Strainingoutstresses

IT WAS while working as a massage therapist that Tana Collins realised she could be doing more to help her clients deal with their stress-related issues.

After retraining, the 51-year-old set up her own stress management consultancy in Edinburgh a year ago. Tana, originally from East Sussex, now helps people tackle everything from stage fright to tough bosses. Here, she tells us about her job.

What attracted you to this type of work?

For the last 16 years, I’ve been working in businesses across Edinburgh and Fife as a massage therapist. Over the years, I noticed a significant number of clients were suffering from stress-related problems.

Massage is a wonderful tool for helping people with stress. However, I wanted to offer clients something alongside the massage.

In 2015, I retrained as a stress management consultant and, for the last year, I’ve been running my stress management consultancy alongside my massage business.

What sort of training/ qualifications did you need?

I wanted an online course with a recognised qualification from a well-established company. I finally chose to train with The Stress Management Institute as I was impressed by their credentials.

I wanted a course I would find challenging but at the same time one that offered huge practical application. I wasn’t disappointed.

What are the highs and lows of being self-employed?

There are many advantages to working for yourself – from flexible hours to the satisfaction you get from running your own business. HRN TRACTORS Disadvantages would include no sick pay and the occasional isolation. But I’ve loved being selfemployed and I wouldn’t change it!

Is there such a thing as a typical day as a stress management consultant?

There’s no typical day, which I love. I can be onsite one day offering massages and the next day running a session of stress management.

I offer stress management workshops in businesses, where we explore symptoms of stress and practical ways of tackling stress.

Outside the corporate world ,I also see individuals and small groups for private work.

What type of issues do clients come to see you with?

Everything from being micromanaged by a difficult and negative boss to suffering from stage fright before giving a concert.

And, honestly, stress management really does work! One tip is that if you suffer from anxiety when giving a presentation, build up slowly so that you gain confidence. Practice in front of friends and family first.

Another is to engage with your audience rather than avoid eye contact, which is what many of us do if we are anxious.

One of the most interesting facts about stress is that it can give us the tendency to crave sugary or fatty foods, so anyone trying to lose weight should address the issues that cause them stress first otherwise the diet is likely to fail. What are your career plans? I’d like to take my workshops into more companies. Stress management training needs to be rolled out to all staff. After all, it’s in a company’s best interests to have a happy and healthy workforce. www.facebook.com/Tana Collins StressManagement