As a student in massage school I took a psychology class and learned something very surprising about stress. I always thought that stress was caused by events we would consider to be negative, but it turns out that any life change causes stress, even if it is a desirable change, such as a vacation or reaching a weight loss goal. And this stress caused by change can go much farther than making us feel frazzled. There is a method of identifying stress called the Life Change Index, developed by Dr. Thomas H. Holmes. It directly links the number of life changes someone has experienced within one year of each other to their very increased risk of becoming ill in the near future. I can say personally that this may be true. I took the simple checklist style test back then and was shocked to see that many of my stress scores were more than double off the charts. In that same year I was documenting I had become severely ill with both a mental illness and mononucleosis. No wonder! It may be helpful to take a look at this life event list at the link below. It's nearly impossible to control the everyday stress that we encounter (traffic, bills, relationship issues), but we can plan many of these major life events (moving, job change, eating habits) to ensure that we aren't overwhelming our systems by taking on too much at once. Now more than ever many of us are facing challenges and changes that may be beyond our control, but let's keep in mind that how we manage our stress is very much in our control! Making stress management a top priority when we plan our time and budgets can be the key factor in keeping ourselves healthy, leading to less sick days from work, less doctor bills, and more enjoyment in our daily lives. At the Pittsburgh Center for Complementary Health and Healing we offer many ways to assist you in becoming and staying healthy and calm, from massage and energy work to counseling and workshops and more. Make your health a priority and visit the center, where our top priority is customizing your sessions to meet your individual needs.