Author of Healing & Wholeness: Complementary
and Alternative Therapies for Mental Health
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Stress Management



With every major event in our lives - a health problem, the birth of a child, or a new relationship - there are changes that require the mobilization of resources and adjustments. Some events such as deadlines, competitions, and confrontations may produce feelings of eagerness and excitement, particularly when there is a chance of overcoming the challenge. The arousal felt when trying to meet these challenges is considered healthy. However, when a situation or event is perceived as being overwhelming, beyond our ability to cope, it may be considered a serious threat to our overall well being. If such threats continue unabated and unresolved, stress can overwhelm us.

Ongoing stress can result in feelings of exhaustion, fatigue, and depression, which in turn can lead to health problems such as headaches, upset stomach, rashes, insomnia, ulcers, high blood pressure, heart disease, and stroke. Stress can also affect work performance and relationships.

Why Stress is So Harmful

Stress is related to a primitive system in our body called the “fight or flight” response. It is called this because it provides the strength and energy to either fight or run away from danger. The changes that occur when this system is activated include an increase in heart rate and blood pressure (to get more blood to the muscles, brain and heart), faster breathing (to take in more oxygen), tensing of muscles (preparation for actions like running), increased mental alertness and sensitivity of sense organs (to assess the situation and act quickly), increased blood flow to the brain, heart and muscles (the organs that are most important in dealing with danger) and less blood to the skin, digestive tract, kidneys and liver (where it is least needed in times of crisis). In addition, there is an increase in blood sugar, fats and cholesterol (for extra energy) and a rise in platelets and blood clotting factors (to prevent hemorrhage in case of injury). Although this system was adaptive in the past (for hunting), it is not always beneficial in today's modern society. In fact, when this system is turned on for long periods of time it can have harmful effects on the body, such as decreased immune function and heart disease.

Identify Sources of Stress

It is important to begin by identifying the sources of stress in your life so you can work towards alleviating them. Below are listed potential external (things outside of you) and internal (things within you) sources of stress. While reviewing this list ask yourself if any of these are sources of stress for you.

External stressors include:

  • Physical environment: noise, bright lights, heat, confined spaces
  • Social (interaction with people): rudeness, bossiness or aggressiveness on the part of someone else
  • Organizational: rules, regulations, "red tape," deadlines
  • Major life events: death of a relative, lost job, promotion, new baby
  • Daily hassles: commuting, misplacing keys, mechanical breakdowns
Internal stressors include:
  • Lifestyle choices: caffeine, not enough sleep, overloaded schedule, unhealthy diet
  • Negative self-talk: pessimistic thinking, self-criticism, over-analyzing
  • Mind traps: unrealistic expectations, taking things personally, all-or-nothing thinking, exaggerating, and rigid thinking
  • Stressful personality traits: The perfectionist, workaholic, have to please others
How to decrease your stress levels

Once you understand the negative effects stress causes, you can begin to discover ways that you can decrease stress in your life. Psychotherapy can help change stressful situations and how you approach them by helping you examine the following:

  • Time and money management
  • Assertiveness (rather than avoidance or aggressiveness)
  • Appropriate use of problem-solving coping skills
  • Realistic expectations (when expectations are more realistic, life seems more manageable)
  • Keeping a sense of humor. It’s important to be able to see the humor in the things we sometimes say and do
  • Having a support system (speak with someone or write down your thoughts)
  • Reframing negative thoughts so that you focus on the positive (half full vs. half empty)
  • Challenging catastrophic thinking using cognitive restructuring
Over the years, there has been thousands of studies that have shown lifestyle changes can effectively help reduce stress. That's why I combine psychology and natural medicine - so the people I work with can feel better faster. Some of the other methods I combine in order to combat stress include hypnotherapy, neuro linguistic programming (NLP), eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR), and cognitive/behavioral techniques.



Articles by Dr. Randi Fredricks, Ph.D.

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Journaling Can Help to Relieve Stress

Chronic Stress and the Immune System

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Dr. Randi Fredricks' book
Healing & Wholeness: Complementary and Alternative Therapies for Mental Health
With a full chapter devoted to natural therapies for Stress Management

Click here to
learn more


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Dr. Randi Fredricks, Ph.D., LMFT ♦ San Jose Psychotherapist, Psychotherapy and Couples Counseling
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Randi Fredricks is a Psychotherapist providing Psychotherapy and Couples Counseling, and Licensed as a Marriage Family Therapist MFC 47803. Dr. Fredricks is Executive Director of Randi Fredricks, Marriage and Family Therapist, Inc. © 1991 - All rights reserved. The recommendations on this website do not constitute professional advice, substitute for professional treatment, or establish a therapeutic relationship. Dr. Randi Fredricks, Ph.D. of San Jose Psychotherapist, Psychotherapy and Couples Counseling is a psychotherapist in San Jose, California providing counseling, psychotherapy, and therapy for individuals and couples with relationship issues, anxiety, panic attacks, post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, relationship issues, self-esteem, addiction, co-dependency, trauma, abuse, eating disorders, and managing grief and loss. If you search for counseling San Jose, psychotherapy San Jose, psychotherapist San Jose, therapist San Jose, counselor San Jose, couples therapist San Jose, couples counselor San Jose, marriage therapy San Jose, life coach San Jose, career coach San Jose, executive coach San Jose, you can find San Jose Counseling and San Jose Psychotherapy and Dr. Fredricks in San Jose and the Silicon Valley as the leading provider of such services. In addition to serving San Jose, Dr. Fredricks serves Campbell, Los Gatos, Saratoga, Milpitas, Mountain View, Monte Sereno, Cupertino, Scotts Valley, Santa Cruz, Felton, Sunnyvale, Morgan Hill, Fremont, Los Altos, and Gilroy, California.