Deborah A. O'Donnell, PhD
is a licensed psychologist in Maryland (#03958)
Dr. O'Donnell earned a PhD at
Yale University
Dr. O'Donnell completed a doctoral internship at
Children's National Medical Center
We cannot remove stress from our lives completely, but we can take steps to manage stress and channel our nervous energy into something positive.
Taking time to be kind to ourselves is essential. Self-care is not selfish. We all need space to reflect and restore ourselves.
Please know that you are not alone, and there are treatments that can help if you find the stress to be overwhelming or hard to manage.
American Psychological Association:
Ways to Manage Stress
Recognizing and managing stress in our lives is an essential way of taking care of ourselves and our families. Stress is "how our body responds to pressure or tension" (U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, CDC, website).
Stress can manifest in many ways, including physical, cognitive and emotional aspects.
Signs that you might be experiencing stress include:
irritability or lowered frustration tolerance
feeling hopeless
being more forgetful or "scatterbrained" than usual
difficulty sleeping
turning excessively to food, alcohol, or other drugs for comfort (or, significantly restricting food intake)
grinding your teeth or clenching your jaw
tense or achy muscles
Thoughts for Spring:
Did you know that April is National Stress Awareness Month?
Centers for Disease Control:
Dr. O'Donnell accepts:
Medicare
Tricare/Humana Military
Dr. O'Donnell is an out-of-network provider for other health insurance companies
Insurance
Education
Training
Dr. O'Donnell completed clinical training at Yale University:
-Center for Anxiety and Mood Disorders
-Center for Eating and Weight Disorders
-Child Study Center
-Parenting Center
Mental Health Treatment for Children, Teens, and Adults
Asking for help is a sign of strength, not weakness. This involves knowing what our needs are and feeling comfortable being assertive. This could take the form of reaching out to a friend for support, or talking to a mental health professional.
Comparing ourselves to others can produce stress, especially if we perceive that we fall short somehow. It makes sense that human nature is to orient ourselves to what other people are doing, but it is important to remember that focusing on our own personal goals and progress is what really matters.
Taking time to be kind to others can reduce stress. Although many of our lives are already packed with seemingly too much to do, it only takes a moment to pay someone a genuine compliment, send a thank you letter to someone who has had a positive impact on us, or say hello. The potential impacts of such seemingly small acts can be profound to all of those involved.
Physical exercise, stretching, and deep breathing have all been shown to reduce stress. No need to have huge goals in this domain. Taking a short walk is a good place to start.
Stress Management Resources