One Way to Deal with Stress

While home last weekend, my son shared that he was feeling extremely stressed and under pressure. There was not one particular thing that he could put his finger on that might have been the underlying cause. It was more a series of smaller things that – as those smaller things can easily do – snowballed into a larger crisis.

As I have written before, he has a long-term relationship with a therapist who is really more of a friend; moreover, he had good people to talk to for four years at his high school, including his guidance counselor, a social worker and some of his teachers. Now that he’s living on campus, he does not have easy access to those familiar contacts.

My husband and I suggested (not for the first time) that he set up an appointment with someone in the college’s counseling office; even if he can power through this right now, there may be a time when he will appreciate already knowing someone there.

We are both confident that our son will make use of that office if he needs it. However, this time he went to the fitness center, where a good workout cleared his head and improved his mood.