Glen’s Transitional Journey!

I retired from my Military career in 2018 during my time in the regular Army and joined Click Therapies 6-months after my exit date.  Early on it was very obvious that my attempts to adjust to a healthier work-life balance in civvy street was a challenge. The team at Click Therapies has not only supported me but they have also supported my family through the transition to civilian life. Click Therapies has allowed me the flexibility to spend more time with my family as well as having a working routine that allows me to engage in other commitments with the reserve forces. 

  

I have to say they have been an extremely helpful and supportive service since I first joined, and I cannot imagine working anywhere else. When I first retired, I transferred into the reserve forces and enrolled in a specialist Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) course with my retirement lump sum. Initially, I was employed as a clinician and the service was extremely flexible with my working hours and always took into account my university study periods and my reserve commitment days which included 2-weeks every year to attend the annual camp. 

In addition to this, the clinical team at Click Therapies allocated clients for me that would meet the requirements of my CBT course, so I was actively employed in a manner that supported my clinical development. Upon completion of my course, I was allowed to further develop my working role to utilise my military experience in supporting not only veterans clinically but supporting the Armed Forces community by using my military and clinical knowledge to deliver supervision and guidance to non-clinicians supporting vulnerable veterans in the community

Working with Click Therapies has always been a positive experience for me in that you are fully supported as a clinician, a serving reservist, and a veteran whilst also allowing the autonomy and flexibility to work in a manner that benefits me as an individual. I have also had the opportunity to support newer clinicians and other veterans and their families through the same process which is not just supported but actively encouraged. At Click Therapies, we all have a say in the service delivery and are always supported in any innovations we may suggest such as continuing professional development delivery, specialist training, and suggestions for service improvement.

For many military personnel and veterans, training for and deploying on military duties of any type means potentially coping with symptoms of mental and physical ill health. Managing this can have a significant impact on themselves, their friends, and their family members.

Whatever strengths, skills, and resources they have been taught in the military, the fact is “they are not robots, they are humans” and there is a risk of being part of something they could not have been prepared for.  It is important to understand that many military personnel and their families are indoctrinated into a military lifestyle that offers a level of security, housing, community, financial stability, and comradery, and this life is often very different from the civilian population.  It can come at a cost of spending time away from their roots and constant relocation. They are also trained with a particular way of thinking and working which allows them to do what they do and see what they see, and this is very different to what is required as a civilian.

Click therapies is a leading online psychological service that works in partnership with a number of national charities and NHS organisations supporting veterans and their families who are faced with the day-to-day challenges of their mental health. Our team of mental health practitioners have extensive experience working within the military, veteran, and NHS services.  Many of our team are ex-military mental health clinicians who have deployed on operational tours themselves.  Our team strive to improve mental health awareness and positive recovery throughout the veteran communities.

Stress has always been a part of our lives. In this difficult time, people lead an increasingly stressful life. Experts state that a little stress can be good; it keeps you sharp and ready to move forward and is sometimes vital for achieving optimum performance. However, medical research has determined that prolonged stress is very bad for the body, and can block the body’s natural ability to repair, regenerate and protect itself. Stress is both a physical and psychological response. It can lead to chronic disease, obesity, insomnia, deteriorating relationships, depression, and more. 

Stress is such a powerful and harmful force that it is vital to your wellbeing that you learn effective stress management techniques to live a successful, happy, and healthy life. We must remember that we will always come across inevitable factors that cause pressure and anxiety on us. What we do not know is that it is not really the problems that are difficult to deal with, but our attitude towards them. So basically, the cause of stress is your attitude toward these things. What, then, is an effective way to deal with stressors? 

Below are 4 great tips to handle stress.

1. Identify what makes you stressful and uneasy.Making a list of your stressful experiences is useful. Immediately deal with the issues that you can change, for instance waking up earlier for work in the morning, not leaving things till the last minute, and delegating tasks in case you are taking responsibility for everything. Forget about the issues that you cannot influence like being stuck in a traffic jam or not getting into the elevator because there is no room for you.

