kaplan university hw410 stress: critical issues in...

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KAPLAN UNIVERSITY

HW410 Stress: Critical Issues in Management and Prevention

Stress Management and

Prevention Program

Resource Guide

K A P L A N U N I V E R S I T Y

Stress Management and Prevention

Program Resource Guide

By

Emily Bernhardt Kaplan University

HW410: Stress: Critical Issues in Management and Prevention

April 27, 2013

Table of Contents

U N I T 1 T H E N A T U R E O F S T R E S S

Information to Remember

Resources: My Health Philosophy: The Wellness Paradigm Revisited

Tools: Are You Stressed? : Personal Stress Inventory: Top Ten Stressors

U N I T 2 T H E B O D Y A S B A T T L E F I E L D


Resources: Immediate, Intermediate, and Prolonged Stress Effects: Physical Symptoms Questionnaire

Tools: Stress Physiology Review: My Health Profile

U N I T 3 F E A S T O R F A M I N I N E


Resources: Anger Recognition Checklist: Fear This!

Tools: Journal Writing: The Psychology of Your Stress

U N I T 4 O N E P L A N E T U N D E R S T R E S S


Resources: Your Personal Value System : Distractions of the Human Path

Tools: Stress-Prone Personality Survey: Stress-Resistant Personality Survey

U N I T 5 U N D E R S T R E S S : W H A T N O W ?


Resources: The Time-Crunch Questionnaire

Tools: Reframing: Seeing a Bigger, Clearer Perspective

U N I T 6 A G E L E S S W I S D O M O F M E D I T A T I O N


Resources: Bridging the Hemispheres of Thought: Three Short Guided Visualizations

Tools: Too Much Information: I Have a Vision: The Art of Visualization

U N I T 7 N U T R I T I O N A N D S T R E S S


Resources: Stress-Related Eating Behaviors

Tools: Self-Assessment: Nutritional Eating Habits

U N I T 8 P H Y S I C A L E X E R C I S E A N D A C T I V I T Y


Resources: Your Circadian Rhythms: My Body’s Rhythms

Tools: Physical Exercise: My Body, My Physique

U N I T 9 A P P L Y I N G S T R E S S : C R I T I C A L M A N A G E M E N T A N D P R E V E N T I O N T O Y O U R

P R O F E S S I O N A L L I F E


Resources: Defining Your Support Group: Hobbies and Outside Interests

Tools: The Healing Power of Prayer: Friends in Need

U N I T 1 0 A P P L Y I N G S T R E S S : C R I T I C A L M A N A G E M E N T A N D P R E V E N T I O N T O

Y O U R P R O F E S S I O N A L L I F E


Resources: Exercises

Tools: Journal Writing

A D D I T I O N A L I N F O R M A T I O N

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Unit 1: The Nature of Stress

Information to Remember:

Lesson I-What is This Thing Called “Stress?”: Stress is part of everyone’s life. “Stress is the inability to cope with a perceived (real or imagined) threat to one’s mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being, which results in a series of physiological responses and adaptations” (Seaward, 2009, p. 6).

Lesson II-Types of Stress and Stressors: There are different types of stress and stressors that we face throughout our daily lives. There are three types of stress, eustress, neustress and distress. “Eustress: Good stress; any stressor that motivates an individual toward an optimal level of performance or health. Neustress: Any kind of information or sensory stimulus that is perceived as unimportant or inconsequential. Distress: The unfavorable or negative interpretation of an event (real or imagined) to be threatening that promotes continued feelings of fear or anger; more commonly known simply as stress” (Seaward, 2009, p.8). There are also three stressors that influence our lives. “Stressors have been categorized into three groups: (1) bioecological influences, (2) psychointrapersonal influences, and (3) social influences” (Seaward, 2009, p.32).

Lesson III-So How Bad is the Stress?: There are many stress-induced changes that we undergo and may not even realize it is happening to us. “Selye referred to these collective changes as the general adaptation syndrome (GAS), a process in which the body tries to accommodate stress by adapting to it” (Seaward, 2009, p.13). The general adaptation syndrome (GAS) has three stages: Stage one is Alarm reaction, Stage two is Stage of resistance and Stage three is the Stage of exhaustion.

