If you are experiencing stress
Counselling Centre Information
Do this now: Deep breathing techniques, take a
The StFX University Counselling centre provides a variety of
services to help students handle the personal challenges of
university life. Professional Counsellors can work with
students on all personal issues which may include:
walk
Do this in the next few hours: Contact the
StFX Counselling Centre and make an appointment to
speak to a Counsellor
Do this tonight: Writing out your thoughts and
feeling can be a good release of pent-up emotions.
Recharge your brain and body by having a good
sleep
Do this tomorrow: Connect with family and
friends. Social contact is a good stress reliever
because it can distract you, and provide support
Do this next: Keep your Counselling appointment. Learn to mediate, this will help you focus
your attention and eliminate the stream of jumbled
thoughts that may be crowding your mind and
causing stress
Sources:
http://www.mayoclinic.com
http://www.listmyfive.com/dffc7acf/The-Top-Five
-Immediate-Stress-Relievers
Anxiety and Phobia Workbook, 4th Edition, Edmund
J. Bourne PhD
StFX Counselling Centre resource materials
homesickness
anxiety
depression
stress
Stress
Management
relationship problems
academic struggles
eating disorders
career preparation
The Counselling Centre can help you with any issue big
or small.
The Counselling centre offers individual and group Counselling. Counsellors can make referrals to other services as
required. All contact with the Counselling centre is strictly
confidential, Students may self refer or referrals may be
made by others.
The Counselling centre is located:
 3rdFloor of Bloomfield Centre (Room 305),
 Website at http;//www.sites.stfx.ca/Counselling.
 Phone us at (902)-867-2263
 Email at [email protected]
The Counselling Centre places a high value on confidentiality.
All student information is protected and secure. Client files
are kept for ten years from the date of the last Counselling
session before they are destroyed.
StFX
Counselling Centre
StFX University
Counselling Centre
3rd floor Bloomfield Centre
867-2263
[email protected]
What is Stress?
Stress is the body’s physical
response to perceived demand or threat.
The physical response is the „fight or flight‟
response.
The psychological part refers to the way we
perceive situations.
Stress can be good and bad
Good stress stimulates you, you have chosen
the stress and will take action. Bad stress has
chosen you.
 New relationship
 Playing sports
 First year at university
 Moving away from home for the first time
 Juggling school and work
 Parental expectations
 Not getting enough sleep
 Caffeine, alcohol, drugs
 Working too much
 Worry over an exams/or assignments or
deadlines
 Rules
 Student Loans/finances
.
Signs and Symptoms of Stress
Strategies for Stress
Physical Signs
 Teeth grinding
 Digestive problems
 To much sleep or not enough sleep
 Heart beating fast
 Muscle aches, stiffness or pain (especially in the
neck, shoulders and lower back)
 Frequent colds or flu's
 Existing illness (asthma, skin rashes etc.) getting
worse
 Sweating, nausea, trembling and fatigue
Behavioral Signs
 Irrational fears
 Feeling “overloaded or “overwhelmed”
 Problems with relationships
 Increased smoking, drinking, drug use
 Yelling, swearing, hitting and crying spells
 Changes in eating habits (increase or decrease)
 Changes in sleeping habits (increase or
decrease)
Mental Signs
 Decreased concentration
 Decreased memory
 Indecisiveness, mind going blank or mind racing
 Confusion, loss of sense of humor or sexual
desire
Emotional Signs
 Nervousness (nail biting, fidgeting etc.)
 Anger, impatience, short temper, frustration,
worry and/or fear
Check list of strategies to relieve stress:
What you feel
 Sleep: a regular sleep schedule will help you cope with
stress
 Reduce caffeine intake
 Well balance diet
What you see
 Focus attention— on the way to write an exam
concentrate on the beautiful day and not on the worry of
the exam
 Neutral Scene— when you are feeling uptight, focus on
what you are seeing, hearing, feeling and
smelling to centre your mind
 Diversion Tactics— use diversions when you are feeling
uptight. Read, watch TV, sports and hobbies
What you think
 Stop trying to be perfect, set realistic goals for your
self
 “The Shoulds” - Discover what your “shoulds” are and
make sure they are realistic or necessary
 Be good to yourself by treating yourself ie: study
breaks, healthy food
 Learn to think differently - “It‟s not what happens to
you but how you take it”
How you feel
 Remember it used to be possible to enjoy things.
 Learn to laugh at yourself and not take yourself or your
actions so seriously
 Cry, laugh, pillow fight, jump up and down—get rid of
those pent up feelings