2. Relax and Calm Down. A few minutes break would do you good. Wash your face, breath slowly and deeply, and notice if there is tension in any part of your body and release it. You can also listen to relaxing music or call a friend. Releasing your feelings to a friend is another healthy option.

3. Notice that It will pass. it will be over before you know it. Reminding yourself that the stressful event will end sooner or later can make you see the positive sides of things. At the same time, calm down your emotions and think of what the best thing is to do rather than take your energy away from what needs to be done.

4. Know yourself. Ask yourself: What triggers my anxiety? If for example it is your job, then maybe it’s time for you to reconsider whether it would be best to find a less stressful job. You can also make your job more tolerable by allowing yourself to get that needed holiday or even a few days off. If it is the home environment, maybe that too needs to be factored in and look at routines that may need to change or even established.

The true causes of stress are not the problems or negative experiences that you encounter in your life; but your attitude towards them. So, the trick is to change your attitude and to develop a relaxed state, because you cannot be stressed and relaxed at the same time. It is important to understand that what we focus on, we energise. The more you continue to think about the factors that cause your stress, the more energy you give to it. it is therefore vital for your wellbeing to let go and focus on relaxation instead. Consequently, you’re less likely to be upset by a stressor, and thus less likely to have its harmful effect re-occur. Eventually, it is your choice. You could either continue to react in the same stressful way, or you could choose to improve your life by changing your attitude and learning relaxation.

What is working at home, and coping with stress, really all about? The following article includes some fascinating information about working at home, and stress –info you can use.

Most of us have been stressed by working at home at some point. Aside from the stress of having to find new clients and new jobs, we often encounter stress because jobs come in mad, occasional bursts. Some days your to-do list is almost empty, and the following days it seems like we can hardly keep up.

Deadlines can be overwhelming, and when one is affected, effectiveness plunges. The brain is no longer focused on creativity and action.

When stress levels stack up, here is what to do. First, reduce stress by… Stopping. It sounds a bit basic, and it is hard to do, just stop. Stress can cause health problems or make problems worse if you do not learn ways to deal with it. 

The next step is to find a way to deal with your stress. A simple way is to avoid the circumstance that leads to our stress–but often this is not feasible. Another way is to change how we react to stress. This is often the best way.

Well, it’s time to take heart and set a few simple strategies in place that will keep us in control of our time…and our mind.

Tips for dealing with working at home stress-

1) Eat a healthy, balanced diet rich in fruits and vegetables. Reduce or eliminate caffeine (coffee, black and green tea, fizzy drinks, and chocolate). Because caffeine is a stimulant, it can make you feel more anxious. 

2) Exercise. It relieves tension and provides a timeout from stressful situations.

3) Try to take time every day to slow down and do something you enjoy, even if it is just for a few minutes. Reading an article, playing with your dog, listening to music, reading a book or any other activity that helps you forget the stresses of your day can calm you and help you remember what is important.

4) Work at being cheerful and optimistic. Use humour to lighten difficult situations.

5) Take slow and long, relaxing deep breaths anytime you notice you’re feeling stressed.

6) If the nature of any of your tasks allows it, call upon a colleague who can help you. If you have never done this before, now is the perfect time to start. The nice thing about this sort of arrangement is your colleague will most likely send jobs your way when he or she gets overloaded and visa versa (following an initial chat about it).

7) Organising and simplifying your life. If one of your main sources of stress is the sheer number of things that need to be done, getting organised should help you feel more at peace. A good sense of organisation will also make you more efficient. Simplifying your life also should help you feel less overwhelmed.

Set Achievable Daily Goals. If you finish a task ahead of schedule, start the next… but stick to a definite cut-off time each day. What you are doing this week is setting up a system that will continue to work for you.

Follow these tips and before you know it, your homework-life will be on track once again.

That is how things stand right now. Keep in mind that any subject can change over time, so be sure you keep up with the latest developments. Click Therapies can help with this by providing you with a short burst of stress management strategies.