Resources: Exercises:

Exercise 1: My Health Philosophy- This exercise makes us take a deeper look into our health and what makes up our philosophy (reasoning).

Exercise 2: The Wellness Paradigm Revisited- When viewing health and wellness there are four areas to consider (mind, body, spirit, and emotions), this exercise provides several questions that help a person ponder their philosophy, values and beliefs as it pertains to holistic wellness.

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These two exercises get an individual thinking about the big picture of health and wellness as it pertains to them.

Tools: Journal Writing:

Journal Writing 1: Are You Stressed?-This was a survey of 20 questions that determines if an individual is stressed. Once the survey is completed the individual can see what level of stress they are exhibiting.

Journal Writing 2: Personal Stress Inventory: Top Ten Stressors- This journal has an individual process their top ten stressors and then categorize them in what health area (mind, body, spirit, emotions) they impact.

These two journal writings help an individual realize what level of stress they are experiencing and what are the stressors that may be leading to that stress level.

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Unit 2: The Body as Battlefield


Lesson 1- Anatomy and Physiology: “Three systems are directly involved with the physiology of stress: the nervous system, the endocrine system and the immune system, all of which can be triggered by perceived threats” (Seaward, 2009, p.37). The nervous system can be divided into two parts the central nervous system (CNS) and the peripheral nervous system (PNS). The CNS consists of the brain and the spinal cord, and the PNS, “comprising all neural pathways to the extremities” (Seaward, 2009, p.37). “The endocrine system is a network of four components: glands, hormones, circulation and target organs” (Seaward, 2009, p.41).

Lesson 2- Stress and the Immune System: The immune system is one of the systems that are directly involved with the physiology of stress, as stated above. “The purpose of the immune system is to protect the body from pathogens, either externally generated (e.g., bacteria) or internally manufactured (e.g., mutant cells), which impede the proper functioning of the body’s regulatory dynamics” (Seaward, 2009, p.55). Disease that results from immune dysfunction are categorized into four areas: exogenous-underreactive, exogenous-overreactive, endogenous-underreactive and endogenous-overreactive. “The following are examples of some diseases in each of these categories: 1. The common cold and influenza (exogenous underreaction), 2. Allergies (exogenous overreaction), 3. Rheumatoid arthritis and lupus (endogenous overreaction), 4. Ulcers and colitis (endogenous overreaction), 5. Cancer (endogenous underreaction)” (Seaward, 2009, p.76-77).

Lesson 3- Stress and Disease: “Several states of disease and illness first appear as stress-related symptoms that, if undetected or untreated, may result in serious health problems” (Seaward, 2009, p. 73). These are just a few health problems that could be faced: Bronchial asthma, Tension headaches, Migraine headaches, Temporomandibular joint dysfunction (TMJD), Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), Coronary heart disease (CHD).


Exercise 1: Immediate, Intermediate, and Prolonged Stress Effects- Physical stress can manifest itself in different lengths of time. This exercise was a great way for an individual to see how stress impacts their body using the three processes.

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Exercise 2: Physical Symptoms Questionnaire- This questionnaire 25 stress-related symptoms that the individual had to respond how often they have occurred over the past week, how they seemed and how long did they last. This exercise is a great way for an individual to sit down and process their week in relation to stress and its impact on their body. If they score over 30 then it most likely indicates a stress-related health problem.


Journal Writing 1: Stress Physiology Review- This was a great review of hormones that flow through our body at different points in time during stress.

Journal Writing 2: My Health Profile- This journal helped and individual compile all their personal health information. Once it was collected they can compare it to values that will be discussed in class. This gives the individual a chance to understand/explore their physical health.

These two journal writings are very important because we need to know ourselves and what is going on inside. By knowing our body a little better it can help get a better sense of relaxation and healing.

