Stress Therapy & Identity Support in Perth
Stress can be a normal response to pressure, change or uncertainty. But when stress becomes ongoing or difficult to manage, it can begin affecting your mood, sleep, relationships, concentration and everyday life.
Bilingual Psychology provides psychological support for stress in Perth with registered psychologist Lin Tan.
Therapy can provide an opportunity to understand what is contributing to your stress, recognise patterns in how you respond to pressure and explore strategies appropriate to your individual circumstances.
Psychological support is also available for people experiencing identity concerns, significant life transitions or uncertainty about their sense of self, values or direction.
Appointments are available from our Willetton, Perth practice in English, Mandarin and Cantonese.
If stress or uncertainty is beginning to affect your everyday life, contact Bilingual Psychology to discuss psychological support.
What Is Stress?
Stress is the physical and psychological response that can occur when you experience demands, pressures or challenges.
Some stress can be temporary and manageable.
For example, you might experience stress before an important deadline, examination, presentation or major decision.
Stress can become more difficult when pressures continue over time, several demands occur simultaneously or you feel that you do not have sufficient resources to manage what is happening.
Ongoing stress can affect both psychological and physical wellbeing.
What Does Stress Feel Like?
Stress can affect your thoughts, emotions, behaviours and body.
You may notice:
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Feeling overwhelmed
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Constantly thinking about responsibilities
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Difficulty switching off
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Irritability
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Feeling tense or on edge
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Difficulty concentrating
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Forgetfulness
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Changes in sleep
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Fatigue
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Reduced motivation
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Headaches or muscle tension
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Changes in appetite
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Feeling emotionally exhausted
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Avoiding responsibilities
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Becoming more withdrawn
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Difficulty making decisions
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Feeling that there is never enough time
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Difficulty enjoying activities outside your responsibilities
These experiences can have many causes and do not necessarily mean that stress is the only factor involved.
Persistent, severe or unexplained physical symptoms should be appropriately medically assessed.
What Can Cause Stress?
Stress can arise from many areas of life.
Common sources may include:
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Work
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Study
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Relationships
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Family responsibilities
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Parenting
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Caring responsibilities
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Financial pressures
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Health concerns
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Moving home
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Migration or relocation
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Relationship breakdown
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Workplace conflict
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Career uncertainty
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Major decisions
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Changes in identity
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Cultural expectations
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Academic or professional expectations
Sometimes there is one clear source of stress.
At other times, several smaller pressures accumulate until everyday responsibilities begin to feel difficult to manage.
When Does Stress Become a Problem?
There is no single amount of stress that is considered too much for everyone.
However, you may consider seeking psychological support when stress:
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Persists over time
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Regularly feels overwhelming
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Interferes with sleep
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Affects relationships
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Makes it difficult to concentrate
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Interferes with work or study
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Causes you to withdraw from other people
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Makes it difficult to relax
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Contributes to significant emotional distress
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Leads to unhealthy coping behaviours
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Begins affecting everyday functioning
You do not need to wait until you reach a point of complete exhaustion before discussing stress with a psychologist.
How Can a Psychologist Help With Stress?
Psychological therapy can provide an opportunity to understand both the circumstances contributing to stress and the way you respond to those circumstances.
Depending on your individual needs, therapy may involve:
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Identifying major sources of stress
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Recognising patterns in thoughts and behaviour
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Exploring expectations you place on yourself
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Developing boundaries
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Improving communication
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Understanding emotional responses
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Developing practical coping strategies
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Exploring perfectionism
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Clarifying priorities
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Considering problem-solving approaches
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Developing strategies for managing uncertainty
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Working towards more sustainable routines
Psychological therapy does not assume that stress is simply caused by the way you think.
Workplace conditions, relationships, finances, health concerns and other external circumstances can create genuine pressures.
Where these circumstances are contributing to stress, therapy may involve considering both psychological strategies and realistic changes to the situation.
Stress vs Anxiety: What's the Difference?
Stress and anxiety can overlap, but they are not necessarily the same.
Stress commonly develops in response to an identifiable pressure or demand.
For example:
“I have three deadlines this week and don't know how I'm going to manage them.”
Anxiety can involve persistent worry or fear that may continue even when there is no immediate external threat.
For example:
“Even though everything is going well, I keep thinking something is going to go wrong.”
Someone can also experience stress and anxiety at the same time.
If persistent worry or anxiety is a significant part of what you are experiencing, psychological assessment can help explore this further.
Stress vs Burnout: What's the Difference?
Stress and burnout can share experiences such as exhaustion, reduced concentration and feeling overwhelmed.
Burnout is generally associated with prolonged exposure to demands and insufficient opportunity for recovery.
Someone experiencing ongoing stress may feel pressured and highly activated, whereas burnout may involve increasing exhaustion, detachment and difficulty sustaining previous levels of functioning.
Burnout should also not automatically be used to explain persistent physical fatigue.
