Celebrating 21 Years of Transforming Lives:

A Message from Neil Shah, Founder of The Stress Management Society

This year marks a significant milestone for The Stress Management Society—21 years of supporting individuals and organisations in managing stress and building happier, healthier, more balanced lives. It has been an incredible journey, and as we reflect on our progress, I am filled with pride and gratitude for the impact we’ve made, the lives we’ve touched, and the many challenges we’ve faced (and continue to face) and overcome together.

A Journey Rooted in Passion

When I first founded The Stress Management Society in 2003, the concept of stress management was far from mainstream. In fact, at the time, stress was often seen as a normal part of life—something we just had to cope with. But I believed that stress didn’t have to be a given. It didn’t have to be a constant, overwhelming force in our lives. And so, I set out on a mission to change the way we all approach stress and wellbeing.

The inspiration to set this up was borne out of a first-hand experience – a series of extremely challenging and stressful life events that lead to me having a breakdown and in the depths of the mental and emotional darkness I found myself in I attempted to end my own life. Thankfully I failed and it was on my path to recovery I had a spiritual epiphany, a realisation that what I had experienced wasn’t a tragedy, it was a gift and I could use my experience to help others that may also be struggling.

I knew that if we could raise awareness, provide practical tools, and change mindsets, we could help people take control of their stress, rather than letting it control them. With that goal in mind, The Stress Management Society was born.

Looking Back at Our Achievements

Over the past two decades, we’ve made great strides. From offering one-on-one support, running awareness campaigns to launching global corporate wellness programmes, we’ve reached millions of people across the globe. Our work has evolved and expanded, but our mission has always remained the same: to create a happier, healthier more resilient world where stress is managed and wellbeing is prioritised.

Here are just a few of the ways we’ve made a difference over the years:

Providing Expert Resources: We’ve become a trusted source of information on stress management, providing evidence-based resources, tools, and advice through our website, workshops, and webinars.

Corporate Wellbeing Initiatives: Working with organizations of all sizes, we’ve helped businesses create healthier, more productive work environments by promoting a culture of wellbeing and stress management. Companies such as Philips, Mars, DHL, Santander, Shell and Allianz insurance have benefitted from our support.

Raising Awareness: We’ve worked tirelessly to remove the stigma surrounding mental health and stress, promoting open conversations and encouraging people to seek help without shame or fear.

Personalised Support: Through our various programmes and services, we’ve helped individuals identify stressors in their lives, develop coping strategies, and achieve a greater sense of balance and happiness.

Stress Awareness Month: One of our proudest achievements has been Stress Awareness Month, which we celebrate annually in April, raised awareness, and inspired positive change across the world and has reached millions of people.

Why Stress Management is More Important Than Ever

As we celebrate 21 years of service, it’s impossible to ignore the growing challenges we face in the modern world. Stress is more prevalent than ever—whether it’s from the pressures of work, the demands of family life, or the uncertainty of global events, people are feeling more overwhelmed than ever before.Research consistently shows that stress has a significant impact on both mental and physical health, leading to burnout, anxiety, depression, and a range of chronic illnesses. The stress we experience doesn’t just affect individuals—it affects communities, organisations, and entire societies.

However, there is hope. As we’ve seen over the past 21 years, stress is manageable, and change is possible. By making small, conscious decisions each day, we can reduce the impact of stress on our lives and create a culture that values wellbeing.

Looking Forward: The Future of Stress Management

As we look ahead to the next 21 years, we remain committed to our mission of improving mental health and wellbeing worldwide. We are excited to continue evolving and developing new resources, training programmes, and initiatives that empower individuals and organisations to manage stress more effectively.

But we also know that our work is far from done. In an ever-changing world, we must continue to innovate, challenge old paradigms, and create solutions that address the diverse and complex nature of stress in the 21st century.

A Heartfelt Thank You

I would like to take this opportunity to thank each and every one of you who has been part of this journey. Whether attended one of our workshops, been one of our incredible clients, utilised our resources, or shared your personal story, you have contributed to our success. It’s your support, trust, and belief in our mission that has allowed us to grow and make such a lasting impact.

A special thanks to our amazing, dedicated team members (both past and present), volunteers, and partners who work tirelessly to help us realise our vision every single day. Together, we have created something truly special, and I am excited to see where the next chapter will take us.

Thank you for being part of The Stress Management Society’s 21-year journey. Here’s to many more years of transforming lives and fostering wellbeing around the world!

Let’s continue working together to create a future that no longer needs The Stress Management Society

With Love and Gratitude,

Neil Shah

Founder, The Stress Management Society

www.stress.org.uk