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Unit 3: Feast or Famine


Lesson 1-Emotions: From Fear to Love: “Emotional well-being, as defined in the wellness paradigm, is the ability to feel and express the entire range of human emotions and to control them, not be controlled by them” (Seaward, 2009, p.115). There are elements of survival emotions: anger and fear. Which we may see as the Fight (anger) or Flight (fear) response. There are several ways to manage anger creatively: “1. Know your ager style. 2. Learn to monitor your anger. 3. Learn to deescalate your ager. 4. Learn to out-think your anger, 5. Get comfortable with all your feelings, and learn to express them constructively. 6. Plan ahead. 7. Develop a support system. 8. Develop realistic expectations of yourself and others. 9. Learn problem-solving techniques. 10. Stay in Shape, 11. Turn complaints into requests. 12. Forgiveness: Make past anger pass” (Seaward, 2009, p.122-123). Now when dealing with fear there are some basic human fears. “However, events or situations that elicit anxiety tend to fall into one of six categories: (1) failure, (2) rejection, (3) the unknown, (4) death, (5) isolation, and (6) loss of self-dominance” (Seaward, 2009, p.125).

Lesson 2-Mind: The psychology of Stress: Carl Jung compared the human mind to an iceberg. The part of the iceberg above the water is the conscious mind, than there was the unconscious which is the biggest part of the iceberg that remains under the water. “The conscious mind, with its limited awareness, focuses on specific thoughts, which compete for attention. The unconscious mind is the receptacle for ideas, images, and concepts the conscious mind has no room to hold, as well as repressed thoughts, memories and a host of undiscovered thoughts of enlightenment” (Seaward, 2009, p.91).

Lesson 3- Stages of Grieving: Elisabeth Kubler-Ross observed dying cancer patients and

developed five stages of grieving. The first step is denial (not a river in Egypt), second is anger, third is bargaining, the fourth is depression and the last is acceptance. “These same stages apply to any type of loss, including the death of unmet expectations” (Seaward, 2009, p.95).


Exercise 1: Anger Recognition Checklist- This exercise helps and individual to see how anger can surface in the course of the day and how they may mismanage it.

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Exercise2: Fear This!- Fear is a lot like anger and is a very normal human emotion. This is an emotion that every individual experiences and by looking at their stressors they can associate them with specific fears.

These two exercises are a great way to tie the unit lesson on fear and anger together and get the individual to realize the importance of these two emotions in their life.


Journal Writing 1: The Psychology of Your Stress- Many times we do not fully grasp our perceptions, attitudes and behaviors during an episode of stress. This journal writing provides questions that helps an individual become more aware and uses several theories to help the process.

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Unit 4: One Planet Under Stress


Lesson 1-Stress Prone Personality Traits: “Personalities can be classified as either stress prone (seeming to attract stress) or stress resistant (providing a buffer against various stressors)” (Seaward, 2009, p. 151). The common factor in stress prone personalities is low self-esteem. “Type A personality, codependency, and helpless-hopeless are three personalities that have been associated with both acute and chronic stress” (Seaward, 2009, p.151).

Lesson 2- Stress Resistant Personality Traits: “Hardy personality and the sensation seeker are two personalities currently believed to be stress resistant. The commonality between the two is high self-esteem” (Seaward, 2009, p.151). There is also one more personality that fits into this category it is the survivor personality, these three personalities are said to have traits that everyone can attain, the traits can be learned.

Lesson 3- Human Spirituality: There are four pillars of human spirituality: 1. Relationships (internal and external), 2. Values (personal value system), 3. A meaningful purpose in life, 4. The divine mystery (Seaward, 2009). “Specifically, these common themes are four processes that collectively nurture the growth of the human spirit: centering, emptying, grounding and connecting” (Seaward, 2009, p.178-179). This can be viewed in the way of the seasons: Autumn (centering), Winter (emptying), Spring (grounding) and Summer (connecting).


Exercise 1: Your Personal Value System- Every individual has a personal value system that they hold dear and may change over time. This exercise is a great way to identify core values and then the supporting values in an individual’s life. Then at the end they can see if the stress that they feel is the result of a conflict between the supporting and core values.

Exercise 2: Distractions of the Human Path- As we all go through life we sometimes find that there are distractions that can come in our way. This exercise is a great way to reflect on some of the distractions that may be facing an individual and then what strategies/steps can be taken to get them back on track.

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Journal Writing 1: Stress-Prone Personality Survey- This journal writing helps an individual see if they exhibit the traits of the codependent person. This personality style is known to be stress-prone.

