President's Message

Jennifer Stonefield, LMFT
LA-CAMFT President

International Stress Awareness Day

The first Wednesday in November is International Stress Awareness Day. This is a global observance aimed at raising awareness about stress and its impacts on health and well-being. Held annually, this day is meant to encourage people across the world to recognize the signs of stress and take proactive steps to manage it. Stress can affect anyone, regardless of age, profession, or location, making it a universal issue. International Stress Awareness Day brings attention to the importance of mental health, promoting the adoption of stress-relief techniques like mindfulness, exercise, and relaxation practices to improve the quality of life. 

One’s own individual strength, as well as the strength of the community, plays a central role in how they approach stress management. On International Stress Awareness Day, the concept of strength is not just about withstanding stress, but about building resilience. Resilience, in this instance, involves learning how to cope with challenges more effectively, knowing when to seek help, and finding healthy outlets for stress. Strength also comes from knowledge, along with understanding the triggers of stress and equipping oneself with the tools to handle it. This day serves as a reminder that cultivating inner strength is essential in navigating the pressures of modern life. 

International Stress Awareness Day is meant to extend beyond the individual and should also encompass wider collective efforts. Workplaces, governments, and healthcare systems are also encouraged to foster environments that reduce stress and promote well-being. This is encouraged by creating supportive, stress-reducing frameworks in professional and social settings builds a stronger, more resilient society. By embracing one’s strength as a proactive approach to stress, individuals and organizations alike can work toward a healthier, more balanced world, where mental health is prioritized and supported. As always, there is support out there for you and those you know. Please remember to be kind to yourself and others. 

Jennifer Stonefield, LMFT, is Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist. She’s always had a passion for psychology and going on the therapeutic journey with her clients reminds her of this every day. She has a wide array of clinical experience ranging from working with children in an educational setting to those suffering from dementia to individual work in several group, private practices where age holds no boundaries. She has an M.A. in Clinical Psychology from Pepperdine University, with an emphasis in Marriage and Family Therapy. Jennifer applies a person-centered approach when working with clients, as she believes that a “one size fits all” approach simply won’t cut it.