While I teach as many coping mechanisms known to Man as I can cram into four mind/body stress reduction sessions, I’m jazzed by what participants bring that can be incredibly valuable to the other class participants.

Recently, a woman in my class busted out with “What I love about infertility is that it taught me to prioritize my needs.”  Love about infertility! Loving infertility is not a requirement, but my classes are all about gaining the feeling of being empowered; gaining the  feeling that you are in the driver’s seat of your life.  You certainly did not choose to be on the fertility quest, but you can choose how you are on it.

All four classes point to the opportunity to not only feel empowered to override the stress response to the many demands of the journey, but also to  provide an opportunity to come out of the experience as a new, improved version of yourself.  How, you might ask?

Stress is inevitable but overriding stress is entirely possible.  Participants learn many cognitive approaches, such as cognitive reappraisal which reorients attention away from the spasm of stress and toward behaviors which release the grip of the mental and physical upset.  They also learn various “meditative” ways of arriving in a serene state, which are very powerful because they utilize the way the brain is organized.  By the way, meditative approaches such as guided imagery, the Relaxation Response, mindfulness, hypnosis and self-hypnosis have a positive correlation to rates of pregnancy!

Strategies for managing stress and learning to let it all go are two approaches to achieving emotional growth.  There are other considerations in becoming a new, improved version of yourself for those who are oriented toward growth.  Learning to prioritize needs as my group member did is a common sticking point.  But there are other realizations to be had.

The fertility quest would put Godzilla in a foul mood.  Yet in times of challenge, growth for you could mean learning to respond rather than react.  Tempering angry responses or impatience, emerging from insecurity or negativity, building self-esteem or overcoming fear are worthy steps in the direction of finding it easier to live inside of you—these may seem like a consolation prize of the challenge, but it is a valuable one.  This aspect of the stress reduction classes is also there for the taking.

So if you’re in the New York area or know someone in this phase of their life, you would be most welcomed.

For more information or to register, click here:  helenadrienne.com/solutions/stress-reduction

Certainly feel free to call me at 212-758-0125.