Journal Writing 2: Stress-Resistant Personality Survey- This journal writing helps individual see if they exhibit the traits of the hardy, survivor, and risk-taking. These personality styles are looked at being resistant to stress in one’s life.

These two journal writings help individuals see where they lie in personality traits and stress. Once an individual know then they can better equip themselves on how to handle their stress and look for healthy strategies that help them cope.

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Unit 5: Under Stress: What Now?


Lesson 1-Creating a Positive Mind Set: There are many things/obstacles that come in our way daily that can produces many thoughts. “To break this self-defeating thought cycle, Borysenko suggests employing the concept of reframing” (Seaward, 2009, p. 210). This involves changing your thought from negative to a neutral or even a positive one. “Reframing involves looking at the same situation from a new reference or vantage point and finding some good aspect in it” (Seaward, 2009, p.210).

Lesson 2- The Healing Power of Humor: “Humor therapy, or comic relief, is the use of humor to promote well-being through positive thoughts, attitudes, and emotions by counterbalancing the deleterious effects of negative thoughts, perceptions and emotions on one’s health” (Seaward, 2009, p.259). There are many types of humor: Parody, Satire, Slapstick comedy, Absurd/nonsense humor, The double entendre, Black humor, Irony, Dry humor/quick wit/puns, Bathroom humor, Sarcasm. We at some point in our lives have experienced one or many types of humor and the results were the same it made us laugh, smile and feel happy. “Studies also show that humor promotes mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual well-being” (Seaward, 2009, p.277).

Lesson 3- Simple Assertion and Healthy Boundaries: “Assertiveness includes expressing your opinion and being able to defend your rights, but not at the expense of violating others’ rights” (Seaward, 2009, p.223). This is a very important skill that can take your far, but most people need to improve on this skill. “The following are advocated to help improve assertiveness: 1. Learn to say no. 2. Learn to use “I” statements. 3. Use eye contact. 4. Use assertive body language. 5. Practice peaceful disagreement. 6. Avoid manipulation. 7. Respond rather than react” (Seaward, 2009 p.223-225).


Exercise 1: The Time-Crunch Questionnaire- This survey is also based on traits of the codependent personality. It points out to an individual their time management skills and how they rate.

Time is so important to everyone and many times we do not know how to manage it and this lack can impede out life being fruitful.

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Journal Writing 1: Reframing: Seeing a Bigger, Clearer Perspective- As we go through life anger and fear arise from interactions with stressful situations and this can distort our perspective on the big picture. This journal writing has an individual identify three stressors and “reframed” (new) perspective that gives a breath of fresh air and gets them out of their rut and start moving on with their life.

There are many times in life that we see a situation as a complication to our daily routine, when we could see it as an opportunity to excel.

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Unit 6: Ageless Wisdom of

Meditation


Lesson 1-The Art of Mental Imagery: “Mental imagery can be divided into three types: peaceful natural scenes, or images that place one in a natural environment; behavioral changes, or images that allow one to see and feel oneself performing a different, more healthy-conscious behavior; and internal body images, or images of trips inside the body to observe damaged, diseased, or dysfunctional tissue being healed or repaired” (Seward, 2009, p.403). Mental imagery is used to help decrease chronic pain. There are three steps that are used to initiate mental imagery: 1. Assume a comfortable position, 2. Concentration and attitude (reduce interrupting noise) 3. Visual themes (Seaward, 2009, p. 401-402).

Lesson 2-The Art of Conscious Breathing: Diaphragmatic breathing is not only used in childbirth but also used for stressful situations as well. “Diaphragmatic breathing: The most basic relaxation technique; breathing from the lower stomach or diaphragm rather than the thoracic area” (Seaward, 2009, p.345). There are also three steps that are used to initiate diaphragmatic breathing: 1. Assume a comfortable position, 2. Concentration (four phases-inhalation, pause, exhalation, pause), 3. Visualization (three exercises-Breathing clouds, Alternate nostril breathing, energy breathing) (Seaward, 2009, p. 346-349).

