🌀 Stress Without Panic

A therapist’s perspective on tending to the body during stressful transitions

This week has felt heavier.
Between the looming return of back-to-school routines, work demands, gloomy weather, and a subtle but steady shift in seasonal energy, many nervous systems are working overtime.

As a therapist, I’m noticing it in myself and in the clients I work with. Stress is manifesting in the body as tension behind the eyes, shortness of breath, clenched jaws, and restless sleep. And yet, we often tell ourselves to push through, to “get on with it.” But the body deserves more than that. It deserves our attention.

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🌊 The Body Feels It First

Stress doesn’t start in the mind; it often begins in the body. The shoulders rise. The breath shortens. The stomach tightens. When our lives speed up, our bodies often try to keep pace until eventually they wave a flag that says, “Slow down. I can’t keep up.”

This week, staying present has meant pausing between sessions, taking walks after work, and checking in with my breath before reaching for another to-do list. These small acts aren’t about avoidance; they’re about regulation. They're about coexisting with intensity, rather than being consumed by it.

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🛠️ A Practice for Stressful Moments

Try this simple somatic check-in when things feel overwhelming:

• Notice your posture. Are your shoulders up near your ears? Gently drop them and exhale slowly.

• Place one hand on your chest, one on your belly. Inhale slowly, feeling your lower hand rise. Exhale with an audible sigh.

• Ask your body: What do I need right now: more effort, or more ease?

This isn't about fixing stress. It's about staying present with it, just enough to move through it without disconnecting from yourself.

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🛋️ Tend to it in Therapy

If stress has been running the show lately, therapy can offer space to slow down, explore what’s happening in your body, and restore emotional regulation. You might bring questions like:

• “Why do I freeze up when things get too busy?”

• “How can I better read the signs of stress in my body?”

• “What are ways I can come back to myself in the middle of hard moments?”

Whether you’re preparing for a busy fall or just feeling the weight of this week, you’re not alone, and you don’t have to power through.

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That’s all for now. Thanks for tending to your system.

📅 Ready to build your resilience this fall?
Book a free 15-minute consult, and let’s explore what nervous system care can look like for you.