Stress is a common issue affecting clients, particularly women. In this post, I will share some recent statistics as well as strategies for handling stress.
According to a recent study*, almost 75% of women report having anxiety-related health issues, with 40% seeking medical help. Because more than half of the women report “obsessing” over work, the anxiety appears to be tied to the workplace.
Stress doesn’t just affect mental health, it can also have physical consequences. Forty-four percent of the women in the study drink alone to reduce stress, and 71% report either under- or over-eating. Ironically, these activities can lead to reduced ability to handle stress since they weaken the body.
What does all of this mean for counselors? It means we should prepare to help women deal with stress.
Here are some ideas:
- Physical: Women need to eat nutritiously, address sleeping issues, and keep exercising. Whereas all of these are important, there is evidence that exercise can help with anxiety. Since women will often report that they have “no time” to take care of themselves, counselors can advise them that.they must make time for self-care, or risk their health.
- Emotional: The counseling room is an obvious place to give women a venue where they can feel emotionally supported. But, truly helpful counselors will have an eye on the future and work with women to establish a support network outside of the counseling room. Women often rely solely on their intimate partners (if they have one), but this is a mistake. Women need to have at least a few people they can count on to be both supportive and encouraging.
- Spiritual: In general, we know that connecting with a higher purpose has a beneficial effect on our mental health. This can be encouraged in a few ways. First, counselors can support clients’ spiritual beliefs, whether they involve going to church regularly or not. Second, counselors can work with women to make meaning (beyond earning a paycheck) out of their work.
- Leisure: Encouraging women to develop a hobby where they create something tangible can help reduce stress. In addition to getting their minds off their jobs, the experience of creation and control can be a great antidote to the workplace, where frustrations abound and so many things are out of one’s control.
Perhaps most important, however, is normalization. Explaining these latest statistics to women will help them feel less alone. Stress is a systemic problem with wide-reaching affects.
Yours in the Joy of Knowledge,
Dr. Barbara LoFrisco
*Source: “Generation burnout: Three-quarters of women suffer from stress-related anxiety,” The Telegraph, December 3, 2015
