According to the American Institute of Stress, April has been deemed Stress Awareness Month since 1992.The American Institute of Stress states:

Common reactions to a stressful event can include:

• Disbelief, shock and numbness

• Feeling sad, frustrated and helpless

• Difficulty concentrating and making decisions

• Headaches, back pains and stomach problems

• Smoking or the use of alcohol or drugs

(Meyer, 2021)

This year CommunityCare of Lyme is uplifting the theme of Stress Awareness through programs and sharing resources. For more information or to register for any of the below programs please contact shelby@cclyme.org or 603-795-0603.

Our Hour All are invited to a warm conversation with friends new and old. Enjoy a cup of tea, add to your social support network, or simply come and relax. Tuesday, April 12 at 10:30am in the CCL Living Room, and the second Tuesday of every month.

Complimentary Reiki  throughout the month Stephanie Carney offers for our community this opportunity. Enjoy this as a way to show compassion to yourself, and a way to relax. Each Wednesday starting at noon.

Mindful photography Gathering. Our focus will be on slowing down and noticing the world around us through taking a limited number of photos. All ages and levels of experience are welcome! Bring whatever camera you have  – your smartphone, a point and shoot, DSLR or mirror less – all will work equally for this gathering. Thursday, April 14 at 5:30pm join CCL’s Stephanie and Shelby in the CCL Living Room. (location subject to change due to weather; all registrants will be notified of any changes in location.)

Stress Awareness Month Program. We will learn about the physiological impacts of stress along with how to utilize stress reduction strategies. Please click here to register. Wednesday, April 27 at 7pm- with Samuel Standard, PhD. via Zoom.

CCL Office Hours. We’re here! Come for a visit in our warm and welcoming living room. Have a cup of tea or coffee, spend time engaging in warm conversation or simply come sit in a comfy chair and enjoy some quiet time. Mondays through Thursdays 9am – 11am CCL Living Room. We’d be happy to meet with you outside of these hours too, please give a call to 603-795-0603 to see if someone is in the office or to schedule a time for a friendly visit.

Stress Reduction Retreat. We are looking to plan a stress reduction retreat where we can gather with neighbors and engage in different stress reduction practices.  If you would like to be a part of this event, either offering a stress reduction demonstration OR are interested in being a participant please contact shelby@cclyme.org/ 603-795-0603. Understanding interest will be very helpful as we move forward in planning this retreat. Date and time TBD. Stay tuned for more information.

 NEW!! In support of Stress Awareness Month, CommunityCare of Lyme has created a new and evolving self-care webpage where you can explore upcoming events and programs and find quick access to our postings related to self-care. Click here to see our new Self-Care page.

Works Cited:
*Each of the below are also resources to learn more about stress and adaptive ways to cope.

“7 Steps to Manage Stress and Build Resilience.” National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, https://orwh.od.nih.gov/in-the-spotlight/all-articles/7-steps-manage-stress-and-build-resilience.

“Feeling Stressed?” Edited by Harrison Wein, National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 1 Feb. 2021, https://newsinhealth.nih.gov/2021/01/feeling-stressed.

Meyer, Pam. “April Is Stress Awareness Month.” The American Institute of Stress, 7 Apr. 2021, https://www.stress.org/april-is-stress-awareness-month.

“Stress and Coping.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2 Dec. 2021, https://www.cdc.gov/mentalhealth/stress-coping/index.html.

If you or someone you know is struggling, please reach out for help. These are two available resources:
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255
Crisis text line:  741741

For more resources please click here.

If you have a wellness themed topic you would like to share or learn more about, and/or blog/vlog about as an expert in a health/wellness related field, please reach out to shelby@cclyme.org. 

Shelby Wood
Manager of Program Development
CommunityCare of Lyme
Shelby@cclyme.org
802-468-7776