On the exercise note: I recommend some sort of moderate-contact martial art such as Krav Maga, or a not overly psycho MMA. I've found that getting hit, and doing some hitting back is actually great for stress issues. Sure, there's the knot of fear that we all start with... but isn't that psychologically a part of being stressed about not knowing what's going to happen next in life? You don't know where the hit is coming from ( but if you know and can trust the people you train with, you at least know they aren't trying to pummel you into the ground to make themselves feel better ), but you learn that you can take the hit, get up again, and come back to class the next session. You also learn that you can hit back... and there're days ( especially if you feel powerless to control circumstances, etc. ) where that feels really good... especially when you learn to hit back with controlled aggression rather than frustrated lashing out.
Another similar idea is fencing. It's combative, so it does excite similar feelings ( not to the same intensity with fear of getting hit ), but you can wear protection... back when my wife and I used to fence, she would go to work with bruises on her arm, ( and she worked at the Sheriff's Office ), and there were co-workers who would ask if I had done that to her. She'd say, "Yes, but you should see the bruises I gave him!"
