UP CLOSE: Stress levels are rising with families this week as schools return after their long summer break.

How does all this manifest itself and what can we do to help both children and adults? Here Sandbach Nub News talks to Body Stress Release practitioner Nichola Friel.

South African-born Nichola Friel knows the true meaning of the word pain. More than 30 years ago, she was in a serious car accident in South Africa which left her in hospital for seven weeks, in an induced n ma with various injuries and needing a hip replacement.

She had neck and back pain and tried various modalities with little success. Body Stress Release was mentioned to her one day by a friend and then Nichola had a light bulb moment thinking this was something she would love to do. The rest is history and now Nichola practises from her tranquil home in Cookesmere Lane in Sandbach.

She tried Body Stress Release which offers a gentle and effective way to help your body release stored tension from the muscles and the pain went away and she was able to stop taking pain killers.

After finding how well it worked on her own body, Nichola then set about getting trained in the area herself so she could help others overcome body stress, locating and releasing stored tension from the muscles.

Today the mother-of-one, like her clients, doesn't need to take pain relief medicine. Instead she uses the complementary health technique developed in South Africa in the 1980s by Gail and Ewald Meggersee.

Softly-spoken Nichola's clients range from newborn babies to a 98 year old woman who all display different kinds of stress in their body which can lead to pain, stiffness, numbness and cramp.

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Tension in the muscles can also put pressure on your nerves which disturbs your body's communication system. When we are overloaded by stress, our bodies store stress in the muscles.

Some Body Stress Release clients suffer from headaches and migraines including school children. Other common ailments are neck ache, back ache, restless legs, sciatica and frozen shoulders.

As the mother of one 12 year old boy said: "My son came home nearly every day with a headache. Pain killers helped but after only four sessions of Body Stress Release his headaches have gone."

Nichola has a 15-year-old son so knows just how anxious and worried school children can sometimes get when going back to school. She says however there is a lot which parents or carers can do to help their children stay calm and relaxed.

"First of all, it's important to be kind and smile to others. A smile goes a long way, especially during these post-lockdown days. The lockdowns have hit some people hard," says Nichola.

"Make sure everything is ready the night before such as uniform and stationery and there isn't a last-minute rush.

"Remember we're all sailing in one way or another even if we are sailing in different boats.

"Don't stress about things you can't change and ensure that your child is being kind to others. Kindness goes a long way.

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"I know it's hard sometimes to get children to stop worrying about things they can't change. It's wasted energy.

"For example if they are in a class which they don't particularly enjoy, try and get them to think of ways to enjoy it because that way it will be over quicker.

"Fighting against things which you can't change creates anxiety and pain and is wasted energy and can manifest in the body.

"Focus on the thing which they most enjoy – is it football after school for example or seeing their friends? Have an end goal to get to their happy place."

Nichola says it's important for children to take one day at a time and to live in the present. "Don't think about tomorrow or the past, live in the present moment and make the most of outdoor time and sunshine."

Nichola can be contacted via email [email protected]