In recent years, we have gained increasing knowledge of the roles stress and stress hormones play in our health. It is amazing how the presentation of a stressor—whether in one event or a series of events—might involve us in appraising the environmental challenge and lead us to the “fight-or-flight” response on a physiological level.
The idea that stress has only harmful effects does not draw a full picture of its role in our health and well-being. It is scientifically proven that stress and stress hormones not only have a negative impact on our bodies, but they also have potentially beneficial properties, aimed at mobilizing our immune system for fighting immunologic confrontations.
Olga Demyanova, M.D., Ph.D., Gynecologist
Tamila Lessovskaya, M.D., Ph.D., Psychiatrist
Rima Cherman, B.Sc., Nurse
Inna B. Mertsalova, Ph.D., M.Ed., M.Sc. was performing stress reduction workshops for the public in community centres in the Greater Toronto Area. She has performed extensive research in psycho-oncology, focusing on how humans’ vulnerability to stress reactions might influence the physiological state of the body. For the last ten years, Dr. Mertsalova has been extensively studying the role of stress and personality in the development and progression of a variety of physiological illnesses. Believing that knowledge empowers us to understand how we become ill due to stress, she provides the results of health psychology research to the public by writing literature reviews.
She is the author of The Solving Life’s Problems Workbook. She is a certified specialist in Cognitive-Behavioural Therapy for practical solutions to real-world problems from the Gail Appel Institute. Also, she is a certified hypnotherapist from the National Guild of Hypnotherapists.
She lives in Richmond Hill, Ontario with her husband and younger daughter. Her older kids are living independently with their families. Her house is full of pets: a borzoi puppy Yaroslav (Yarik), a kitten Freyja, and two bunnies. Living in the forest makes her responsible for taking care of wild animals and birds.
For more information, visit drinnamertsalova.com
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