can help you regain a sense of inner peace and stability. You’ll be able to face stressors as they come with more tools in your mental health toolbox to manage them, and you may even be able to strategize life changes to reduce stress, such as changing jobs or setting better boundaries in your relationships. 

Stress Management Therapy in Chicago

You don’t have to cope with stress alone. Our diverse team at ECC is here to help you find the right therapist and therapy approach to help you find comfort, confidence, and peace of mind. Reach out to schedule an intake session today. Together we can help you connect meaningfully with your life. 

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