Lesson 3-The Art of Meditation: “Technically speaking, meditation is an increased concentration and awareness-a process of living in the present moment to produce and enjoy a tranquil state of mind” (Seaward, 2009, p.353). There are two branches/areas of meditation: Exclusive or restrictive meditation and inclusive or opening-up meditation. “Exclusive meditation: A form of meditation where in concentration is focused on one object (e.g., mantra, tratak) to the exclusion of all other thoughts, to increase self-awareness and promote relaxation” (Seaward, 2009, p.355). “Inclusive meditation: A form of meditation where all thoughts are invited into awareness without emotional evaluation, judgment, or analysis. Zen mediation is an example” (Seaward, 2009, p. 359).


Exercise 1: Bridging the Hemispheres of Thought- There are two sides to the brain: Left brain dominant-thinking skills, mathematical and verbal acuity, analysis and right brain dominant-holistic

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thinking, imagination, humor and so on. It is important for an individual to explore the left and right brain and to how this impacts their life. They need to learn how to balance these two sides out.

Exercise 2: Three Short Guided Visualizations- These visualizations are a great way to get three different ways to relax and to be able to find one that you can feel success with: A Point of Light in Space, Gentle Falling Snow, and a Walk on a secluded Beach.

These visualizations would be great to use with a group of high school students, with me reading it and having them doing the exercise (Need to use in my future health class).


Journal Writing 1: Too Much Information- Every day we are bombarded with information: information stress. The art of discernment is so important in this information age; the solution for this information overload is meditation. This journal writing was great because it made an individual look at their life and see five ways to decrease the quantity of information. Then learning to share information without revealing everything.

Journal Writing 2: I Have a Vision: The Art of Visualization- This journal writing helps an individual try to answer the question: What are some healing visualizations you can use to restore yourself to health? This one was great because it had two guided mental imagery tracks that would walk someone through the steps. 1) A mountain Lake and 2) Rainbow Meditation. These meditations provided another way to explore healing and the power of visualization.

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Unit 7: Nutrition and Stress


Lesson 1- Domino Effect: “In simplest terms, the relationship between nutrition, stress, and the immune system might best be illustrated through the use of four dominos. Domino 1: Stress tends to deplete nutrients in the body. Domino 2: stress does not promote or reinforce good eating habits. Domino 3: Some food substances are known to increase sympathetic drive. Domino 4: Many foods that are processed contribute to a cumulative effect of toxins” (Seaward, 2009, p.489).

Lesson 2- Basic Nutrients: “In the simplest terms, the body needs six basic nutrients for optimal health: Carbohydrates, fats, proteins, vitamins, minerals, and water” (Seaward, 2009, p.490). Carbs are broken into simple and complex carbs. Vitamins are put into two categories-fat soluble vitamins (A, D, E, K) and water-soluble (B-complex and C).

Lesson 3- Recommendation for Healthy Eating Habits: “Experts agree that the following dietary practices can minimize the body’s arousal to stress and enhance optimal functioning” (Seaward, 2009, p.503). Eat a well-Balanced Diet: “An unbalanced diet leads to poor physical performance” (Seaward, 2009, p.503). Eat a good Breakfast and Space Meals Evenly Throughout the day: “Poor cognitive functioning can result in poor decision making, which can perpetuate the stress cycle” (Seaward, 2009, p.504). Avoid or Minimize the Consumption of Caffeine and sugar-“Research indicates that individuals consume their body weight in refined sugar each year” (Seaward, 2009, p. 504). Eat a Diet That Provides Adequate Levels of Vitamins and Minerals That are Potentially Vulnerable to Stress-“Eat a well-balanced diet with whole and fresh foods and add a quality vitamin supplement” (Seaward, 2009, p.505).


Exercise 1: Stress-Related Eating Behaviors- Many times in our life food is turned to as a way to comfort. This exercise is great because it provides many statements about food habits and the individual has to circle the appropriate answer. This survey will show if the individuals eating habits are conducive to reducing stress or not.

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Journal Writing 1: Self-Assessment: Nutritional Eating Habits- This journal writing asks sixteen questions to better grasp the individual’s nutritional eating habits. It covers caffeine, vitamins, junk food, fruits and veggies, comfort foods. The last question really sums it up: Describe any other eating habits that you associate with a stressed lifestyle. This self-assessment helps the individual really start to understand the keys to their eating habits.

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Unit 8: Physical Exercise and

Activity


Lesson 1-Exercise and Physiological homeostasis: “Proper physical exercise will cause many adaptations that in the long term are thought to be effective in reducing the deleterious effects of stress by returning the body to a profound state of homeostasis” (Seaward, 2009, p. 525). Physical exercise not only helps with reducing stress but also helps “lower resting heart rate, resting blood pressure, and muscle tension, and a host of other functions that help maintain or regain physiological calmness” (Seaward, 2009, p.525). It is said that regular physical exercise generates both physiological and mental homeostasis. “Individuals who engage in regular physical exercise report higher levels of self-esteem and lower incidences of depression and anxiety” (Seaward, 2009, p.525).

Lesson 2- Types of Physical Exercise: “Exercise physiologists classify all physical activity into two categories: anaerobic and aerobic” (Seaward, 2009, p.513). Anaerobic is known as an activity “without oxygen” for a short period of time, example of this is weight lifting. Aerobic is known to have equal supply and demand of oxygen and is a long period of time, example is running, swimming.

Lesson 3- Initiate a Fitness Training Program: “Exercise is demanding work” (Seaward, 2009, p. 522). “The following are some suggestions regarding cardiovascular (aerobic) fitness to help guide you through the transition period [There are seven suggestions] 1. Start cautiously and progress moderately with your program. 2. Pick an activity you really enjoy. 3. Select a time of day to exercise. 4. Exercise using the right clothes and equipment. 5. Initiate a support group. 6. Set personal fitness goals for yourself. 7. Care and prevention of injuries.” (Seaward, 2009, p. 522-523).


Exercise 1: Your Circadian Rhythms- In this exercise the individual is asked to monitor their lifestyle behaviors based on the time of day that these occur for the period of a full week. This is a great way to check your routines and does it show places of concern or does their regular schedule tend to be a healthy one.

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Exercise 2: My Body’s Rhythms- In this exercise the individual has to look at their body’s rhythm and see if there are regular disruptions that conflict with the body’s rhythm. After doing the first exercise you have a better understanding of your routine and then this exercise helps you connect the disruptions in your week with your disruptions with your body. This is a great way to use to connect the importance of rhythm to the body and more importantly to each individual, custom for your (not a blanket effect).


Journal Writing 1: Physical Exercise- Physical exercise is a very important part to our daily lives, it promotes the balance of our physiological systems. This journal writing is a great way for an individual to be able to assess their exercise levels, what they like, and motivations and be able to lay out their week as it pertains to exercise. This gives the individual a chance to see where they stand in term of time they are providing to this important cause.

Journal Writing 2: My Body, My Physique- Every day we face ourselves in the mirror and do we like what we see? This journal writing is a great way for an individual to take the time to see what is good and then to comment on the improvements they want. It also addresses weight and comparing ourselves to others, these are issues that people face a lot if not daily. The last part is the best it gives the individual the chance to look at themselves inwardly and see what they can change there that might make a better impact outwardly. It is so true that we need to change inside before we can truly change outwardly.

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Unit 9: Applying Stress: Critical

Management to your Professional

Life


Lesson 1-Coping Technique: “For a coping technique to be effective, it must do one or all of the following: increase awareness of the cause of stress, help process information about the stressor, and adjust attitude and possibly behavior to work toward a peaceful resolution” (Seaward, 2009, p.337). Finding ways to deal and process your stress is so important. It is important to identify the techniques that work for you and understand that depending on the situation you may need to rely on more than one to get you through. “No one strategy works for all people in all situations to cope effectively with the cause of stress” (Seaward, 2009, p.337).

Lesson 2- Types of Technique: There are several additional coping techniques that could become very useful in coping with stress: Information seeking, Social Orchestration, Social-Support Groups, Hobbies, Forgiveness, Dream Therapy and Prayer & Faith. “There is mental, emotional, physical and spiritual strength in numbers” (Seaward, 2009, p.337). There are many benefits of trying different types of coping techniques. Information seeking is bringing us aware of the facts, social orchestration is understanding our environment and its impact, social-support groups are friend and others that we go to when we need help, hobbies are a positive diversion, forgiveness leads to a peaceful resolution and letting the toxic feelings go, dream therapy is dream interpretation to find the answers we are seeking, Prayer and Faith (is my favorite) is a thought or conversation directed toward the Lord/divine.

