Depression
Depression isn’t always obvious. For many people, especially those with a history of trauma, depression doesn’t show up as sadness or tears — it shows up as numbness, fatigue, disconnection, or a sense of not really being here.
When stress becomes chronic or overwhelming—when it persists without adequate time for recovery or involves multiple areas of our lives—it can become toxic. In these situations, even the best social support system may not be enough to alleviate the tension building in our bodies. If those around us are also feeling stressed, we may find it difficult to offer or receive the help we need.
We may also carry unhealthy coping mechanisms that help get us through a tough moment, but end up making us feel or function worse in the long run. Overcoming patterns, such as procrastination or avoidance, substance abuse, too much screentime, social withdrawal or a harsh inner critic, can feel daunting or impossible to change on your own.
Toxic stress is a prolonged, intense or complex set of stressful experiences that cause excessive or stuck activation of the body’s stress response systems, coupled with an under responsive support system. Toxic stress can lead to long-term changes in your brain and body.
Holistic therapy for stress focuses on individualized, strengths-based, and collaborative care. This approach helps you fortify and harness your personal strengths as valuable resources to face vulnerabilities. Working closely with a wise therapist as your guide, you address the specific stressors and stress responses unique to you. Techniques like Somatic Experiencing assist in identifying, unwinding, and repatterning long-held stress responses stored in the body.
Stress management includes transforming unhealthy coping mechanisms, improving time management and prioritization, and practicing relaxation and visualization techniques. Self-compassion therapy fosters understanding, acceptance, and tenderness toward suffering, helping you relate to challenges with patience and love. Mindfulness practices—such as meditation, breathwork, and Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR)—help internalize healthy coping habits and cultivate a sense of connection to others and a universal life force.
