Although inflation has shown signs of slowing, the rising cost of goods and services continues to strain families across the Central Valley.
"Our thoughts can liberate us or they can keep us in a jail cell of our own making," said Jeff Robinson-Thomas, a core faculty member in the University of Phoenix counseling program.
Robinson-Thomas said financial uncertainty and workplace changes are fueling anxiety for many Americans.
"Fifty-four percent of U.S. workers are reporting that they are concerned about potential job loss with advances in technology, things of this nature," he said.
He said that while people cannot always control external circumstances, they do have control over how they respond to them.
"We may not have any control over the price of the gas pump, but we can step back and reevaluate our behaviors and knowing that it's very expensive to be driving right now with the price of gas," Robinson-Thomas said. "So looking at ways that we can reduce our stress."
One technique Robinson-Thomas recommends is taking a moment to regulate the body's stress response.
"Just taking in two quick breaths in through the nostrils with your mouth closed and then releasing your breath through slowly through your mouth, and this is a more or less a reset for the body," he said. "It essentially activates the parasympathetic nervous system."
He said that process helps lower cortisol levels and slow the heart rate, creating space for reflection. From there, he encourages people to reframe their thinking.
"First, do I have any control over this? And secondly, if I do, what can I do about it?" Robinson-Thomas said.
He emphasized that managing stress does not mean ignoring financial challenges.
"Certainly we can look at our behaviors from a standpoint of how much avoidance are we using as opposed to facing what we're dealing with," he said, "again, going into it with a different perspective, a different outlook at it."
Stress Awareness Month is observed throughout April to encourage conversations and strategies aimed at improving mental and emotional wellbeing.
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