Lesson 3- Creating Your Own Stress-Management Program: “If there is a secret to successful stress management, it is to cultivate and utilize your inner resources” (Seaward, 2009, p.528). One stress management program may not work for everyone, creating a stress management program is an important individualized approach. Seaward gives six suggestions for development for the most efficient personal stress management program. The steps are as follows: “1. Make a habit of spending some quality time each day to get to know yourself, 2. Make a habit of reading your emotional barometer, 3. Practice the art of unconditional love, 4. Nurture your creativity skills, 5.

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Balance all components of your well-being and take time to nurture them, 6. Be like a child” (Seaward, 2009, p.529).


Exercise 1: Defining Your Support Group- An individual needs to be aware of the people in their life that supports them and are their support group. Their support group can consist of friends, family, colleagues, peers and even neighbors. This exercise is a great way to help an individual better understand the foundation of their support group and also reinforce it. I believe that many times we take this for granted and do not truly understand or study the dynamics of our support.

Exercise 2:Hobbies and Outside Interest- This exercise helps an individual see that they are so much more than their job/career, there is so much more that makes us up and helps to define us. Once the individual take the time to identify some hobbies and/or outside interest then they need to understand how they can make time to fit it all/some into their lives/busy schedules. Then it goes one step deeper and wants the individual to see if this hobby/hobbies has helped to impact their life.


Journal Writing 1: The Healing Power of Prayer- This journal writing has the individual process the steps/outline to ensure a good transmission/conversation with the Lord/divine. It has the individual identify the intention and then processes it through the steps, so they can see how they can ensure the divine hears them. This may help someone stay on track when in prayer.

Journal Writing 2: Friends in Need- Friends are an important part of that social-support group. This journal writing is a great way for an individual to analyze the relationships that they have now. Times change and so do friendships this journal writing gives the individual a change to recognize what friendship is and who falls into their circle and what does that circle look like and how has it changed over time.

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Additional Information

Two Books for reference:

Sapolsky, R. M. (2004). Why Zebras Don't Get Ulcers. New York, NY: St. Martin's Press. The reason I chose this book is because it is a great book to accompany the Managing Stress book. Together they provide a thorough over view of stress and its impact on our daily lives.

“I begin by trying to clarify the meaning of the nebulous concept of stress and to teach, with a minimum of pain, how various hormones and parts of the brain are mobilized in response to stress. I then focus on the links between stress and increased risk of certain types of disease. Next I describe how the aging process may be influenced by the amount of stress experienced over a lifetime. I then examine the link between stress and the most common psychiatric disorder, major depression. I have added two new chapters one on the interactions between stress and sleep, and one on what stress has to do with addiction” (Sapolsky, 2004, p.Xii).

Seaward, B. L. (2009). Managing stress: principals and strategies for health and well-being, 6th edition. Sudbury, MA: Jones and Bartlett Publishers. The reason I chose this book because it has a great overview of Stress and covers all the main points that we went over in class. “Managing Stress is formatted in a mandala of four parts: Part 1: The Nature of Stress (physiology, stress, and disease), Part 2: The Mind and the Soul (These chapters integrate mental, emotional, and spiritual aspects as they relate to stress.), Part 3: Coping Strategies (promoting insights and resolution of stressors), Part 4: Relaxation Techniques (promoting physical homeostasis)” (Seaward, 2009, p.30). One Video Lecture Series: Sapolsky, R.M. (2010). Stress and Your Body. Chantilly, VA: The Great Courses. The reason I chose this lecture series is because it is a great way to tie his book together. There are 24 lectures that last 30 minutes each. The information covers all the important topics that have been discussed in the last 9 units of the course on Stress Management, plus more. The video series also comes with a course guidebook.

One Power Point:

Microsoft® PowerPoint Presentation: Brian Luke Seaward, Managing Stress: Strategies for

Health and Well-Being, Chapter 1: The Nature of Stress.

I chose to include the power point from Unit 1: Stress Management-Principles and Strategies for

Health and Well-being. This power point sums up the main aspects and ties in nicely with the

Seaward book.

kaplan university hw410 stress: critical issues in...

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