Sandra Thebaud

Stress can have powerful effects. Depending on genetics, it can cause muscular skeletal problems, cardiovascular problems, insomnia, high blood pressure, heart disease, not to mention emotional effects like depression and anxiety.

Most would agree stress is a normal part of life, but psychologist Sandra Thebaud says it can be a positive motivator when you listen to it rather than numb from it. “Stress management is the foundation of having a great life,” she says.

Thebaud is a Stapleton resident and owns a psychology practice in Cherry Creek that focuses on stress management. She began as a navy psychologist and became fascinated with stress. She discovered stress management is a lacking area in the medical world.

“A lot of doctors will tell patients they need to manage stress but won’t go beyond that to really teach people.”

She has published three books about stress management and recently completed a book for teens.

“Teens are going through a lot more stress than I ever did when I was young,” she says, siting social media as a main culprit. The book is broken into four parts, the first focusing on feelings and the importance of listening to them. The second and third parts get into the details of stress and stress management. Part four discusses navigating life and dealing with relationships with parents and peers and considering the future. It also discusses making mistakes and not living with regret. All techniques and examples throughout the book are geared toward teens.

“If you give someone the right information about stress, you can turn a stress-is-debilitating mindset into an enhancing mindset.” She says basic stress management skills like diaphragmatic breathing, or abdominal breathing, help energize the body, give mental clarity and calmness, fix aches and pains, and fight against mental illnesses.

On Friday, Sept. 5 Thebaud will host an event called “Subconscious/Conscious Alignment: How to Align Your Subconscious with Your Conscious Goals” at The Garden, 3435 Albion St. A free meditation group will immediately follow. RSVP at www.StressIntel.com under “Events.” To purchase any of her books visit http://www.amazon.com/Sandra-Th%C3%A9baud-PhD/e/B007N9SBP2