Around the beginning of the year, most of us begin focusing on improving our lives. While resolutions often center on developing new habits that will get us into better physical shape — eating more nutritious foods and getting exercise generally top most people’s lists of goals for the new year — reducing stress and getting into better mental and emotional shape can provide huge rewards.

If you are living with high levels of stress, you are putting your entire well-being at risk.

Stress wreaks havoc on your emotional equilibrium, as well as your overall physical and mental health. It narrows your ability to think clearly, function effectively, and enjoy life.

Effective stress management helps you break the hold stress has on your life so you can be happier, healthier, and more productive.

It was a privilege to host Julia Fischer-Ortman, an experienced psychologist and mental health therapist in Hamburg.

Julia successfully implemented her workshop on Stress Management.

Participants had the opportunity to learn about the causes of stress in everyday life and ‘the pillars of identity’ that they need to be conscious of to live a stress-free life.

The Key pillars of Identity, according to the concept of Hilarion Petzold, include

🤸‍♀️ Body and Health
👩‍❤️‍👨 Relationships
👨‍✈️ Work Tasks
🤚 Material Safety
👻 Values History

According to the concept, our identity is like a roof supported by five pillars, which can help us identify the reasons for stress.

The highlight of the session was hearing the participants share their experiences and how work tasks, relationships at work/school and discriminatory tendencies affect their mental health and desire to live a fulfilling life in Germany.

It was such an empowering atmosphere! A safe space to bare it all!