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Along with more unemployment, more bankruptcies and more foreclosures, the recession is fueling another symptom: more stress.

While that's bad for many Americans, it may be good for the business of acupuncturist Jessica Feltz Wolfson and other alternative practitioners who help clients deal with the physical and emotional fallout from excess stress.

Wolfson, owner of The Turning Point Community Acupuncture Clinic on West Patrick Street in Frederick, says there has been a dramatic increase in stress-related symptoms among the 100-plus clients she sees weekly.

The fear of job loss can lead to anxiety and stress, she said, which in turn can have physical manifestations.

With so many people feeling financially stressed, Wolfson and other local wellness practitioners say they use a sliding scale for their services. Wolfson also uses an honor system for all methods of payment at her clinic, which uses a sliding fee scale of $15 to $35.

"We tell people to pay what they can to get the care they need," she said.

For Wolfson and other practitioners, it's a question of balance.

"I never want that to be the reason why people don't come, but also not put my fees down so low that I can't stay in business," said Katie Marsh Lyburn, a psychotherapist who provides counseling at the Four Branches Therapy & Wellness Center in Frederick.

Lyburn said she believes that everyone knows someone who has been laid off as a result of the recession and that alone breeds fear, with the media also playing a role.

"Even if they're OK, the fact that everything around them seems shaky I think breeds stress," Lyburn said. She suggested that people take an honest look at their financial situation to help deal with their stress.

Practitioners also recommended exercise and plenty of sleep to help manage stress.

The power of positive thinking can also help people deal with stress, said Tori Paide, owner and acupuncturist at The Still Point in Takoma Park.

"Our thoughts really control our actions," she said.

Paide said her business has not raised prices but has seen revenues grow since it opened two years ago.

"We don't turn anyone away because of price," she said.

Still, some people are putting off treatments, said Greg Lee, owner of the Two Frogs Healing Center in Frederick.

"Whatever they used to get before was helpful, but as money is tighter, they don't necessarily have the funds to do that," Lee said.

Business owners and other professionals are hardly immune. M. Richard Adams, president and CEO of the Frederick County Chamber of Commerce, said in an e-mail that the health and wellness industry offer products and services that other businesses can use.

"No matter what the economy is like, busy professionals appreciate the opportunity to improve their quality of life," Adams said.

Among the alternative practitioners seeking to grow their business is Margaret Schaeffer, president of the Synergy Healing Arts Center and Massage School near Thurmont.

The center has been in business since 1996 and graduates of the massage school are accredited to work in Maryland and other states, she said.

The decision by Sallie Mae, the student loan company, to drop its small-schools division has forced Shaeffer to offer only one massage class per year instead of two, she said in an e-mail. As a result, the number of graduates has fallen from 32 a year ago to 16 this year.

The school can accommodate 300 clients a week, she said, but is averaging only 25.

It is important to be able to reset your "stress button," Schaeffer said, and people need to "stop and smell the roses" as a way to effectively combat stress.

"Nothing matters but being in joy," she said.