“Stress Less” Course: By a Therapist Who Lives with Chronic Illness

*Disclaimer: This “Stress Less” course review is sponsored by Amanda Pratt of “Imagine Life Therapy”. This article is meant for educational purposes, and is based on my personal experiences as a patient. I am not a doctor, and nothing in this article should be substituted for medical advice. Please consult your own doctor before changing or adding any new treatment protocols. This post may also contain affiliate links. It will cost you nothing to click on them. I will get a small referral fee from purchases you make, which helps with the maintenance of this blog. Read our Privacy Policy page for more information. Thank you!

Stress is Part of Life, and More so with Chronic Illness

I have a friend, Julie, whom I really admire in terms of how she handles stress. She says, “well if there’s nothing I can do about it, then why should I become more stressed out about the situation? That would only make things worse, no?”

Well, yes. We all know this in theory, but executing it is difficult for many people. People like me. It’s so easy to run away with your thoughts, as they take you on a wild ride of worst case scenarios.

As a person with numerous chronic illnesses, stress is inescapable, as your body is in a hypervigilant state all the time. That takes a huge toll on both the mind and body over time. Stress is often a major contributor and trigger for pain flares, and chronic pain can quickly turn into a vicious cycle.

Stress comes and goes in all directions, and even if you manage to staunch one hole, there is always more leaking in and out. All we can really do is to try our best to manage what is within our control. This is where the “Stress Less Course” run by Amanda of “Imagine Life Therapy” can be helpful.

Read Related Posts:
• Chronic Stress, the Silent Assassin
• When Your Stress & Fatigue Thresholds Suck (Also on Cute Cockatiels, Education via Zoom & Art Films for Rent)
• July’s Supply & Demand: Learning to Maximise Wellbeing in the Midst of Stress
• 2018 December Prompts: De-Stressing, Savouring, Simplifying, Resting & Finalising
• How to Use the 7 Dimensions of Wellness to Thrive with Chronic Pain

Pin to Your Mental Health, Stress Management & Chronic Illness Boards:

More About Amanda Pratt, and the “Stress Less” Course

Amanda, the creator behind the “Stress Less” course, holds a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology, and a Master’s in social work. She was a school social worker, who spent her free time volunteering locally and globally. On top of that, she lives with several chronic illnesses herself, including Lupus, Lyme Disease and Fibromyalgia.

This made me feel an instant connection with her, because chronic illness is an experience that’s impossible to describe. It was reassuring to know that my instructor for the course is not only highly qualified, but also ‘gets it’ for real.

The “Stress Less” Course has a Well-Balanced Structure and Pace

There are six main modules in the “Stress Less” course:

• Module 1 – Stress: The Good, The Bad & The Ugly
• Module 2 – Coping Strategies: The Anti-Stress
• Module 3 – The Art of Action
• Module 4 – Mindset is Everything
• Module 5 – Communication
• Module 6 – Self-Care

Each module is further broken down into bite-sized lessons, delivered in the form of high quality videos that take you through the process step by step. I am not a good video or audio based learner, so the timing stated upfront helped to prepare my brain to sit and listen. That I even finished the entire course at all says a lot about it in a positive way! The information was captivating, and the length of each session was just right.

A workbook is attached with each lesson for you to download and keep. The workbook is thorough and professional, and comprises different coping tools, goals, charts and educational material. There are also pit stops along the way to check in on your progress. Best of all, it's conducted online so you can keep up even on the bad days whilst in your pjs!

Tracking Progress in the “Stress Less” Course

Self-Evaluation Questionnaires on a Personal Level

I personally enjoy questionnaires, especially those that reveal something new about yourself. Whilst I knew that I am not someone who handles stress well, it surprised me to know just how bad I really was at it!

There was a ‘coping inventory’ questionnaire at the beginning of the course, where we identified our healthy and unhealthy coping mechanisms. This is like a starting point and reference chart which I could refer to along the entire course, to see how my perspective and application to each area has changed or improved.

It was also interesting to see the full list of coping strategies in the inventory; tools that others use but I may have missed out on for maximum effect. This was a great opportunity to add some new tools to my stress-reduction toolkit, and sharpen the existing ones.

Weekly Instructor Check-ins

On top of the self-evaluations, Amanda also conducts a weekly check-in on all current participants via her Facebook group. As I received this course for free and did it on a different timeline, I didn’t get to utilise this feature.

A quick peek at past messages on the wall looked like it was something the average participant found useful though. For those who prefer more communication and direct Q&As from their course instructor, this is perfect.

What I Liked Most About the “Stress Less” Course

You can tell that Amanda is someone who takes pride in her work, and truly enjoys helping others. The online course is well-structured, organised and full of important details. The platform was super easy to navigate and keep track of. Amanda also has a wonderfully soothing voice, so each session sounded therapeutic in itself!

I also liked the mix of materials. The self-assessment questions and goals were interesting. The coping strategies involved both physical activities and mindset shifts, and are all practical for everyday stress management. What’s best is that you can always refer to the course or workbooks again any time you fall off track, or need a little reminder in future!

Did My Life Change After Taking the “Stress Less” Course?

My life situation hasn’t changed since I started on the “Stress Less” course - I still live with chronic illnesses, and go through ups and downs. I still live day by day, and take it one step at a time.

But the difference after taking the “Stress Less” course is the number of coping tools I now have, and am able apply to a variety of real-life problems. It has also made me more self-aware of where my biggest flaws lie, so that I can correct these negative thought patterns before they snowball into a giant mass of stress.

Who I Would Recommend the “Stress Less” Course to

I would highly recommend this course if you:

• are going through a stressful period in life and need help coping
• want to learn more about how stress works, and how it affects our mind and body
• want to gather new stress management tools for current or future scenarios
• want to learn more about yourself as a person, how you handle stress, your strengths and weaknesses

Read Related Posts:
• Best Tips for Preventing a Pain Flare (from 40 People with Chronic Illness)
• 29 Best Tips on How to Cope with Isolation at Home (from People Who Have Done and Will Do This All Their Lives)
• Depression After Knee Surgery & How to Cope
• How to Survive the Holidays When Chronic Illness & Disability Cause Pain
• Is Seeking Help for Your Mental Health Worth It?

Pin to Your Mental Health, Stress Management & Chronic Illness Boards: