Stress is an inevitable response when navigating the hurdles of a divorce. In a recent Divorce Support Circle facilitated by Dr. Leah Nathan, clients were very candid in reporting the stressful reactions they were experiencing in response to the divorce process. Some of the identified stressors shared by our clients were captured on the “Stressed Out” collage (pictured). A stressful life experience can cause the amygdala, an area in your brain, to make irrational decisions because of impaired judgement. Stress can compromise an individual’s immune system and also results in increased cortisol production. Scientific data indicates that elevated cortisol levels interfere with memory and leads to weight gain, increased blood pressure, as well as heart disease. Overall, stress impacts one’s psychological and physical well-being. Clients were resourced with a video that provided psycho-education on how both short-term and long-term stress can impact their daily functioning. Clients also spoke about their main stressors and collaboratively developed an action plan addressing how to overcome this challenge. Clients left the support circle with self-care strategies they can use during stressful times. The divorce support circle is facilitated by Dr. Nathan every second Tuesday of the month.
