Stress Management By Carolyn Weisenberger
“not enough money” or “relationship issues”—depending on our problems. But stress doesn’t really change. It is, and always will be, our body’s emo- tional response to those problems. We often confuse stress with our stressors. Stressors are those things or concerns that cause our bodies to react emo- tionally, triggering many physiological effects as well. Read the following list of stressors.
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What do they have in common? • too many deadlines • not enough money • not enough time • kids’ schedule • traffic • car problems • bad weather • no time for vacation • spouse • irresponsible people • friends • peer pressure
All of these are external factors.
And when we focus only on the exter- nal when dealing with stress, we never address how we are responding to it. For the next 10 minutes, let’s focus on just how our body does respond. When we are met with stressors,
the body responds immediately. We go into “fight or flight” mode and prepare to take care of ourselves in one way or the other. When we enter this mode, more than 1,400 bio-chemicals and hormones are released into our sys- tem—and remain there for six to eight hours. During this time we may feel edgy or nervous, with a racing heart, headaches or other physical symptoms. These hormones can be both good
and bad for us. If we are in a true emer- gency, they enable us to react quickly and efficiently. If not, they can trigger a downward spiral of emotions and confusion. During a stressful time, have
20 Knoxville
e tend to define stress as “my job,” “my kids,” “the traf- fic,” “too many deadlines,”
Turned Inside Out
you ever thought, “I just can’t think straight”? Well, there’s a reason for that. When we are stressed, angry or
fearful, the higher-thinking part of our brain (the neo-cortex) is inhibited, leav- ing us feeling helpless. Many young people, for example, experience test- taking anxiety. They study and are ready to answer any question—until they face the actual test. For some, this paralyz- ing anxiety lasts only minutes. For oth- ers, it may not end so quickly, and they sit, trying to recall what they studied and getting even more anxious as time goes by. Adults might have a similar experience giving a presentation before a group of peers or supervisors. When this happens, the emotional response to the stressor has hijacked the body, which begins to respond in the fight or flight mode: All energies are headed in that direction—unless we can re-frame the emotion in the moment and regain our thinking abilities. Integrative Stress Reduction (ISR)
coaching uses a software physiological feedback program to teach you about your heart rhythms and what your emo- tions have to do with your ability to think clearly and make good decisions. Our brainwaves entrain to our heart rhythm, and when our heart rhythm is incoherent, we experience the cortical inhibition mentioned above. As a result, we can feel lost, helpless, angry and immobilized—thus the spinning effect. We must start to manage stress at the emotional and physical levels before we even begin to work with the stress- ors (triggers). Stress reduction begins with re-
framing the emotion, and there are several techniques that can be learned for this process. The first one is called Quick Coherence (from Transforming Stress by Doc Childre and Deborah Ro- zman), and it can be done while sitting at your desk. It involves three simple steps:
1. Heart Focus: focusing upon where your heart is physically located, within your chest
2. Heart Breath: getting your breath all the way into your heart area as you inhale and exhale
3. Heart Feeling: focusing on a feeling of appreciation (other emotions can be used, but appreciation and gratitude have been found to be the quickest to reframe the stress response)
The first two steps activate the
relaxation response; the third step actu- ally reframes the emotion in the mo- ment. When the process is complete, the neo-cortex can re-engage, calming you so you can make a more informed choice of action. This practice alone can help condition the body to respond in a different manner to stress. Other components of ISR include
• the NADA Protocol—a five-point ear acupuncture that helps relieve the symptoms of stress
• more skill sets using the physiologi- cal feedback program
• coaching that specifically addresses stressors—e.g. time management, prioritizing, de-cluttering, values clarification Whether the stressors involve per-
sonal or professional issues, all of these methods are effective and can help us regain the balance we seek for optimal health. For more information about ISR
coaching, call Carolyn Weisenberger at Cornerstone Integrative Health Associ- ates, 865-983-7800. Carolyn Weisen- berger is a licensed HeartMath provider and has facilitated stress management courses and sessions for more than 30 years. See Natural Awakenings news briefs for session and workshop times. See ad page 40
Healthy Choices for Pain Management and Well-Being
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