Causes of stress. The situations and pressures that cause stress are known as stressors. … Of course, not all stress is caused by external factors. Stress can also be internal or self-generated, when you worry excessively about something that may or may not happen, or have irrational, pessimistic thoughts about life. Examples of life stresses are: The death of a loved one. Divorce. Loss of a job. Increase in financial obligations. Getting married. Moving to a new home. Chronic illness or injury. Emotional problems (depression, anxiety, anger, grief, guilt, low self-esteem) Physical symptoms of stress include: Low energy. Headaches. Upset stomach, including diarrhea, constipation, and nausea. Aches, pains, and tense muscles. Chest pain and rapid heartbeat. Insomnia. Frequent colds and infections. Loss of sexual desire and/or ability. Some examples of good ways to deal with stress: Take some deep breaths. Talk to someone you trust. Create a stress diary, note down when you feel stressed and why. Have a health check with your doctor. Exercise. Eat a healthy, balanced diet. Try to avoid smoking, alcohol and caffeine. Make time for things you enjoy. starpointcounselingtampa.com

Couples and marriage counseling follows a path beginning with assessment of the strengths and growth areas of the relationship and ending with meeting the joint goals of the couple and therapist. In the middle, the couple will work to better understand their partner, rebuild trust, and learn healthy skills to create and maintain healthy communication (connecting mentally, emotionally, spiritually, socially, and physically) and forgiveness. affordablecounselingbrandon.com starpointcounselingtampa.com starpointcounselingbrandon.com

WHAT IS STRESS? As a stress therapy center in Tampa Fl. & Brandon Fl., we explain stress to ourclients as our body’s way of responding to any kind of demand or threat. When we feel threatened, your nervous system responds by releasing a flood of stress hormones, including adrenaline and cortisol, which rouse the body for emergency action. Your heart pounds faster, muscles tighten, blood pressure rises, breath quickens, and your senses become sharper. These physical changes increase your strength and stamina, speed your reaction time, and enhance your focus. This is known as the “fight or flight” stress response and is your body’s way of protecting you. When working properly, stress helps you stay focused, energetic, and alert. In emergency situations, stress can save your life—giving you extra strength to defend yourself, for example, or spurring you to slam on the brakes to avoid an accident. Stress can also help you rise to meet challenges. Stress is what keeps you on your toes during a presentation at work, sharpens your concentration when you’re attempting the game-winning free throw, or drives you to study for an exam when you’d rather be watching TV. But beyond your comfort zone, stress stops being helpful and can start causing major damage to your mind and body. starpointcounselingtampa.com starpointcounselingbrandon.com affordablecounselingbrandon.com #stresscounselingtampaflstressstresstherapy

Confidently walk down the aisle knowing you can get through anything together Congratulations on your engagement! For couples planning to get married, the time leading up to the wedding is a special time to plan for the future. Couples who choose Premarital Counseling at Star Point Counseling Center and Affordable Counseling Center in Tampa Fl. & Brandon FL. have the opportunity to build a healthy foundation for a life-long healthy marriage. Together we will identify your couples’ strength and growth areas while improving communication and conflict resolution skills. As a Star Point  Couples Counselor, I can help couples in premarital counseling with the following: Assess family roles and the impact they have on the relationship Create healthy communication styles and resolve past issues Define boundaries and expectations Heal emotional injuries Resolve childhood wounds Tools for how to fight fair and resolve conflict What to Expect – Premarital Counseling typically include the following: A customized couples assessment –  This is an easy prepare and enrich assessment. The inventory identifies your strength and growth areas as a couple. 3-8 feedback sessions –  As a trained  facilitator, we will help you as a couple to  discuss and understand your results while teaching proven relationship skills.

