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STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT OF STRESS

Written by: James Ladd

Article Overview: Many years ago and much earlier in my career I was Manager of the Employee Assistance Program for the Province of Manitoba. Back in those early days I was confronted with a dilemma in assessing the nature of some presenting problems, which in the end was to change my approach and interest in the way I understood stress and the way in which I was to help support persons who were experiencing the symptoms of stress for the next 35 years. When the cause of a stress symptoms jumps up and hits you in the face like a 2-by-4, (i.e. loss of a loved one) you know what you are dealing with and accordingly, can act to address it. But what if it relates to not living your life congruently with what it is you value, and/or not living your life according to your personality type and finally, perhaps not being able to meet your perceived needs?

STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT OF STRESS

Many years ago and much earlier in my career I was Manager of the Employee Assistance Program for the Province of Manitoba.
Back in those early days I was confronted with a dilemma in assessing the nature of some presenting problems, which in the end was to change my approach and interest in the way I understood stress and the way in which I was to help support persons who were experiencing the symptoms of stress for the next 35 years.
Besides the easily recognizable problems that people brought to our Program, I began to see disturbing numbers of people who presented with stress symptoms (i.e. headaches, anxiety, depression, and burnout) but who were hard pressed and as it turned out so was I, to easily identify what it was that was causing the symptoms.
When I delved into their lives with them, I heard things like I have a good paying job, get along with my boss, a family who loves me and everyone is healthy. There was nothing that screamed out at me about what was the root cause of their symptoms. They were perplexed, I was perplexed!
Although I referred them on, I somehow felt there was more that I could have done but what?
These repeated experiences led me to exploring the subtly of stress in more depth, and what I discovered was “congruence” or rather a lack of it and something called; “need tension.” When the cause of a stress symptoms jumps up and hits you in the face like a 2-by-4, (i.e. loss of a loved one) you know what you are dealing with and accordingly, can act to address it. But what if it relates to not living your life congruently with what it is you value, and/or not living your life according to your personality type and finally, perhaps not being able to meet your “perceived” needs at any particular point in time? What then?
Just what is it that you value and if you do not know, how do you go about finding out? Do you know what your personality type is and how it affects your daily living? And what about your needs, are they different than wants or are they the same? Do they change over time or are they the same no matter what? If there are symptoms of stress creeping into you life and you feel a “dis-ease” with yourself, can you flag the reason(s) for it?
If you cannot, than perhaps you need to find out what anchors you, what it is that you live for, believe in, would even die for, in other words your life purpose, and than determine why you get up each day and go out into the world and do what you do? If you are successful you may be surprised at what you find. And more surprised at what you do with your new found awareness!
Over a life time full of experiences I have learned some valuable lessons about congruence with values, need tension and personality style, and can share them with you, with the objective of supporting you in your efforts to develop a strategic approach to managing or eliminating your stress.
“Tell me, is it something that you think or feel you might need and see of value in your life?”
~ James Ladd

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Article Tags: 35 years, anxiety, boss, burnout, congruence, depression, dilemma, employee assistance program, experiences, good paying job, headaches, loss of a loved one, personality type, point in time, province of manitoba, root cause, stress symptoms, support persons, symptoms of stress, tension



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