Traffic jams, short-tempered drivers, frazzled nerves, financial worries, relationship challenges, unrealistic deadlines at work, and endless to-do lists. Add to the mix, relentless rushing…rushing…rushing…while trying to:

• Beat the clock
• Keep up with the speed of technology
• Breathe every so often

Sound familiarly overwhelming? If so, then welcome to contemporary life, and yes—you've "got stress."

In her office, Trina uses a symbol for stress that sits on a table next to her chair. The symbol is a small figurine. The figurine is a man carrying a large sack of coal on his back. The man is bent over beneath the weight of the coal-filled sack.

This is a good analogy for the stresses that many of us carry. For this reason, Trina often asks clients, "What are you carrying on your back that feels like a burden?"

Then, explains Trina, "The initial exploration often consists of hoisting the sack off my client's back, and onto the floor between us. We metaphorically let the sack's contents gently spill onto the floor allowing us to get a good look at the stresses."

These explorations repeatedly reveal that stress shows up on two levels:

• Tensions of the mind
• Tensions of the body

Mind stress/tension consists of worrisome thoughts like, “What will people think?” or, “What if I make a mistake?” Ruminating about problems rather than taking action is another form of mind stress that can result in procrastination.

Body stress often manifests in the form of physical tension. For example, jaw tension, neck tension, and shoulder tension can be indications of body stress.

If we add mind tension together with body tension, then we’ll really be escalating our stress levels! As a result, we may find ourselves breathing shallowly from our upper chests and, at times, unconsciously holding our breaths. If we keep this unhealthy pace going, we may eventually find ourselves experiencing a Stress Response.

During a Stress Response the mind and body fuel one another to create a "figure eight" as seen in the illustration below.

Our stressful thoughts create mind tension that can trigger muscle tension and result in a cycle of stress or a Stress Response. The worrisome thoughts and bodily tensions may be subtle while we’re busy, and then come into our awareness when we’re no longer distracted. For example, our mind-body agitation may become noticeable while we’re trying to relax or sleep.

Additional common physical symptoms of Stress
Responses include:

• Sweating
• Increased heart rate
• Tension around the eyes

The good news is; you can learn to recognize your Stress Responses and utilize mind-body tools to point you in the opposite direction—toward a Relaxation Response.

Like the Stress Response, the Relaxation Response is a mind and body issue. At the mind level, we move toward a Relaxation Response by letting go of scary or worrisome thoughts to interrupt the mind's stress cycle.

At the body level, we move toward a Relaxation Response by letting go of muscle tension. In doing so, we are lengthening our muscle fibers by relaxing. Letting go (at both mind and body levels) decreases our heart rates, blood pressure levels, and breathing rates. Trina's approach to stress management is multi-faceted and addresses the mind's tension as well as the body's tension.

Cutting-edge tools and methods Trina offers for
taming stress include:

• Hypnotherapy
• Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT)
• Meditation and Journaling
• Assertiveness Training

Click on any link above to find out more information about these powerful tools.
Here's what one client shared about her work with Trina's stress management tools: