Anger and Stress Management

Why Manage Anger and Stress?

Remember the sound of the breeze moving gently through the leaves, soothing the anger and stress?

Seeds of Life Oak Tree Kit

Why manage anger and stress?

Managing anger and stress does wonder for neurogenesis and neuroplasticity.

If you are a Senior or a Boomer or hope to be a Senior someday, then start managing anger and stress today.

How do you manage anger and stress?

Not sure about you, but I did not get any training in anger or stress management, other than count to ten when I was upset, which does work by the way, although I have needed to count to 100 a few times also.

Since then, I have also come to understand the value of deep breathing frequently, which is the cheapest anger and stress management alternative I have come across so far.

In fact, when I was growing up, there hadn't been much research done in regards to stress. Hans Selye had not published his work yet, so now you know I am a Boomer.

However, since Selye's time there has been an explosion of research and many discoveries documenting the impact of stress and anger on the human body, and an explosion of research on anger and stress management antidotes.

For example, no one knew not too many years ago about capacities of the human brain, like neurogenesis, which is the word used to describe your brain's ability to grow new brain cells daily.

That is right, there are replacement parts available, and from what I am reading, those new neurons migrate to the hippocampus which is a major player in the memory process.

That is the good news. The bad news is that stress hormones kill those new neurons before they get locked into existing circuits.

That is reason enough for me to begin to do regular work on anger and stress management, and by regular I do not mean once a day, but frequently, perhaps as often as heart beat by heart beat. (After all, if your heart stops, do you need to work on anger and stress management any more)? (Is there a tool that works heart beat by heart beat)?

Our brains are also incredibly plastic, which means that neurons are seeking to connect with other neurons constantly, and the more of that going on, the better I am able to handle the development of alzheimers plaque.

What is it that we can do to increase neurogenesis and neuroplasticity, and decrease anger and stress?

Everyone Knows What Stress and Anger Do To Your Heart...?

Your heart has a lot of neurons in it, in fact, your heart has its own nervous system, which sends more data to the brain in your head than the brain in your head sends to the heart.

The nervous system in your heart can be trained to keep the heart beating very coherently which is an excellent way to manage anger and stress, and enhance neurogenesis and neuroplasticity all in one fell swoop, to coin a phrase.

And that brain in the heart is affiliative and cooperative.

The program that does that training is called Heartmath, and I have been using it personally and professionally since 2001.

I really enjoy being able to cue a coherent heart beat on demand, a heart beat which cues a hormonal bath of DHEA, the anti aging hormone instead of cortisol and adrenalin, which cues up aging and alzheimers if utilized inappropriately by me.

Wouldn't It Be Great to Have a Coherent Heart Beat for the Family?

Sound like it is too difficult? Actually I have done that with couples sent to me for domestic violence counseling/education.

I have trained them to make their own heart beat coherent, and then had them hold hands while doing Heartmath, so they could see that there is a heart beat of the relationship which is coherent.

By the way, your initial Heartmath trainings are on a computer, which allows you to get feedback about the time between heart beats or the coherence of your heart beat.

For more information click on the link below. There are video demonstrations.

Are you curious about brain fitness programs you can practice at your computer? Here are links to three which I highly recommend. Your Heartmath practice actually opens up the higher perceptual centers of your brain. Here is one you can keep booted up on your computer for a quick brain break.

Would You Share Something That You Are Grateful For?

When I was beginning my personal growth journey, a wise person told me that when I was feeling resentful or afraid or sad, that I should remember the phrase "gratitude is the attitude" when I was ready to feel better. That phrase has helped me feel better tens of thousands of times.

Would you share what you are most grateful for? Your story could be just what another person is searching for to renew themselves? Thanks.


Have a question and want to talk with a therapist? Call 815-316-2621 for Julie Logan, LCSW, RN. 7121 Windsor Lake Parkway, Loves Park, Illinois 61111 jlogan7264@myway.com