Humour can be a powerful and effective mechanism for coping with stress, especially when combined with other means of stress reduction. The real power of humour and laughter shows up when you learn to use it in stressful situations. It keeps things in perspective, helps dispel negative emotions, and puts you in a frame of mind that can help you better cope with the situation. Combining stress mana... »
Leah is a 24 year old woman who was recently discharged from the Army on medical grounds. During her four years in the Army, Leah experienced high levels of stress and anxiety which she coped with by drinking heavily. When she presented for counselling, Leah had been sober for 55 days and was seeking strategies to cope with her anxiety that didn’t involve drinking. »
Jones, F., Bright, J. (2001). Stress – Myth, Theory and Research. Pearson Education Limited. ISBN: 0-130-41189-2. »
Assertiveness is the ability to express one’s feelings, opinions, beliefs and needs directly, openly and honestly, assert one’s rights whilst respecting the feelings and rights of another (Lloyd, 1998). Non-assertive individuals may be passive, aggressive or passive-aggressive. Passive clients appear to be unconcerned with their own rights and are more likely to allow others to infring... »
Once you have dealt with the psychological and emotional consequences of losing a job, it’s time to move forward and potentially consider a new career. Here’s a four-step framework you can follow: »
“When I can no longer proudly say ‘I am a mechanic’ my self-esteem gradually wastes away. I meet a stranger and admit that I am unemployed, perhaps have been for an extended period of time and I feel that my stature diminishes from the look in their eyes. I talk about what I used to do but I feel somehow tainted and incomplete. I talk too much about why I have no job because I wa... »
This exercise explores further the type of person you are and your personality needs. Simply select either the left or right option, depending of which statement most reflects you, and follow the instructions below. »
Every situation we encounter evokes a reaction and emotions. This usually only becomes a problem when the reactions and emotions we experience are unpleasant. In this post you will be focusing on your experience of being suddenly unemployed by addressing the following four points: »
Unfortunately ‘organisational restructuring’ and ‘downsizing’ are common events in today’s workplace. For those individuals who suddenly lose their job, financial pressures can be overwhelming. Most support individuals receive focus on supporting the individual financially. However even under the best conditions where someone has ample savings and decent job prospects... »
Melody has come for counselling to deal with the death of her husband. You have been counselling her for four weeks and in that time Melody has reported that she feels “depressed”. In addition, she complains of being constantly tired and lacking motivation to do simple tasks such as showering and cooking for herself. »
Sasha is a 60 year old woman who has recently retired from a career in teaching. Working for many years in a secondary school environment, Sasha was confident, motivated and dedicated to her work, but at the same time looking forward to retirement so she and her husband could travel and spend more time with their adult children who lived nearby. »
Carla is a 37 year old woman who works as a manager in a large engineering firm. She is married with two children a boy aged 10 (Carlos) and girl aged 8 (Anna). Her husband Rodrigo is great with the kids and very devoted and loving to Carla but he has recently been laid off from work (clothing factory supervisor) because the company became liquidated and folded. »
Experience and the literature inform us that transitions or changes in life are inevitable and you can fight them, flee from them or preferably accept that you need to prepare for and adapt to the changes in some way. Having confidence in being able to plan for and adapt to change, by having skills and knowledge that you know will work, by building resilience so that you have the emotional strengt... »
It is a bit difficult to define ineffective options simply because it is easier to describe those situations where people have ineffective options to react to change. »
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