Clinical psychologist Nancy D. O'Reilly, PsyD, has worked with women for more than 25 years and has researched women's aging for more than a decade. She founded the WomenSpeak Project so women could support each other in the experience of growing older in a society that does not reward aging. Visit WomenSpeak.com for ongoing research, an E-zine, and resources about Health and Wellness, Relationships, Finances and Aging itself.
Stress has been called an equal opportunity destroyer. No one is immune from its effects. Although we often think of stress in terms of its physical symptoms, in fact, our emotional and behavioral lives may be the first to be affected.
Many people have at one time or another experienced a frightening condition called panic attack or panic disorder. Panic attacks can interfere with the quality of time they spend with their significant others, friends and/or families. They can also make trouble at work, which most women appreciate as a creative and energizing atmosphere. For some however, the workplace is perceived as a pressure cooker.
I recently presented a Biofeedback seminar to breast cancer survivors and their loved ones. Biofeedback is a complementary treatment method that may be used in conjunction with other cancer treatment regimes. It teaches a person to control their own heart rate and body temperature and to reduce the level of muscle tension in the body.