KAPLAN UNIVERSITY
HW410 Stress: Critical Issues in Management and
Prevention
Stress Management and
Prevention Program
Resource Guide
1
KAPLAN UNIVERSITY
Stress Management and Prevention
Program Resource Guide
By
Erica Rooks
Kaplan University
HW410: Stress: Critical Issues in Management and Prevention
September 20, 2013
Table of Contents
UNI T
1
THE
NATURE
OF
STRESS
Information to Remember
Resources: Exercises: Exercises
Tools: Journal Writing: Journal Writing
UNI T
2
THE
BODY
AS
BATTLEFI ELD
Information to Remember
Resources: Exercises: Exercises
Tools: Journal Writing: Journal Writing
UNI T
3
FEAST
OR
FAMI NI NE
Information to Remember
Resources: Exercises: Exercises
Tools: Journal Writing: Journal Writing
UNI T
4
ONE
PLANET
UNDER
STR ESS
Information to Remember
Resources: Exercises: Exercises
Tools: Journal Writing
UNI T
5
UNDER
STRESS:
WHAT
N OW?
Information to Remember
Resources: Exercises
Tools: Journal Writing
UNI T
6
AGELESS
WI SDOM
OF
MEDITATI ON
Information to Remember
Resources: Exercises
Tools: Journal Writing
UNI T
7
SI GHT,
SOUND,
Information to Remember
Resources: Exercises
Tools: Journal Writing
AND
BO DY
WORK
UNI T
8
THE
WELLNESS
MANDALA
Information to Remember
Resources: Exercises
Tools: Journal Writing
UNI T
9
APPLYI NG
PREVENTI ON
TO
STRESS:
YOUR
CRI TICAL
P ROFESSI ONAL
MANAGEMENT
AND
LI FE
Information to Remember
Resources: Exercises
Tools: Journal Writing
UNI T
10
APPLYI NG
PREVENTI ON
TO
STRESS:
YOUR
P ROFESSI ONAL
Information to Remember
Resources: Exercises
Tools: Journal Writing
ADDI TI ONAL
CRI TICAL
I NFORMATI ON
MANAGEMENT
LI FE
AND
1
Unit
Unit 1: The Nature of Stress
Information to Remember:

Stress is relative. An individual’s perception of the experience dictates the level of stress endured.
Two people will not necessarily experience a stressor in the same way.

Homeostasis is a physiological state of complete calmness or rest. This state is where everything,
physiologically, is in balance including blood pressure, heart rate, and ventilation.

There are several types of stress: eustress (good), neustress (neutral), and distress (bad). Also stressors
can be either short-term (acute) or long-term (chronic).
Resources: Exercises:

College Student’s Daily Stressors Survey: Being a college student presents a certain amount of stress
that non-college students do not have to face (juggling exam schedules, lectures, reading text, etc.).
Having a well-rounded understanding of what aspects of college life are the most stressful for you
will help in addressing your overall stress level.
Tools: Journal Writing:

Personal Stress Inventory: Understanding your own stressors and what they evoke within you (anger
or fear) is the first step to addressing your stress level. With a clear picture of what your top stressors
are, and how they affect you, you can begin to reconcile and reduce your stress level.
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2
Unit
Unit 2: The Body as Battlefield
Information to Remember:

The autonomic nervous system (ANS) consists of the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous
systems. The sympathetic nervous system is responsible for the flight-or-flight response when stress
is introduced. The parasympathetic nervous system is responsible for the calming of the body once
the stress/threat has passed.

Psychoneuroimmunology is the field of study that links stress and disease. Under this field of study,
it has been recently discovered that the immune system is greatly affected by prolonged stress.

Moderate short-term stressors can actually enhance memory while chronic stressors can reduce
working memory significantly. This reduction in memory comes from damage to the hippocampus.
Resources: Exercises:

Immediate, Intermediate, and Prolonged Stress Effects: Our bodies go through many physiological
changes during stress and understanding those changes is key to recognizing stressors and controlling
your stress level. If you know that being in certain situations is stressful, you can actively avoid those
situations (if possible). If avoiding them is not possible, you can take progressive actions to alleviate
some of the stress symptoms.
Tools: Journal Writing:

My Health Profile: Having a clear picture of your physical health is important for understanding your
overall health. Although physical health is only one aspect of overall health, it is vital. Also many
stressors (mainly chronic) can manifest in physical ways.
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3
Unit
Unit 3: Feast or Famine
Information to Remember:

Although there are many theories relating to the psychological nature of stress, they do have
common elements: self-awareness and self-acceptance. These two elements are important resources
to manage and cope with stress effectively.

