What is stress?

Stress is our body’s response to feeling threatened or under pressure. We can feel stressed for all kinds of different reasons: financial pressures, work demands, difficulties in relationships etc.

 

Stress in itself isn’t bad – in the right amounts, it’s healthy and can motivate us to reach our goals. But it comes down to how we manage stress. Without the right coping strategies in place, prolonged periods of stress can damage our mental, emotional and physical wellbeing – and sometimes, lead to burnout.

Common symptoms of stress

  • Memory problems
  • Inability to concentrate
  • Anxious or racing thoughts
  • Constant worry
  • Irritability or short temper
  • Feeling overwhelmed
  • Moodiness
  • Aches and pains
  • Chest pains
  • Procrastination or neglecting responsibilities
  • Nervous habits (e.g. nail biting, pacing)
consultation taking notes

Treatment for stress

Everyone is different in terms of their ability to manage stress. Your initial assessment will help us uncover the current causes of stress in your life and what factors might be exacerbating it. Following the assessment, we will develop a psychological formulation that both explores your responses to stress and helps break the negative cycles that are maintaining it.

Frequently asked questions

You should seek support if you are finding that your stress levels are escalating and beginning to dominate your daily life. You may find that you’re experiencing difficulties sleeping or you’re not finding enjoyment in the things you used to. These are all good reasons to seek support.

Burnout happens when there is an imbalance of what we are giving out to the world and what we are taking for ourselves. If this balance falls out of whack, over time we’ll find that our psychological and physical resources simply burn out.

 

One of the first signs of burnout is exhaustion. Exhaustion causes cognitive problems so you might find that you’re easily losing focus in meetings or that you’re becoming increasingly forgetful. Your anxiety levels will increase so you might find yourself over-thinking or overly preoccupied about work. Changes in mood often mean increased irritation. So you might have a shorter fuse, or find that you’re drinking more or eating more (or less) as a means of coping.

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Athena Lazaridou

Athena is a Pilates instructor with 8 years’ experience in the field. After completing a Power Pilates Mat Certification in Athens, she went on to complete the Full Comprehensive Classical Pilates Certification with Equinox in Kensington.  She has been teaching Pilates at Equinox for the past 6 years in addition to her own private clients who she trains both face to face and virtually.

Athena has a passion for helping people get stronger and fitter as well as helping those recovering from injury regain their strength and mobility.  Over the years, she has worked with athletes to incorporate Pilates into their training and improve performance. Athena has also worked with prenatal and postnatal women who may be experiencing depression or other mental health difficulties and used Pilates to facilitate a positive impact on their mental health.

Athena is very passionate about improving physical and mental well-being and has recently incorporated Sound Healing into her work, as she believes it to be one of the best ways of ‘letting go’ and releasing stale energy whilst increasing greater self-awareness.