Coping with Stress: Strategies and Mechanisms

Stress is an inevitable part of life, affecting individuals in different ways. Whether you’re dealing with work pressures, personal challenges, or unexpected events, learning effective coping mechanisms is essential for maintaining your physical and mental well-being. There are a number of psychological theories behind stress and it’s coping mechanisms. Here is how it works:

Assessment: We focus on stress evaluation and the development of coping and managing stress mechanisms that arise from behavioural or cognitive resources.

Coping Strategies: Based on this assessment, coping mechanisms are triggered. These strategies can be categorized as:

1. a) Problem-Focused Coping: Actively addressing the stressor by finding solutions and taking practical steps.
2. b) Emotion-Focused Coping: Managing the emotions associated with the stressor, such as seeking social support or practicing relaxation techniques.

Healthy Coping Strategies

Practical coping mechanisms that you can incorporate into your daily life:

• Exercise: Physical activity helps release endorphins, reducing stress and promoting overall well-being. Whether it’s a brisk walk, yoga, or dancing, find an activity that suits you.
• Relaxation Techniques: Deep Breathing: Practice deep, slow breaths to calm your nervous system.
• Progressive Muscle Relaxation: Tense and relax different muscle groups to reduce tension.
• Meditation and Mindfulness: Cultivate awareness and focus on the present moment.
• Social Support: Talk to Someone; share your feelings with a friend, family member, or therapist. Join Support Groups and connect with others facing similar challenges.
• Cognitive-Behavioural Therapies (CBT): Challenge Negative Thoughts by identifying and reframing irrational thoughts. CBT focuses on the way you think and behave and unlike with other treatments it helps to manage problems efficiently based on current issues and not the past. CBT improves Problem-Solving Skills by Breaking down problems into manageable steps.

At St Martin of Tours we acknowledge and understand the stressful nature of working with vulnerable individuals and their high levels of burn out within the industry. We support our residents on a day to day basis on their way to recovery, community adjustment and improvement of daily living skills in order to progress their independency. This has a huge impact on residents’ stress levels and foremost their welfare.

In order to achieve this, St Martins offers to all residents:

• staff are available to support residents when needed
• Weekly key work sessions to discuss matters arising during stressful periods and proactive work to limit stress
• Support to seek external professional advice when needed
• Activities in either an autonomous or group sessions to increase productivity and mitigate stress levels

For St Martins’ employees that are dealing with stressful periods at work or at home we offer:

• Professional support via our Healthshield benefits
• Regular monthly supervision to discuss caseloads and concerns
• 121 support after dealing with a stressful incident at work that may result to injury, death, physical or mental harm
• A number of reward schemes to acknowledge staff’s hard work and to pay our respect towards their overall health in a stressful working environment
• An internal Mental Health First Aider that is available to listen and support all employees.

References:

1)positivepsychology.com 2)my.clevelandclinic.org 3)choosingtherapy.com 4)nhs.uk