Coping with causes of stress

Press, 6 April 1989, Page 25

Coping with causes of stress

While the Riccarton Health and Relaxation Centre addresses the symptoms of stress, it also aims to help people cope with the causes.

Heading this sector of the centre is Richard Wheeler, a clinical psychologist, who was among the first people to run seminars on stress management in the late 70s.

Richard Wheeler incorporates modern day psychology with older relaxation techniques, such as yoga, and meditation, which he studied in India. He worked in the public hospital system in Christchurch before setting up his private practice, in which he sees people referred to him by doctors and acts as a consultant to industry. He will conduct a series of course seminars on stress management for the centre,

He emphasizes that his therapies do not offer a

miracle cure. “If a businessman wants a quick solution and doesn’t mind his work performance going down, he can use sedatives.” Richard Wheeler’s solutions, on the other hand, are not immediate but are non-intrusive, non-addic-tive and lasting. The seminars will be held in the Riccarton Health and Relaxation Centre’s own self-con-tained lecture rooms, and are seen as a natural complement to its more technological treatments. They are all three-day courses, and include “A Basic Introduction to Stress Management,” “A Visualisation and Relaxation Workshop,” “Lifestyle Planning,” “Living With Change” and “Planning for Retirement.” Richard Wheeler is also available for private consultation and counselling on stress-related matters at the centre.