AFFORDABLE COUNSELING CENTER IN BRANDON FL & TAMPA FL. • Build Love Maps: Knowing each other and staying updated on the partner’s internal and external worlds. The fundamental process involves asking open-ended questions. • Share Fondness and Admiration: Including expressing appreciation and gratitude, affection/intimacy, and showing respect for one another. • Turn Towards: Building awareness of how one’s partner asks for connection and expresses emotional needs and deciding to turn towards these “bids” rather than turning away dismissively or turning against with hostility or contempt. Turning towards makes deposits in the emotional bank account of the relationship, creating a reserve to draw on in times of crisis or turmoil. • The Positive Perspective: What does it feel like to be in this relationship? The overarching sentiment is negative if neutral or positive messages are perceived as negative. Building the Positive Perspective involves shifting focus to notice what your partner is doing that is thoughtful, interesting, or positive in some way. • Manage Conflict: Learning to dialogue about Perpetual (unsolvable) Problems and work on Solvable Problems. • Make Life Dreams Come True: Create an environment that welcomes honest exploration of each person’s dreams, values, beliefs, and aspirations. • Create Shared Meaning: Creating narratives about what life means and the rituals of connection that enact these meanings. affordablecounselingbrandon.com starpointcounselingtampa.com starpointcounselingbrandon.com

The Christmas season is meant to be a time of joy, but for many people it can be a time of stress, anxiety, disappointment or loneliness. Christmas comes with high expectations of perfect, happy families enjoying luxurious celebrations and gifts, but not all of us are able to live up to these ideals. For those who have recently lost a loved one, Christmas can intensify feelings of grief and sadness. Some people experience feelings of isolation, financial pressures or increased family conflict that can make this a very stressful time of year. However, there are some steps you can take to help manage stress and anxiety during the festive period. Taking care of money worries Is the festive season a burden on your wallet? Here are some tips for managing your Christmas finances and reducing your financial stress during the silly season: Identify what’s causing you financial stress. Buying gifts and attending social get togethers can be expensive. Plan ways to reduce spending. For example, you could suggest to your family and friends that you only buy gifts for the kids, or organise a ‘Secret Santa’ among the adults. Set a budget and stick to it. Find low cost ways to have fun. Don’t let money cut you off from your family and friends. If you can’t afford expensive restaurant meals or cocktail catch-ups, organise a BBQ in the park or a party at home where everyone brings a plate of food. Dealing with family tension Just because you’re related doesn’t mean your family members will all get along. Split families and unresolved conflicts may contribute to Christmas anxiety. Family and relationship problems can be a trigger for anxiety. Here are some ideas for getting through: Set realistic expectations. Christmas might not be the fabulous family reunion you hoped for. Plan how you will manage any feelings of anxiety or depression that may arise. Put the kids first. If you have children, consider putting aside ongoing adult conflicts in their interest. Think about Christmas as a day for the kids and focus on enabling their happiness. Drink in moderation. It may be tempting to drink too much during the festive period, but alcohol can contribute to stress, anxiety and depression. Alcohol may be a problem if you’re drinking to cope. Avoid known triggers. If your family has a history of arguing over a certain topic, don’t bring it up. Managing loneliness There are ways to overcome loneliness if you find yourself isolated or grieving a loved one over the Christmas period. Connect with friends and family. Even if you’re separated by distance, you can stay in touch with loved ones online or by phone. Volunteer. Why not lend a hand to a local shelter over Christmas? There are lots of charities who need help. You’ll connect with people and feel good about making a positive contribution. Find out what’s on locally and get involved. Whether it’s Christmas carols or local markets, getting out and about can help relieve loneliness. Make plans for Christmas Day. Develop a plan in advance to avoid feeling depressed or stressed on the day. Perhaps make yourself a special breakfast, buy yourself a gift in advance so that you can enjoy on the day, attend a local church service, or take a stroll through the local park to give yourself a treat. Stay healthy to avoid Christmas anxiety anxiety counseling Tampa Fl. & Brandon Fl, Stress counseling Tampa Fl & Brandon Fl, Depression counseling Tampa Fl & Brandon Fl starpointcounselingtampa.com starpointcounselingbrandon.com affordablecounselingbrandon.com