Fear and anger are two emotions closely related to the stress response. Fear activates the flight aspect
of fight-or-flight. Anger activates the fight aspect of fight-or-flight.

Depression can impact an individual’s stress perception (their response to stressors is heightened). It
can also decrease the individual’s ability to experience pleasure (raising the threshold of pleasure).
Resources: Exercises:

Fear This!: This exercise is a great way to acknowledge what fears trigger the most amount of stress in
your life and how you currently deal with them. The last question addresses new, practical ways to
address your fears that are causing the most stress in your daily life.
Tools: Journal Writing:

The Psychology of Your Stress: This journal is an excellent way to become more aware of your own
perceptions, attitudes, and behaviors in times of stress. Understanding your defense mechanism(s)
can help you alter them if your current method is not serving you well.
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4
Unit
Unit 4: One Planet Under Stress
Information to Remember:

Personality is thought to be formed at an early age and to be a fixed entity. Some personalities are
considered stress prone (Type A, codependency, and helpless-hopeless) and others are considered
stress resistant (hardy and survivor).

Spirituality is considered harmony with self, others, earth, and a higher power. Spiritual well-being
impacts an individual’s ability to cope with stress and is critical to overall well-being.

Personality and temperament are related to stress in that they dictate how a person perceives a
situation and to what degree they interpret the stressor as positive (eustress) or negative (distress).
Resources: Exercises:

Your Meaningful Purpose in Life: Personality and spirituality both have an impact on self-esteem.
Feeling needed and/or wanted also affects self-esteem. Self-esteem is directly related to an
individual’s ability to cope with stress. Understanding what your own life purpose is (or was) at
various stages of your life can help you increase your self-esteem (and, subsequently, your ability to
cope with stressors).
Tools: Journal Writing:

Stress-Prone and Stress-Resistant Personality Surveys: Having a clear understanding of your own
personality and coping mechanisms is an important part of self-awareness. These journals explore
the various aspects of stress-prone and stress-resistant personalities.
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5
Unit
Unit 5: Under Stress: What Now?
Information to Remember:

Cognitive restructuring is when you change a negative perception into a neutral or positive
perception (seeing the bright side of things). This technique can help to alleviate the stress response
and decrease the onset of chronic-stress-related symptoms/diseases.

The Stages of Change behavior modification model is widely known and allows for individuals to
“fall back” into old/less desirable behaviors as part of the process of change. Behavior modification
in relation to stress management typically includes assertiveness training which is the most effective
social behavior type (as opposed to passive and aggressive).

Humor, like stress, is relative. It is open to each individual’s perception which is why not all people
find the same thing(s) humorous. Studies show humor promotes mental, emotional, physical, and
spiritual well-being through the reduction of stress.
Resources: Exercises:

The Time-Crunch Questionnaire: This questionnaire provides insight as to the traits of a
codependent personality. Understanding your own personality type (and its associated strengths and
weaknesses) is vital to coping effectively with stressors (and changing aspects as they no longer suit
you/your situation).
Tools: Journal Writing:

Reframing: Seeing a Bigger, Clearer Perspective: The ability to view the larger picture and take
something positive from every situation (no matter how seemingly grim) is essential to successfully
coping with stressful situations. This journal encourages you to think about situations with a new
perspective which will reduce stress surrounding those situations.
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6
Unit
Unit 6: Ageless Wisdom of
Meditation
Information to Remember:

Diaphragmatic breathing is also known as belly breathing. It creates a more relaxed state by reducing
the sympathetic neural activity. This is similar to the breathing techniques taught during birthing
classes for relaxation.

Meditation is considered the oldest form of relaxation. Research has shown habitual meditation has
extensive physiological effects on the body (such as reduced heart rate, blood pressure, and
ventilation). Improved physiological processes and a relaxed state certainly play a significant role in
an individual’s ability to cope with stress.

