Stress Relief

Stress Management > Mental Health Support

Stress Management

Condition: Stress is defined as “our psychological and physiological reaction to an event or condition that is considered a threat or challenge”. Our bodies react to stress by releasing hormones to trigger our Fight-Fright-Flight Response. This can also affect other systems in the body such as our immunity and digestion. Stressful events are inevitable. It is crucial to develop effective stress management techniques to establish balance. Learning how to become resilient under pressure is an important life skill. But so is knowing when and how to relax and make time for relationships and fun.

TCM Approach: Stress, whether emotional or physical is a result of Liver Qi Stagnation in TCM. The Liver is responsible for the smooth flow of Qi and when it is interrupted that is when an imbalance can occur. This is the most common pattern in TCM. When we feel frustrated, resentment or repress our anger our Liver Qi will stagnate. Over time Liver Qi Stagnation can generate excessive Heat in the body injuring Blood and Yin, amplifying our emotions but also exhausting them.

Proposed Treatment: As arguably the number one pattern treated in TCM, Liver Qi Stagnation can be dealt with effectively. The trick is knowing how to treat it, but also how to prevent it. Chinese herbs, nutritional and lifestyle changes can help to keep our Qi flowing on the regular with acupuncture helping to make profound shifts in the body, namely the nervous system, shifting us into the Rest & Digest state. Choosing any acupuncture treatment can address Stress. Clinically speaking, a series of 4 treatments to help the body shift into the parasympathetic mode is recommended. The more we help our bodies to achieve a state of relaxation, the easier it becomes to achieve it.

Mental Health Support

Condition: Mental Health Support includes any reinforcement that an individual receives to protect or promote their psychological well being. Having Mental Health Support is crucial. Whether you’re engaging in talk therapy with a qualified professional, taking medications or are looking for ways to relax and relieve stress, having a multi-faceted Mental Health Support strategy can be an effective way to amplify your efforts. Mental Health Support can include, but is not limited to, relaxation and mindfulness techniques, community out-reach, friends, family, or bodywork that bolsters your sense of well-being

TCM Approach: As mentioned in the ‘Stress Management’ section above, when our Liver Qi stagnates, this can have a direct impact on our physical and mental states. If the body is used to being in a hypervigilant sympathetic state of Flight-Fight-Fright, it can be hard for it to regulate into the parasympathetic Rest & Digest mode. Think of the acupuncture treatments as a form of exercise; at first it's hard to get our bodies to move, lift or balance. But if we stick to it, we will eventually see results.

Proposed Treatment: Acupuncture is a great adjunct to traditional talk therapy and medication. What acupuncture can offer is the unique ability to access the parasympathetic nervous system to help the mind and body relax. When we are calm, we are more receptive, less reactive and able to make better decisions. It does not interfere with either of these tools; it's only side effect is achieving a deep state of relaxation. Learning mindfulness techniques such as breath work and meditation with practice can lengthen the efficacy of the acupuncture. Therefore it's recommended to do a series of treatments in a row to get used to this relaxed feeling. Once self-care techniques are in place, the treatments can become less frequent.