A Los Angeles Therapist's 5 Tips for Managing Stress
At Highland Park Holistic Psychotherapy, we believe that though stress is often triggered by external situations and factors, there is something happening beneath the surface—a deeper internal reaction that may be stirring up past memories or trauma.
When feeling the overwhelm and stress of whatever situation we’re facing, we can also become irritable, anxious, depressed, etc. One triggering moment or thought can create a ripple effect—impacting daily life and the way we show up to our work, relationships, and other responsibilities.
We asked one of our stress management experts about the tips they consider to be both basic and essential for managing stress. Here are the top stress management tips they had to offer…
1. Ground Yourself
The thing about stress is that it often pushes us out of the present moment and into a spiral of thinking or other adaptive measures as we try to cope. So taking a moment to ground yourself and your body is essential.
One way to do this is to simply plant your feet on the floor and try to pay attention to what the surface beneath them feels like. Or, if you’re able to get outside, take your shoes off and walk around in the grass or dirt. This can activate all of your senses and literally ground your body in the earth beneath you, creating a sense of calm and presence.
2. Take a Deep Breath
Mindfulness is a powerful practice that has many benefits. In case you missed it, we have an entire list of the scientific benefits of incorporating mindfulness into your regular routine. You can read the “The Ultimate List of Mindfulness Facts” right here.
But more specifically, our Los Angeles therapists and stress experts have found that breathwork can be a powerful force against stress. Simply taking a quick moment to pay attention to your breathing pace and patterns, mindful breathing, can be impactful.
3. Prioritize Sleep
This may be an obvious one, but adequate sleep is something most of us don’t get enough of, especially when we’re experiencing significant stress or anxiety. Both our minds and bodies need sufficient rest and time to recharge from our full days, especially when we’re navigating stressful situations.
So put your to-do list on hold and aim for a minimum of seven or eight hours each night!
4. Connect With Someone
The experience of stress can be an isolating one. We feel the weight of the world on our shoulders, and perhaps as if we’re carrying it all alone. To combat this, make a point to connect with someone. Call a friend, send a quick text, or invite someone to join you on a walk to get the mail or grab a coffee. Even the smallest moment of connection can be quite restorative.
5. Do Something You Love
We realize that sometimes we are feeling stressed because of the amount of things we have yet to do and not having enough time to do them. So spending time on a favorite hobby or activity may feel impossible. But, consider taking five minutes to do something for yourself. Maybe it’s a moment to stretch and do your favorite yoga poses, reading one paragraph or chapter, or cooking yourself a delicious snack. Think quality over quantity—and then notice the small shift that can happen!
When is it time to get support from a therapist?
Because stress is such a common experience, we may find our own methods of managing it. Sometimes our own tricks and tools we’ve learned along the way will be sufficient in helping us process and manage our stress, and in other moments, we may realize that what has worked for us in the past no longer serves us well.
And when this occurs and our stress is not addressed or treated, we can experience stress that is more deeply impactful and chronic.
Remember, it’s never too early to ask for the support you need, or anticipate needing…
Connect with a holistic stress therapist
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Highland Park Holistic Psychotherapy is a collective of like-minded psychotherapists in Los Angeles dedicated to creating a soft place to land for all walks of life.
If you have additional questions about our practice, how therapy works, or how our LA therapists can support your stress management journey, we'd love to connect and share how we can help. Schedule a complimentary phone consultation so you can begin your journey towards healing.