Affordable Counseling Center offers marriage counseling in Brandon Fl. & Tampa Fl.  and couples counseling in Brandon Fl. & Tampa Fl. We are naturally wired for relationships. So why are they so difficult? There is not just one answer to this question. There are many reasons that couples find it difficult to stay connected in today’s world. One culprit is “trust.” It’s what we all strive for in relationships to have a partner we can trust, reach out for comfort and know they will be there. The trust allows us to feel safe. When the trust begins to erode in a relationship, there can be dire consequences. Negative patterns of communication or interactions develop, sometimes distancing an already vulnerable couple from one another. The distancing we feel is often related to our personal triggers, from earlier attachment wounds. In couples’ therapy we explore together what the couple is experiencing in the room and begin the healing process. affordablecounselingbrandon.com starpointcounselingtampa.com starpointcounselingbrandon.com #marriagecounselingbrandonfl #marriagecounselingtampafl

“I  had no idea if I wanted to work on my relationship.  There was so much pain and resentment that I was stuck.  This process took off all of the pressure I’ve been feeling from my spouse to make it work – which helped me to make the best decision for myself and my family.” About 1/3 of couples that contact us are on the brink of ending their relationship. Often one person wants the relationship and the other is concerned that being happy and being together is impossible. For these couples – traditional couples counseling does not make sense. Instead – you need a therapist who takes you through a process to see if you both can get on board with working on your relationship of if it’s time to call it quit. Affordable Counseling Center in Tampa Fl. & Brandon Fl. gives you: Clarity about how you got to this difficult spot 3 options of how to move forward Confidence in what path you want to take moving forward Frequently Asked Questions Marriage Counseling in Brandon Fl. & Tampa Fl. How do I know if Make-It-or-Break-It Counseling is for us? This type of counseling is for couples where one or both members of the couple are unsure if they want the relationship to proceed.  We find this type of counseling is especially suited for these types of couples and situations: Couples Unsure if they want to move forward with their relationship – Sometimes one or both partners are unsure if they have the feelings or motivation to work on their relationship. A Recent Affair was Uncovered – An affair has been revealed and it’s unclear if both of the partners want to work on repairing the relationship. Want to Want It – Some people come to us and although they don’t have the feelings of admiration for their partner – they want to get them back and want to know if it’s possible. Relationship on the Brink of Divorce – Sometimes it seems like a relationship is not fixable.    Affordable Counseling Center can help couples understand if their situation is workable. One Partner is In – One Partner is Out – One person wanting the relationship and the other person wanting out is a common predicament.  Affordable Counseling Center provides a forum to see if there is middle ground between the two positions.  This is of utmost importance because traditional couples therapy will almost surely fail if both partners do not have similar goals. Is there hope for us? Often a relationship that had been on the brink can be transformed into a better relationship than ever before.  This is only possible if  each person learns the skills necessary to be successful in relationships.  At  Affordable Counseling Center in Tampa Fl. & Brandon Fl. we know the skills and teach them to couples every day. Affordable Counseling Center in Tampa FL. & Brandon Fl. offer’s Marriage Counseling, Couples Counseling, Relationship Counseling and Individual Counseling for Stress, Anxiety, Depression and other issues people have in life. affordablecounselingbrandon.com starpointcounselingtampa.com starpoinrcounselingbrandon.com #anxietycounselingbrandonfl #marriagecounselingbrandonfl #marriagecounselingtampafl #couplescounselingtampafl #anxietycounselingtampafl