If fatigue is ongoing or unexplained, medical assessment may be appropriate.
Stress and Sleep
Stress can make it difficult to switch off at the end of the day.
You might find yourself lying awake thinking about:
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Work
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Deadlines
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Relationships
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Finances
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Family responsibilities
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Decisions you need to make
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Things that happened during the day
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What might happen tomorrow
Sleep difficulties can then make it harder to concentrate and manage emotions the following day.
This can create a cycle in which stress affects sleep and poor sleep makes existing pressures feel more difficult to manage.
Persistent sleep difficulties can have several causes and may require further assessment.
Stress and Perfectionism
Perfectionism can sometimes contribute to stress.
You may notice thoughts such as:
“If I can't do it perfectly, I've failed.”
“I should be able to manage everything.”
“Making a mistake means I'm not good enough.”
“Other people are coping better than I am.”
High personal standards are not necessarily a problem.
Difficulties can arise when expectations become rigid, unrealistic or closely connected to a person's sense of self-worth.
Psychological therapy may involve exploring these patterns and developing more flexible ways of responding to expectations and mistakes.
Stress and People-Pleasing
Some people experience significant stress because they find it difficult to say no.
You may regularly:
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Take responsibility for other people's needs
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Avoid disappointing people
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Agree to things despite feeling overwhelmed
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Feel guilty when setting boundaries
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Worry about how others will react
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Prioritise other people's expectations over your own needs
These patterns can sometimes be influenced by relationships, previous experiences, personality, family expectations or cultural context.
Therapy can provide a space to explore these patterns and consider different ways of communicating boundaries.
What Is an Identity Crisis?
The phrase “identity crisis” is commonly used to describe a period when someone feels uncertain about who they are, what they value or the direction they want their life to take.
An identity crisis is not itself a mental health diagnosis.
People may experience questions about identity during periods involving:
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Career changes
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Relationship changes
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Becoming a parent
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Separation or divorce
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Migration
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Cultural adjustment
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Leaving school or university
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Retirement
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Changes in family roles
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Changes in health
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Major achievements or disappointments
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Shifts in personal values
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Questions about identity can occur at many stages of life.
What Can Identity Concerns Feel Like?
You might find yourself asking:
“Who am I outside my work?”
“What do I actually want?”
“Am I living according to my values or someone else's expectations?”
“Where do I belong?”
“Why don't the things that used to matter to me feel important anymore?”
“What happens if I choose something my family doesn't agree with?”
Periods of identity uncertainty can involve anxiety, sadness, confusion or a sense of being stuck.
They can also provide an opportunity to reflect on values, relationships, priorities and future direction.
Can Therapy Help With Identity Concerns?
Psychological therapy can provide a confidential environment to explore questions relating to identity without assuming that there is one correct answer.
Depending on your circumstances, sessions may explore:
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Personal values
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Family expectations
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Relationships
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Career and education
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Cultural identity
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Major life transitions
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Roles and responsibilities
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Self-esteem
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Belonging
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Personal goals
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Decisions about the future
The purpose is not for your psychologist to decide who you should be.
Therapy can instead help you better understand the experiences, values and expectations influencing how you see yourself.
Stress and Intergenerational Expectations
Different generations within the same family may have different expectations about work, relationships, independence and responsibility.
For example, someone may value independence while also feeling a strong responsibility towards their family.
Another person may feel pressure to pursue a particular career, relationship or lifestyle because of family expectations.
These differences do not necessarily mean that one perspective is right and another is wrong.
Psychological therapy can provide a space to explore competing expectations and consider how they relate to your own values and circumstances.
Stress Following Migration or Relocation
Moving to another country, state or community can involve more than adjusting to a new location.
People may experience changes involving:
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Family support
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Friendships
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Career
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Language
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Culture
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Community
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Financial circumstances
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Social identity
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Familiar routines
Even when moving was a positive or voluntary decision, adjustment can still be stressful.
For some people, migration also creates questions about identity and belonging that change over time.
Stress at Work
Work can be a significant source of stress.
Concerns may involve:
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Workload
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Deadlines
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Workplace conflict
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Difficult management relationships
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Unclear expectations
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Job insecurity
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Career uncertainty
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Difficulty switching off
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Balancing work and family
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Perfectionism
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Fear of making mistakes
Psychological support can explore how these circumstances are affecting you and consider strategies for managing psychological responses, communication, boundaries and decision-making.
Where the work environment itself is contributing to stress, therapy does not assume that the solution is simply learning to tolerate increasingly difficult conditions.
CBT for Stress
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) is one psychological approach that may be considered when working with stress.
CBT examines connections between thoughts, emotions and behaviours.
For example:
Situation: You receive an unexpected email from your manager.
Thought: “I've done something wrong.”
Emotion: Anxiety.
Behaviour: Repeatedly checking your work and worrying about the meeting.
CBT may involve examining interpretations such as these and considering alternative ways of understanding and responding to situations.
