Contact
11 Silver Street
South Fremantle W.A. 6162
T: +618 9335 9747
E: chris_stress@hotmail.com
NEXT 16 WEEK PROGRAM
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16 week program
The 16 week program
The Stress, Anxiety and Panic program has been operating since 1982. It was the first of its kind in Western Australia, particularly as it followed a cognitive behavioural approach, which in those days was very new. Its focus is on the client's input or self-help, rather than on just medication or the therapist as the means to recovery.
A cognitive behavioural (CBT) approach suggests that a person's anxiety or depression is maintained by mistaken or dysfunctional appraisal of a situation. The person is encouraged to develop a mental set of catching and correcting his or her thinking and emotions. The CBT approach is highly structured and directive, teaching skills specific to stress and anxiety conditions and requiring daily practice of the skills to build confidence in one’s ability to take control over their emotions and thoughts once again.
The program is structured so that the skills learned each week build on previously learned skills. We work on the physiology first, learning relaxation and incorporating diet changes and exercise. A thorough understanding of the physiological mechanisms of stress and anxiety is taught and is reiterated in the teaching of the cognitive and behavioural skills. The majority of the program is dedicated to cognitive restructuring.
Clients learn how to recognise their own negative and distorted thought patterns and belief systems, which contribute to their stress and anxiety symptoms. They are taught to quickly identify and replace these with more rational and appropriate thoughts and behaviours. Daily practice of cognitive restructuring enables the person to automatically respond in a positive, rational and appropriate manner to daily stresses. A variety of skills are taught including relaxation, breathing and self monitoring techniques, mindfulness, time management, goal setting, how to have realistic expectations, assertiveness training, positive visualisation, techniques, self esteem skills, humour therapy and many more. Some thirty skills and concepts are taught in the program.
Follow Up Sessions
The 16 weeks are followed by a one-month follow up and then three monthly follow-ups for 12 months. Like any behaviour modification program, one is considered a success if one's skills are maintained over time. The follow-up sessions deal with setbacks and how to prevent them and/or deal with them should they occur. Self-management skills are taught during the program to enable participants to progress independently.
Systematic Desensitisation and EMDR
Participants can also have one-on-one sessions to augment the program skills or to deal with issues too personal to bring up in the group. Systematic desensitisation is available to phobic clients in private sessions.
It is important to point out that the group is not like an encounter group, talking about our problems or the past, which can often be depressing. The program is more skills based with a positive focus on what is working rather than what is going wrong. Participants are encouraged to set positive, realistic goals and keep those in mind as they work through the many skills designed to help them achieve their outcomes. There is no obligation to speak in the group unless comfortable. The program resembles more a night school class, where questions are welcomed and the discussion of relevant issues makes for a stimulating and interesting experience. Both participants and support people will find a very comfortable, friendly and relaxed atmosphere to learn in.