Stress Solutions

Self-Learning Program

 

Introduction

Stress is a complex condition that involves three different kinds of events:

 1.  Stressful events in our environment

 2.  Events in our mind as we try to interpret and cope with those stressors

 3.  Physiological events in our body (including tension, fatigue, and other symptoms of stress)

A comprehensive approach to managing stress should involve strategies aimed at each of these three types of events:

 1.  Controlling stressors in our environment

 2.  Developing effective mental habits for coping with stressors

 3.  Caring for our body (through adequate exercise, diet, and sleep)

Most people are familiar with the importance of controlling stressors and caring for their body. However, we are often less aware of how our mental habits can dramatically influence the way we cope with stress. How we feel and behave is largely determined by the way we think, not by the things that happen to us or by the actions of others. That is, our moment-by-moment thoughts, which usually represent deeply held attitudes or core beliefs, “cause” us to feel and act as we do. We all have beliefs hidden in our minds which cause unnecessary problems for us. For example, many people believe that if they can’t do something perfectly, they might as well not do it at all. This would be an obvious example of a problem causing belief in action. Unfortunately most such beliefs are not so obvious.

Stress Solutions is based on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). CBT is the scientific application of the principals of learning to help people identify, challenge and overcome problem causing beliefs, unrealistic thoughts and change toxic behavior patterns. The goal of our program is to help you unlearn your unwanted reactions and to learn new ways of reacting. The benefit is that you can learn how to change the way you think so that you feel and act better, even if the situation hasn’t changed.

Our self-learning program is individualized through an analysis of the Stress Solutions Questionnaire (SSQ). The SSQ can be viewed, downloaded or easily printable in PDF on our website: www.centerstresscontrol.com. (NOTE: If you do not have internet access, we can mail you, free of charge, a copy of the SSQ questionnaire.

What Does The Stress Solutions Questionnaire Measure?

The Stress Solutions Questionnaire reveals problem causing beliefs you may have that can interfere with your life. It is designed to give you new insights into some of the ways you may be unintentionally contributing to your own stress levels. By understanding thought patterns and beliefs that cause stress, you will have a better idea of your strengths and weaknesses so that you will know where to concentrate your efforts in order to maximize your performance and satisfaction.

The questionnaire measures the following categories:

●  Negative Thinking – The habit of focusing on the negatives at the expense of the positives.

●  Rigid Thinking – The perception that tasks are inflexible demands that must be met, with no room for                                            discretion or choice.

●  Self-Efficacy – Refers to a person’s belief about their capacity to successfully reach goals or manage                                                 different situations.

●  Emotional Coping – Ability to understand one’s own emotions, regulate them for productive behavior,                                          bring together high levels of motivation and understand the emotions of others.

●  Behavioral Coping – Refers to the ability to cope and plan, rather than avoid thinking about how to                                               deal with negative experiences. It involves thinking in ways that promote effective action.

●  Proactive Coping – Refers to the ability to change a situation, take action, make decisions, solve                                                      problems, respond to pressure or meet challenges.

Our program differs from the traditional “analytical” approach by the fact that it does not focus on the roots of the problem repressed in the unconscious but rather proposes solutions for the individual in the here and now, and what he or she wants to achieve in the future. We do not try to analyze problems but to find the most effective ways to solve them.

After you have filled out and sent us your questionnaire, we will subject it to an individualized and confidential analysis. A short time later you will receive your analysis in the mail. If you’re like most people who have taken the questionnaire you’ll be amazed to discover what your problem causing beliefs are. Suddenly patterns in your life that you had never quite seen before can come into focus. You can start to understand feelings, anxieties, behavior characteristics that troubled you in the past. Yet this diagnostic phase of the analysis is only Step I.

Step II of your analysis is the solution phase. In this phase we will provide you with new healthy beliefs to replace each of your problem causing beliefs. We will also provide you with explicit instructions on how to bring the new healthy beliefs into your life.

A New Beginning 

We sincerely believe that the day you sit down with the analysis we send you, can be the first day of a new life for you. Your analysis report can help you:

1.  Understand yourself more completely

2.  Feel much better about yourself

3.  Identify the most effective ways for you to deal with stress

Program Cost

We believe that the Stress Solutions self-learning program (approximately 85 pages) can be as helpful as many traditional face to face sessions. Nevertheless, our fee for the entire program is only 90 CHF.

How Are Payments Made? 

Payments are made directly to the Center for Stress Control from you through Swiss PostFinance e-payment (PostFinance card or BVR). We selected this payment method to provide you the highest level of convenience, confidentiality and security. With PostFinance, there are no transaction fees. For clients paying from another country, payment can be made via a direct bank transfer. Banking details will be supplied upon receipt of order. We do not accept international cheques or money orders. Payment is due before we send you your analysis report and solutions.

A Note About Confidentiality

The information in your Stress Solutions questionnaire and report and all other information shared with the Center for Stress Control, on your behalf are treated as private and confidential. No one is permitted access to this confidential information for any reason, at any time.