Coping with Stress during Hurricane Irma

In the immortal words of Douglas Adams, “Don’t Panic.”

Currently with 25 years in private practice, I can confidently state that there are many aspects of health, wellness, and medical care in which I have developed some level of expertise. However, among them all, stress and stress-related symptom management truly stands out from the rest. One of the key factors that is addressed in our sessions is not only related to the stressors themselves, but on how we are coping with stress.

The path of Hurricane Irma, just like much of the turmoil that comes our way, is not really in our control.  However, our abilities to cope definitely can be!

Certainly, we do what we can to prepare for a hurricane, and by all means we try to keep ourselves and our families safe. But in the midst of all that, do yourself a favor: periodically STOP, and intentionally breathe as comfortably as you can for just a moment or two, perhaps notice and even feel the chair or ground beneath you anchoring you a bit, and simply experience a brief downtime and a potential reset.

These moments of downtime will help to keep you relatively energized, refreshed, and better able to offer at least an approximation of a better, more capable version of oneself.  Whenever we repeat this momentary practice, the pressures from the stressors at hand will be more easy to navigate. In the long run, as we develop new habits that integrate practices like this one, the mind and body will operate and collaborate in more healthy, functional, and optimal ways.

If you need some mental, emotional, or physical care after it’s all said and done, reserve some time with us.