The approach used in therapy depends on your individual circumstances and psychological needs.
What Happens During Stress Therapy?
01
Understanding Your Circumstances
Initial sessions provide an opportunity to discuss what is happening in your life and what has brought you to psychological therapy.
02
Identifying Sources of Stress
You and your psychologist can explore the pressures, relationships, expectations and circumstances contributing to stress.
03
Understanding Your Responses
Therapy may examine how thoughts, emotions, behaviours and physical responses interact when you feel under pressure.
04
Establishing Goals
You can discuss what you would like to change or manage differently.
05
Developing Strategies
Depending on your circumstances, therapy may involve psychological strategies relating to coping, communication, boundaries, problem-solving, thinking patterns or emotional regulation.
06
Reviewing Progress
Your goals and experiences can be reviewed throughout therapy and the approach adjusted where appropriate.
Stress Therapy in English, Mandarin and Cantonese
Culture and language can influence the way stress, family responsibilities and personal expectations are understood.
Bilingual Psychology provides psychological services in:
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English
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Mandarin
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Cantonese
This may be particularly useful where family expectations, cultural identity, migration or intergenerational experiences form part of what you would like to discuss.
Stress Therapy in Willetton, Perth
Bilingual Psychology provides psychological services for stress and related concerns from Willetton, Western Australia.
Services are provided by registered psychologist Lin Tan.
Lin works with people experiencing a range of emotional, psychological, relationship and life concerns, with appointments available in English, Mandarin and Cantonese.
Do I Need a GP Referral for Stress Therapy?
You can contact Bilingual Psychology directly to enquire about psychological services.
If you are seeking Medicare rebates for eligible psychological services, speak with your GP and Bilingual Psychology about current referral and eligibility requirements.
If stress is accompanied by persistent or unexplained physical symptoms, your GP can also assess whether additional medical investigation may be appropriate.
Book Stress Therapy in Perth
You do not have to wait until stress becomes unmanageable before seeking psychological support.
If ongoing pressure, overwhelm, identity concerns or significant life changes are affecting your wellbeing, an initial appointment can provide an opportunity to discuss what you are experiencing.
Bilingual Psychology provides psychological services from Willetton, Perth, with appointments available in English, Mandarin and Cantonese.
Contact Bilingual Psychology to enquire about stress therapy and appointment availability.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is stress therapy?
Stress therapy involves working with a mental health professional to understand sources of stress and how they are affecting your thoughts, emotions, behaviours and everyday functioning.
The psychological approach used depends on your individual circumstances and needs.
When should I see a psychologist for stress?
You may consider psychological support when stress is persistent, feels difficult to manage or begins affecting sleep, relationships, work, study, emotional wellbeing or everyday functioning.
You do not need to wait until you are completely overwhelmed before seeking support.
What is the difference between stress and anxiety?
Stress commonly occurs in response to an identifiable pressure or demand, while anxiety can involve worry or fear that continues even when there is no immediate threat.
Stress and anxiety can also occur together.
What is the difference between stress and burnout?
Stress can occur when you feel that demands exceed the resources available to manage them.
Burnout is generally associated with prolonged exposure to demands and may involve emotional exhaustion, detachment and reduced ability to sustain usual functioning.
Can stress affect sleep?
Yes. Stress can make it difficult to relax or switch off and may contribute to difficulties falling or staying asleep.
Persistent sleep problems can also have other causes and may warrant further assessment.
Can stress make you tired?
Ongoing stress can contribute to fatigue and emotional exhaustion.
However, persistent fatigue can have many physical and psychological causes and should not automatically be attributed to stress.
Can CBT help with stress?
CBT is one psychological approach that may be considered when working with stress.
It may involve exploring patterns of thinking and behaviour that influence how you respond to difficult circumstances.
Whether CBT is appropriate depends on your individual needs.
What is an identity crisis?
“Identity crisis” is a commonly used term for a period of uncertainty about a person's identity, values, priorities or direction.
It is not itself a mental health diagnosis.
Can therapy help with an identity crisis?
Psychological therapy can provide a space to explore identity, values, relationships, cultural expectations, life transitions and decisions.
The purpose is not for the psychologist to determine your identity, but to help you explore the experiences and values influencing how you understand yourself.
Can a psychologist help with cultural identity concerns?
Psychological support can include discussions about cultural identity, belonging, migration, family expectations and intergenerational differences where these experiences are relevant to the person's concerns.
Does Bilingual Psychology provide workplace stress support?
Psychological services may include support for people experiencing work-related stress, including workload pressures, workplace relationships, perfectionism, boundaries and difficulties switching off.
The appropriate approach depends on the person's individual circumstances.
Is stress therapy available in Mandarin or Cantonese?
Yes. Bilingual Psychology provides psychological services in English, Mandarin and Cantonese.
Where can I see a stress therapist in Perth?
Bilingual Psychology provides psychological services from Willetton, Western Australia, with services provided by registered psychologist Lin Tan.