By Jessica Jordan, MS. OTR/L

What Is the Stress-Enhancing Mindset?

The stress mindset refers to how we think about and interpret stress, regardless of whether we’re experiencing it in the moment. It’s different from how we cope with stress. While coping involves reacting to a stressor and managing it, your mindset is what shapes your beliefs about stress in the first place.

Research shows that the stress mindset can influence the body’s response to stress, separate from the actual stressor itself. In other words, how you perceive stress matters just as much as the stress itself.

How Can the Stress Mindset Help Us?

How you think about stress can directly shape your body’s physiological response. When someone views stress as something that can enhance their health and performance, their brain and body respond differently than if they view stress as harmful or overwhelming.

In one study, participants who learned about the potential benefits of stress showed:

Improved performance on easy tasks
Measurable gains on tasks they previously found difficult

So is stress good or bad? The answer is: it depends. The way you interpret stress sensations can determine whether they help or hinder your performance.

Why This Matters in OT and Motor Coaching

As an OT, this understanding is so important, especially in our work with neurodivergent individuals, whether we’re motor coaching or supporting them through activities that ask them to lean into challenge. If the belief is present that stress can actually enhance performance, then those intentional motor exercises become more than just practice—they can help rewire existing motor pathways and create more purposeful movement that the individual can access, even when things get hard or the body becomes dysregulated.

We know stress doesn’t always feel good. But recognizing it as a tool—not just a threat—gives us the opportunity to work with the nervous system, not against it. It allows us to:

Fine-tune the areas where we want to improve performance
Strengthen intentional movement under pressure
Build regulation and resilience during stress

In the context of occupational therapy, especially with neurodivergent clients, embracing a stress-enhancing mindset can shift the entire experience. It reframes challenge as a chance to grow—not just cope.

Your Turn

How Do You View Stress in Your Own Life or Practice?

What are your thoughts or beliefs around stress? Has there been a time when it supported you, or made things harder? We’d love to hear how this perspective resonates with you, especially if you’re navigating stress in your own life or supporting someone through it.

Drop a comment below and let’s keep the conversation going.

Helpful Links

If you found this post helpful, you’ll love our therapy resources! Whether you’re a parent or therapist, our apraxia and autism courses are here to offer practical tools, compassionate guidance, and real-world strategies you can use every day.

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 For Parents & Caregivers: Autism Training | Online Course for Parents and Caregivers

🧑‍🏫 For Therapists: Therapist Course for Apraxia and Autism | Mentorship for OTs and Therapists

🏥 Work With Us: In-Person Occupational Therapy (San Diego & Long Beach Areas) | Virtual Coaching