Stress, Anger, Parenting, and Health: Author and Speaker Shows How All Are Intertwined

When “Sandra” first contacted author, Julie Christiansen, she was a 36-year-old marathon runner who lived in extremes, from the cycling and running goals she set for herself, to the one and a half hour commute she made twice daily for her job as an engineer, to the anger she vented at her teenaged children.

“Though Sandra should have been in peak physical condition, the stress and anger in her life had created health problems ranging from abdominal pain and nausea to severe headaches,” said Christiansen, an author, international speaker and creator of the 15-week Anger Solutions™ coaching program. “Her body’s reaction to anger and stress is an example and a warning to the rest of us who aren’t in such good condition. If it can happen to Sandra, it can happen to us.”

In fact, studies consistently show a correlation between stress and cardiovascular health. A 2008 McMaster University study projects the number of deaths due to cardiovascular disease to grow seven times faster than Canada’s population between the years of 2021 and 2031. The study found that many risk factors of heart disease are preventable. One of the most common? Mental stress.

In Sandra’s case, her stressful lifestyle was punctuated by severe outbursts of anger directed towards her children. Christiansen led her through the 15-week Anger Solutions coaching program to help her understand and express her emotions better. Rather than “managing” her anger by bottling up her feelings, she learned to identify and communicate them more effectively.

For parents dealing with stressful situations that often lead to angry outbursts – particularly aimed at your children – Christiansen recommends five things never to do when you’re angry:

1. Never compare your kids to their siblings or other children. Children need to know that they are loved and accepted for who they are. You should be clear about the action that was unacceptable and what they can do differently.

2. Never use physical or any other form of “punishment.” This point is not so much about whether or not physical punishment or discipline is acceptable, but whether it is acceptable when a parent is feeling anger or rage. Calm down first so your children learn the tenets of good behavior, not just to avoid making mom or dad angry.

3. Never yell at your kids in front of others. When you feel the urge to yell in anger, let your children know you need to take a break. When the heat of your anger has burned off, explain why you felt angry and ask for help in ensuring the situation doesn’t repeat itself. You’ll teach your children how to control their responses.

4. Never withdraw love, approval or acceptance as a form of punishment. Again, children need to feel loved and accepted for who they are, not what they have done. Rather than withdraw love, physical touch, or affection, withdraw privileges like access to the Internet, video games, television, or movies.

5. Never send kids away to think about “what they’ve done.” All you are asking is for them to replay in their minds the things that got them in trouble. Instead, ask them to spend some time thinking about what they could have done differently.

Sandra’s turnaround was so impressive that Julie now showcases her story at conferences and in seminars to exemplify the change that can be achieved in just 15 weeks with the Anger Solutions program. “Julie… changed my life,” says Sandra. “Not only have I changed, but my children now do not have to live the way I used to. We are all making improvements together, and I’m the happiest person now.”

Backgrounder:

Julie Christiansen is an internationally recognized speaker with more than 15 years of experience in group and individual counseling. Branded as “Oprah for the Office” by her clients, Christiansen educates and entertains audiences throughout Canada , the US and the Caribbean . Christiansen shares her anger and stress reduction strategies in her books, Top Ten Lists to Live By, Anger Solutions! And Stress Less in 27 Days.

Julie Christiansen can be contacted at (905) 329-6169, or you can email her at info@angersolution.com. Julie can also be reached via her website at http://www.angersolution.com

Since 1999, Larry Elliott has been President of Find Your Traffic (http://www.findyourtraffic.com) a public relations, development, marketing, and business advisory firm. Find Your Traffic helps emerging and existing businesses increase revenue, profitability, and customer satisfaction through the use of integrated marketing and sales effort using press releases, internet based radio and television and e-marketing campaigns. By utilizing Direct Response Television, E-commerce, , and many other forms of marketing, Mr. Elliott has personally developed hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue for his clients. In all, Mr. Elliott has over 30 years in sales, marketing, and management, primarily involved in the marketing of products and services directly to consumers via direct sales, telemarketing, the internet, and other forms of direct marketing, both domestic and international.

Since 1999, Larry Elliott has been President of Find Your Traffic (http://www.findyourtraffic.com) a public relations, development, marketing, and business advisory firm. Find Your Traffic helps emerging and existing businesses increase revenue, profitability, and customer satisfaction through the use of integrated marketing and sales effort using press releases, internet based radio and television and e-marketing campaigns. By utilizing Direct Response Television, E-commerce, and many other forms of marketing, Mr. Elliott has personally developed hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue for his clients. In all, Mr. Elliott has over 30 years in sales, marketing, and management, primarily involved in the marketing of products and services directly to consumers via direct sales, telemarketing, the internet, and other forms of direct marketing, both domestic and international.

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