Short-term stress is a normal part of life and to be expected. Having bills to pay, challenges at work, relationship issues, and health concerns can all trigger anxiety. Our bodies are equipped to deal with temporary stressors by activating our “fight or flight response”, which causes our heart to beat more quickly, our blood pressure […]

“Mindfulness is the miracle by which we master and restore ourselves.” (Thich Nhat Hanh) Do you find yourself looking forward to your nightly glass of wine a bit too much? Do you struggle with late-night trips to the 7-11 for junk food? Are you dabbling in illicit drug use? Are you loathe to call your […]

We don’t like uncertainty. We never do. And in times such as these, so much is up in the air. We don’t know what additional restrictions our local government will mandate in terms of sheltering at home and business closures, nor how long they will continue. And what about access to testing and treatment for […]

Given the volatile and angry nature of this current national election, how do we manage our anxiety? Regardless of our political affiliations, this particular election cycle has involved unprecedented negativity and sensationalism, driven in part by people’s dissatisfaction with governmental gridlock, concerns about our economy, health care, foreign affairs, and racial issues, to name only […]

“You gain strength, courage and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face… You must do the thing you think you cannot do.”  Eleanor Roosevelt Stress has been getting a bad name. Almost daily, we read about another research study demonstrating the destructive effects of stress on our […]

Generally when we talk about being “stressed”, we mean that we’re feeling overwhelmed and anxious. However, we all need a certain level of stimulation and challenge in order to feel fulfilled, and this crucial amount of stress is termed eustress. Defined by the endocrinologist Hals Selye, eustress refers to “good stress”, or responding to a […]

You probably already know at an intuitive level that after feeling anxious and stressed for awhile, your mood tends to dip a bit. Maybe you’re just mildly dejected, or perhaps you develop a full-fledged depression. Researchers at the University of Washington have recently discovered that a neuropeptide called corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF), which under normal conditions […]

While the holidays can be a joyous time of year, they can also increase stress for many people. How do we determine what’s really important to us during this season and make these items a priority, rather than trying to meet other people’s or society’s expectations? How do we cope with missing people and holiday […]