Cortisol
Cortisol is a key hormone in the body’s stress response system. While essential for immediate reactions to danger and having some benefits, chronic overproduction of cortisol can be harmful to both mental and physical health.
Cortisol is a key hormone in the body’s stress response system. While essential for immediate reactions to danger and having some benefits, chronic overproduction of cortisol can be harmful to both mental and physical health.
Rewiring the brain from anxiety is an achievable goal that focuses on a change in the relationship with anxious thoughts and feelings. It requires a holistic approach, combining self-help strategies with professional support where needed. Key to this is accepting anxiety as a normal part of life and focusing on building skills and confidence to manage its effects, whilst taking action towards meaningful goals. By understanding the brain’s role in anxiety and using neuroplasticity to your advantage, it is possible to build a life where anxiety has less of an impact.
Stress and anxiety, while interconnected, have key differences in their focus, triggers, and duration. Stress coaching can be effective because it takes a tailored approach that recognizes these nuances and focuses on what is controllable. The coach helps the client to identify what is causing their anxiety and/or stress and then teaches practical tools and skills to empower them to live a more meaningful, less stressful and less anxious life. By focusing on a client’s personal goals and values, coaching supports lasting change, promoting self-reliance and well-being.
A havening practitioner helps someone overcome their anxiety by using gentle touch to target and release the traumatic experiences stored in the brain, unlike other treatments that focus on managing symptoms, havening seeks to resolve the root cause. Clients may choose havening because it is designed to be quick and effective, and it does not require the client to talk about their trauma if they do not want to.
Overcoming anxiety requires more than just willpower. It involves learning to break out of unhelpful habit loops, and a willingness to accept anxious thoughts and feelings, while focusing on making actions that are guided by values. This can involve self-help strategies or professional help. A crucial shift is moving away from trying to eliminate anxiety to learning to live with it, building a meaningful life and working towards personal goals in spite of anxious feelings.
Anxiety coaching provides a powerful combination of support, action-oriented techniques, and personalized strategies to help you overcome anxiety. A coach works with you to build a long-term, empowering relationship, so you can create new habits and achieve your goals. By emphasizing your strengths, clarifying your values, and learning effective coping skills, you can develop the resilience and confidence to live a more meaningful life. Coaching focuses on your values and your goals for the future, taking an approach rather than an avoidance goal.
Havening uses touch, focus, and visualization to promote healing from stress, anxiety and trauma. It can be used in a range of circumstances and is flexible to suit the specific needs of individuals. It is based on neuroscientific principles which demonstrate that this approach can create real and lasting change in the mind and body. Self-Havening can be used for day-to-day stresses and emotional regulation, while a practitioner can provide guidance for those dealing with deeper trauma or those who would benefit from more support in the process of healing. Havening is a powerful tool that can be integrated into an existing life to enhance both mental and physical well-being.
Anxiety involves the amygdala’s stress response to perceived threats, which can become heightened by encoded trauma. Havening is a powerful method that uses touch, attention, and visualisation to directly target the encoded memories in the amygdala, promoting relaxation and reducing anxiety. It is a gentle and rapid method that can be used as self-havening or facilitated by a therapist. Havening is considered more effective than some traditional approaches because it addresses the root cause of anxiety and trauma, is quick and effective, does not require the details of the trauma to be discussed and can be used to increase the effectiveness of traditional approaches to support well-being.
Beating social anxiety involves a combination of understanding what causes it, managing reactions, accepting discomfort, and changing the thought patterns and behaviours associated with social anxiety. Key strategies include practising mindfulness, gradually exposing yourself to feared situations, challenging negative thoughts, showing yourself compassion, shifting your focus and setting boundaries. Practicing positive behaviours and relaxation techniques and taking care of yourself are all crucial steps to take towards overcoming social anxiety.
senior staff may prefer private anxiety support due to concerns about confidentiality and stigma, limitations of in-house resources, the demands of their roles, a desire for control and autonomy, a perception of higher value from private specialists, and a focus on performance outcomes. Private coaches are often seen as experts, who can tailor their approach and offer a confidential space for individuals to address their anxiety and move forward.
While therapy may be more suitable for those with clinical anxiety disorders, coaching is a powerful option for individuals seeking to build resilience and manage stress. It is particularly useful for those who want to develop practical skills, take control of their lives and move towards meaningful goals. Coaching allows a person to become more confident, more empowered and more in control of their experience of stress.
NLP is a method that aims to help people manage their anxiety by understanding how they create the experience of anxiety and then learning how to manage their mental processes and thoughts, to rewrite negative associations. NLP includes techniques like identifying triggers, reframing thoughts, setting anchors, and timeline therapy, and it focuses on helping individuals take control of their mental state. NLP works with the idea that each individual processes the world through a unique filter based on their experiences and memories.
SFBT is a collaborative approach that prioritises the client’s expertise, focuses on their preferred future, and amplifies their strengths and resources. It uses solution-focused language and the client’s own perception of what works to help them create a better future.
Stress coaching is a solution-focused approach that helps clients manage stress and improve overall well-being. It differs from traditional therapy by concentrating on building strengths and focusing on the future rather than analysing past issues. Coaches help clients to develop healthy habits through support, education and personalised plans that align with the client’s goals and values. By incorporating practices like mindful breathing, setting boundaries, physical activity, and self-compassion, clients can learn to effectively manage their stress and live more balanced lives.
It’s important to note that the specific approach a therapist uses will depend on their training and the client’s individual needs. Some therapists might draw on a combination of techniques or work within a specific framework, such as ACT or SFBT. They may also encourage clients to seek support from other sources, such as friends, family, support groups or self-help resources. Overall, the goal is to empower clients to manage their anxiety effectively and live full and meaningful lives.