Crying easily. Feeling inadequate. Having trouble with relationships. All are symptoms of the anxiety of joblessness, said Steve Fehl, a training specialist at the Pikes Peak Workforce Center.

The center has seen a growing number of unemployed people displaying such signs of stress, he said. Many have been out of work six months or longer.

“They’re running out of money,” Fehl said. “They’re losing mortgages to foreclosure. Individuals are facing breakups brought on by the lack of income.”

Fehl has been overwhelmed by clients asking for advice regarding stress, so he launched a series of workshops to teach coping skills.

The "Managing Stress" classes will meet 1:30 to 3 p.m. Tuesdays in August. Classes are free and open to the public. Fehl will tailor each class for that day’s audience. And no one will be put on the spot: “This is not a therapy group where you have to share,” he said.

A few of the techniques he plans to cover are breathing and anxiety-reduction exercises, finding positive aspects to difficult situations and breaking problems into manageable steps.

Fehl, in addition to his center duties, is a doctoral student in clinical psychology.

DETAILS

“Managing Stress: Techniques for Dealing With Stress,” 1:30-3 p.m. Tuesdays, Pikes Peak Workforce Center, 2306 E. Pikes Peak Ave. No registration necessary. For more on it and other programs: 667-3790, or ppwfc.org.