PERSONAL STRESS
Sydney’s Stress Management Experts
As experts in stress management, e-Psychelpsydney can help with all types of personal stress management issues with clients of any age, helping them to break free from destructive and negative thoughts. We do this by addressing three core areas – feelings, thoughts and behaviour.
Feelings
By being more aware of our feelings and learning how to manage them, we can deal more effectively with stress and stress triggers. These can be both internal (e.g. memories or thoughts) and external (e.g. other people or events). Early psychological intervention is the best way to overcome emotional distress and will usually eliminate the need for medication.
Fear:
Fear is a normal emotional response to threat or danger but if it is exaggerated or results in an inappropriate response, then counselling may be required.
Grief:
Whether a client has experienced a death, divorce or any other troubling situation, grief can be dealt with by focussing on the feelings at every stage of the process. We address shock, anger and sadness, followed by detachment then replacement.
Depression:
This can take many forms, arising as a result of traumatic circumstances, such as reacting to the death of a loved one. In this case, grief counselling may be offered if someone cannot attain closure naturally. Non-reactive depression may be the result of a psychological disorder, such as bipolar disease, and may require medication combined with psychological counselling.
Panic:
Panic is a non-specific fear avoidance response that can generate a self-perpetuating cycle of fear. Treatment may include breathing/calming and thinking exercises in two to six sessions, which may be combined with medication in severe cases.
Anxiety:
Whether generalised or specific, anxiety can be treated through direct behavioural training, offered in two to six sessions, or through more in-depth, dynamic therapy. Medication may be required briefly in some cases.
Performance Failure and Frustration:
Stress burnout can affect someone mentally, emotionally and physically when they take on too much at home or work and struggle to cope. For people who try too hard for too long without having the necessary skills to balance work or family demands, this can be a debilitating condition.
Anger:
Treatment may be required for anger if a client needs help in communicating anger effectively, handling suppressed anger that can result in stress, or if it leads to depression.
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Thinking
At e-Psychelpsydney, we can help clients change their destructive thinking habits, often learned from an early age, helping them become more self aware. This can work to eliminate stress, anger and other negative thoughts.
Low Self-Esteem:
Usually stemming from childhood experiences, poor self-esteem can be tackled by identifying the underlying cause and confronting this. We teach clients to be more assertive and in control, rather than prescribing medication.
Guilt, Blame and Shame:
Often rooted in childhood experiences, we can help clients deal with feelings of inadequacy and help to change their thinking on this. We do this by empowering them and developing their conflict skills. Issues surrounding distrust and suspicion can also be addressed which, if left untreated, can result in social isolation or more serious mental disorders.
Obsessive Worry:
Worrying can sap energy and confidence, so our counselling will help clients to break free from this cycle, challenging their world view and confidence levels. Medication combined with therapy may be needed in extreme cases only.
Negative Body Image:
By tackling the root cause of body image problems, we help our clients overcome those behaviours that may arise as a result of negative body image. Whether it’s to do with problems around food, self-harm or substance abuse, our clinicians can help by working on acceptance and improving self-esteem.
Sexual Arousal:
Psychological treatment may be required when problems of inhibition or excitation interfere with achieving healthy intimacy in relationships. Anxiety about lack of arousal contributes to sexual dysfunction in females as well as males.
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Gender Identity Problems:
Psychological counselling is only necessary if someone worries obsessively about their identity and feels unacceptable to society in either gender role. We offer specialist training for specific sexual therapy.
Behaviours
Behavioural problems can result when emotions and beliefs aren’t dealt with early on resulting in increased levels of stress. We can help with this by addressing the following areas:
Substance Abuse:
Drug and alcohol dependencies can initially develop as a way of coping with stress, giving a ‘quick fix’ that ultimately leads to addictive behaviour. Our counsellors will carry out an initial assessment and arrange referral to specialised drug and alcohol counselling centres. Personal therapy afterwards is usually important to prevent relapse.
Social Behaviour Disturbances:
These can include aggressive, bullying or submissive behaviours, as well as acting like a victim, creating dysfunctional relationships and social alienation. Divorce or being fired can also result in these disturbances.
Appetite Disorders:
Stress may lead to eating or sexual disorders, which result in cyclical behaviour. Early psychological therapy could prevent more serious conditions such as anorexia, bulimia or sexual paraphilia.
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Compulsive Behavioural Disorders:
Whether it’s gambling, shoplifting, cleaning, checking, etc., stress can show in addictive behaviour and may require help for OCD.
Disorders of Attachment and Cognition:
Dysfunctions in the child/parent attachment bond can begin very early, causing generational patterns of disturbance in family relations and adaptation to life. Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy, using FIE-Basic, can improve the potential for more positive emotional attachments and cognitive functioning between parent and child and between the declining elderly person and their carer.