ALMOST WITHOUT EXCEPTION, COUPLES WILL COME TO Affordable Counseling Center in Brandon Fl. SAYING THEY STRUGGLE WITH COMMUNICATION. This is an umbrella term.  There are hundreds of issues hanging under the umbrella.  For example, are you / do you act… Dismissive Defensive Critical Contemptuous High and mighty Erroneously finding fault Jumping to negative conclusions Walking away prematurely Sweeping things under the rug Yelling and name calling OR… One of you has had or is contemplating having a physical or emotional affair because something is missing for you You have the same argument over and over You’ve lost your connection You are constantly walking on eggshells AND THE LIST GOES ON. These are the most common complaints but hardly the full list.  The research shows that most couples share an equal amount of the blame when it comes to conflict.  You might think that keeping your mouth shut and just going with the flow make the relationship better, but really this is a recipe for disaster because it is a breeding ground for resentment.  Then comes the conflict and the fights. Couples argue, period.  We will show you the 12 skills needed to have an effective and appropriate argument where you can make it easy for your partner / spouse to give you exactly what you want! WE WANT YOU TO END UP WITH… Better skills for communicating effectively A better intimate / sex life A partner who is safe to go to An honest relationship A sense of being seen, heard, loved and validated Go to Affordable Counseling Center in Brandon Florida for marriage counseling, couples counseling, family counseling or relationship counseling. affordablecounselingbrandon.com starpointcounselingtampa.com starpointcounselingbrandon.com

Marriage Counseling Tampa Fl. & Brandon Fl. Couples Counseling Tampa Fl. & Brandon Fl. At Affordable Counseling in Tampa Fl. & Brandon Fl. we feel infidelity comes in many forms and affects the betrayer and the betrayed in many ways. Generally, most people consider engaging in an emotional and/or physically intimate relationship with someone other than with your partner an affair. Emotional affairs are relying on and communicating with a non family member whom you have intimate feelings toward. Often these emotional affairs begin with two people complaining about their unhappiness in their own lives. Physical affairs include physical contact, from kissing to intercourse. Emotional affairs can be as damaging as physical affairs and may also be the gateway to a physical affair. There is research suggesting that women are more affected by emotional affairs, whereas men are more impacted by their partners having physical affairs. In my experience, each type of affair can be equally traumatic and damaging to both genders. These types of affairs also impact gay and lesbian relationships with similar levels of damage.  A third and less common type of affair is viewing pornography. Women more often than men perceive that viewing pornography is a form of cheating. There are changing norms with millennials. More and more millennial women are watching pornography and both sexes are lowering their expectations about their partners need to abstain from pornography altogether. It is up to each couple to decide what is betrayal for them. Ultimately betrayal is a violation of trust that results in a traumatic experience for the betrayed, and often for the betrayer but to a lesser extent. If couples watch porography together, openly communication their individual sexual desires and needs the relationship becomes stronger, together. affordablecounselingbrandon.com starpointcounselingtampa.com starpointcounselingbrandon.com #couplescounselingtampafl

Are there growing feelings of resentment or dissatisfaction? Is there a lack of interest in affection or sex or a growing sense of distance? These are some signs that warrant Couples Therapy in Tampa FL. & Brandon Fl. before the relationship worsens further. While a relationship may start off strong in the beginning, it may undergo wear and tear through any number of reasons. Causes could be stress at work, unemployment or financial hardship, infertility issues, infidelity, changing roles such as retirement, attempting to blend different families in second or subsequent marriages. Couples Therapy at Affordable Counseling in Tampa Fl & Brandon Fl.  helps by providing a fresh perspective. Through focusing on effective guidance and solutions, Couples Counseling at Affordable Counseling in Tampa Fl. & Brandon Fl. gives you effective techniques and coping strategies that you can integrate into your life. affordablecounselingbrandon.com starpointcounselingtampa.com starpointcounselingbrandon.com

Affordable counseling Center in Brandon Fl. & Tampa Fl. offers marriage counseling, couples counseling and pre – marriage counseling. Getting married can be one of the biggest events in our lives, and it is not a commitment to be taken lightly. We seek to support couples going into marriage by teaching the essential components for a successful partnership. As professional licensed marriage counselors, we have gained great insight into how a marriage works, how people can stay together and thrive in a happy, long-lasting relationship. What sets our premarital counseling apart is the advice and suggestions Affordable Counseling Center in Brandon Fl & Tampa Fl provides based on your actual relationship and communication dynamics. affordablecounselingbrandon.com starpointcounselingtampa.com starpointcounselingbrandon.com