SERVICES

STRESS MANAGEMENT

SIMPLIFICATION | Stress is essentially a perspective problem. It is completely subjective as it is based on a person’s perception of the magnitude of their challenges versus their ability to meet these challenges.
By exploring underlying ideas and beliefs and developing specific skills to aid in emotional management, it is entirely possible to live a life free of chronic stress.

STRESS MANAGEMENT | GROUPS |

1 HOUR WORKSHOP
As a group we explore the purpose of the primitive stress response and how it is unhelpfully triggered in modern life.
Explore the effects of the activation of the sympathetic nervous system [flight, fight or freeze] on our brains, bodies and health. We look at the mechanisms involved to better understand how the stress response is compounding and hampering our problem solving abilities, long term thinking, health and quality of life.

Includes notes on the material covered.

3 HOUR MASTERCLASS
Expanding on the WORKSHOP learn why the stress response is triggered and how to adapt your perspective in stressful circumstances.
Measure your own levels of stress, as we are often so accustomed to chronic stress that it has become our new normal. Explore the effects of the activation of the sympathetic nervous system [flight, fight or freeze] on our brains, bodies and health. Delve into the effects of stress and reverse engineer your own symptoms of stress into an early warning system.
Look at why stress management practices work, how to optimise what you are already doing, identify areas that require attention.
Build resilience by equipping yourself with simple, learnable strategies designed to develop your own unique system of stress management through physical movement, breathing, mindfulness and the power of neuroplasticity.

With this foundation we can each formulate our own plan for active recovery and to develop skills to manage stress better.

Includes tasks, practical advice, useful tools, notes on the material covered and resources.

CUSTOMISED INDIVIDUAL COACHING
By doing a thorough assessment to establish a baseline and understand the individual’s triggers and underlying conditioning, a stress management plan can be tailored to the person’s needs. This is developed to be achievable and work with their interests and lifestyle with continued support and adjustments when needed.

RESOURCES

ESSENTIALLY A PERSPECTIVE PROBLEM.

It is completely subjective as it is based on your own perception of your abilities in relation to your perception of the magnitude of your challenges. Stress, tension, taking strain, worried, feeling overwhelmed…why do we get stressed? The stress response is a very old and primitive response designed to keep us safe. It developed to help us out when we are in physical danger. It is called the FIGHT, FLIGT, OR FREEZE response.

This state is meant to be temporary and when the danger is gone our body should relax and return to its natural state. Chronic stress is when we don’t completely relax and for some of us this state of constant tension has become normal and acceptable. Our bodies where never built to cope with the constant underlying stress that many of us find ourselves experiencing.

FIRST AID FOR STRESS – STOP THE BLEEDING.

When to use it: moments of tension or stress. Examples: Can be over like a difficult interaction with someone or a situation like running late or being stuck in traffic. More subtle like siting at your desk working on a project or even be triggered by a thought or a memory. Symptoms of stress – a good indicator.

Tactical Breathing: This is used by people who go into emergency situations, first responders. This technique slows down your heart rate and calms your brain. Inhale for 4 counts, hold for 4 counts, exhale for 4 counts, hold for 4 counts. Repeat. When you notice yourself tighten, breathe. This activates the PERISYMPATHETIC system which regulates “rest and digest” functions. In other words, this system controls basic bodily functions while one is sitting quietly reading a book. In the next videos I will discuss more long term strategies and explore how to navigate to a life free from chronic stress.

REVIEWS

“I’ve never attended a stress management course that was so expansive and comprehensive, showing how everything connects.”

“I found the three hours very useful as a reminder of the practical stress management techniques I have learned over the years and some new ones. I enjoyed the relaxed way you presented the course and its grounding in neuropsychology. I think it’s a great workshop for people of any age and I will recommend the course to my associates and client who I think may benefit.”

“…a most comprehensive workshop on stress. It was detailed with necessary information which you brought alive with your personal stories , you gave us an opportunity to think about how it applied to our own situations, and you offered well researched solutions for taking care of ourselves.”

“I can’t believe it was three hours, it went by so quickly!”

“Life changing.”

“Fun and interesting..”

“We don’t stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing.”

— George Bernard Shaw

AGELESS GRACE

Ageless Grace® is an exercise program for the body and brain that is done in a chair to fun, upbeat, lively music. It is based on 7 years of research in the cutting-edge science of neuroplasticity; the ability of the brain and the central nervous system to change its form and function across the course of a lifetime.

Following principals of positive psychology and with the use of imagination, we activate the five areas of the brain together with the body, to restore cognitive functions, mobility, improve mood and general health. The simple every-day movements are also suitable for persons who cannot participate in more traditional forms of exercise and scales to each persons own level and ability. It is a lot of fun and does not at all feel like exercise when you are doing it!

PRIVATE CLASSES
One on one session for specialised and tailored movement and music in the comfort of your own home or via a video conferencing tool.

GROUP CLASSES
Join a group session in and around Cape Town and enjoy the benefits of being silly with others. Please get in touch for details on current classes.

TALKS AND LECTURES
Book a talk for your group, organisation or company on a range of topics like the BENEFITS OF AGELESS GRACE and NEUROPLASTICITY, MUSIC THROUGHOUT OUR LIVES, BALANCE, CHRONOLOGICAL VS BIOLOGICAL AGE and THE TRUTH ABOUT AGEING.
[usually includes a short Ageless Grace movement session]

RESOURCES

THE TRUTH ABOUT AGEING

What we believe about ageing can have a tremendous effect on how we actually age. We tend to overestimate the influence of genetics and chronological age and underestimate the impact of belief and lifestyle on biological age.

If your chronological age and biological age can be different, what factors can play a role here and how much power do you have to change your biological age? Are we stuck with the genetic cards we are dealt at birth and when is it too late to change how we are ageing?
PHYSICAL DECLINE, IT’S ALL DOWNHILL

When we look as retirement places in the developed world we see a lot of evidence for the idea that your body gets frail as you age. We may draw the conclusion that this decline is inevitable since we can observe the trend. This is essentially correlation vs causation. Just because we can observe a correlation, a link between events or variables, we must not automatically decide that the one caused the other.

This would be a very limited perspective if you don’t investigate the reasons for the observed physical decline, or look at populations where the same physical decline isn’t as prevalent. In my experience I have seen a trend of belief, fuelling action and this leading to the result: decline

TESTIMONIAL

I took Ageless Grace private classes with Salome Kraamwinkel for 10 months until the middle of December 2022. I had a number of issues which needed addressing, not least of which was my walking which is much of the time on crutches, and I am 70. I had lost confidence in going out to new places, meeting people, and in my own mobile abilities.

Her knowledge of the human body and mind is amazing, and whilst not pressuring you to adapt to her way of thinking, she does encourage growth-. mentally and physically.

Her attitude and manner is gentle but determined, without being overbearing, and I really gained a lot of benefit in several ways from her tuition.

Her passion for what she does is undoubted, and her commitment to her clients amazing.

One can see she really enjoys what she does and has pure motives in wanting people to live
their best possible life.

-S Baillie

It’s never too late or too early to start.

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