Stress and Self-Care Oxford Event

A four-part community event series set for Tuesdays in September will offer practical strategies for coping with stress in daily life.

“Stress and Self-Care: A Mental Health Conversation” will be hosted by outpatient mental health clinic Right Track Medical Group, 1203 Medical Park Drive in Oxford. Each event will be held from 6:30-7:30 p.m. Refreshments will be provided.

Topics over the course of the series will include:

September 4: stress in the medical community

• Understand how to recognize stress and stressors in the health care profession
• Review how stress is related to burnout
• Understand the dimensions of burnout and its ability to progress into depression and anxiety
• Learn personal and professional self-care strategies

September 11: stress in motherhood

•  Review common causes of stress in motherhood
•  Understand the difference between normal and heightened stress
• Recognize when it is necessary to seek help for stress, anxiety or depression
• Learn more about self-awareness and healthy methods for coping with stress

September 18: tech-driven stress in families

•  Address underlying reasons for technology and social media dependency
•  Review how technology and social media affects stress, anxiety and depression
•  Learn more about methods to self regulate technology and social media use

September 25: stress effects on the brain and body

• Address the psychical effects of stress, anxiety and depression on the brain and body
• Understand how to combat the physical effects of stress to achieve whole body wellness
• Learn more about medication strategies for stress relief

Presentations will be delivered by Right Track Medical Group’s licensed mental health professionals including Clark Hunt, LPC, treatment coordinator; and Emily Grace Ames, LPC, therapist. A question-and-answer session will take place after each presentation.

“These are common topics that people deal with and are especially important this time of year,” Hunt said. “With work and school starting up, people within the community are adjusting to new and stressful routines.”

Hunt said the clinic’s goal in hosting the events is to open up community discussions about mental health.

“Everyone deals with stress, whether or not you have a diagnosable mental-health problem. In either case, the most important thing is knowing you are not alone.”

– Clark Hunt, LPC, treatment coordinator

“We want to educate the community on these topics, but also provide support,” he said. “Everyone deals with stress, whether or not you have a diagnosable mental-health problem. In either case, the most important thing is knowing you are not alone.”

At each event, the series hopes to highlight the importance of practicing self-care in the midst of stress.

“The self-care component is one of the most important pieces that will be covered at each event,” Ames said. “When you are stressed, it is easy to neglect caring for yourself. We want people to understand how stress may be impacting them and that it is okay to reach out for help.”

There is no charge to attend. To register in advance, visit righttrackmedical.com/news/stress-series or call Right Track Medical Group at (662) 234-7601.