Mental imagery has been used as a means to access the power of the mind to heal the body, mind,
and soul for thousands of years. Freud and Jung reintroduced this concept in the twentieth century.
This technique is commonly used to help decrease chronic pain and in combination with other
stress-management modalities for an optimal effect.
Resources: Exercises:

Three Short Guided Visualizations: This exercise introduces you to mental imagery as a means of
relaxation and stress reduction therapy. It includes three short excerpts to appeal to a variety of
individuals (all of whom may not enjoy all three, but one will resonate more than the other two).
Tools: Journal Writing:

Too Much Information: This journal provides an understanding of “information overload” which is
an important concept in today’s society. We are bombarded with a plethora of information through
multiple sources every day. Identifying ways in which you experience information overload and
learning ways to reduce this phenomenon are vital to reducing stress levels.
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7
Unit
Unit 7: Sight, Sound and Body Work
Information to Remember:

Optimal nutrition is much more than just the food you eat. It includes nutrients (carbs, fats, proteins,
vitamins, minerals, and water), digestion, absorption, metabolism, and elimination.

A diet lacking in essential amino acids, essential fats, vitamins, and minerals is itself a stressor on the
physical body. This is known as malnutrition.

Food impacts not only the physical body, but the mental, emotional, and spiritual elements of
individuals as well. Spiritual nutrition suggests individuals consume a wide variety of fruits,
vegetables, and grains that relate to the seven primary chakras.
Resources: Exercises:

Stress-Related Eating Behaviors: This exercise helps you identify whether your eating patterns are
helping or hindering your stress coping ability. It is essential to your overall health to recognize
patterns that may be unhealthy when using food to cope with stress. Unhealthy eating patterns can
significantly impair your immune system’s efficiency.
Tools: Journal Writing:

The Rainbow Diet: This journal focuses on the healing aspects of the colors of fruits and vegetables.
It helps you identify foods that fall into each of the seven chakras (spiritual nutrition). Eating a wide
variety of colors each day enhances your well-being by providing an array of nutrients as well.
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8
Unit
Unit 8: The Wellness Mandala
Information to Remember:

Exercise is a form of stress as it induces the flight-or-flight response. This can be translated into
many positive effects on the body such as lower heart rate, blood pressure, and muscle tension.

Physical exercise is classified into two categories: aerobic (with oxygen; flight) and anaerobic (without
oxygen; fight). Each type of exercise has a host of benefits, but aerobic exercise is the better choice
for relaxation purposes.

Four criteria must be met for an individual to reap the benefits of exercise: frequency, intensity,
duration, and mode of exercise. An individual must maintain physical exercise for a minimum of six
and eight weeks to reap the maximum benefits. These four elements make up the all-or-nothing
principle.
Resources: Exercises:

Your Circadian Rhythms: Your sleep patterns (and other regular patterns of activity within your life)
play a significant role to your level of stress and overall well-being. This exercise provides a good,
detailed look at your rhythms and offers the opportunity to change any aspect that is no longer
serving you well.
Tools: Journal Writing:

My Body, My Physique: Everyone at one time or another has struggle with self-image. This journal
provides an intimate account of your perception of your own body, your physique. It also addresses
ways in which you can actively change your perceptions to more positive views regarding your body.
This is an important step in the journey to overall health and well-being (self-acceptance).
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9
Unit
Unit 9: Applying Stress: Critical
Management to your Professional
Life
Information to Remember:

All people are different, and all techniques for coping with stress are not applicable to all people. You
must find the technique (and preferably more than one) that works best for you.

There are both positive and negative coping mechanisms. Avoidance is considered a negative coping
mechanism because you do not have to process the stressor. A hobby; however, is a positive coping
mechanism because the intention is only a short distraction from the stressor not an altogether
avoidance of it.

The 80/20 rule can apply to stress management. In this way, 80% of the stress reduction is the
product of the first 20% of effort. Simply acknowledging you have a stress problem and figuring out
ways to handle it reduce stress (even before the plan is enacted).
Resources: Exercises:

Defining Your Support Group: This exercise provides you with a comprehensive look at what kind
of support system you currently have in your life to help you cope with stress. It also looks at how
support systems change over the course of your life and ways to cope with that.
Tools: Journal Writing:

Sweet Forgiveness: This journal discusses the toxic effect of grudges and harboring ill feelings toward
someone who has wronged you. It helps you express your feelings of resentment in such a way that
the end result is to let go of those feelings and free yourself of the associated stress. This is an
important step to overall well-being.
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10
Unit
Unit 10: Applying Stress: Critical
Management to your Personal Life
Information to Remember:

Stress has many physical symptoms. Muscle tension is the most common due to the relationship
between stress and the fight-or-flight response.

Progressive muscular relaxation (PMR) involves systematically tensing and relaxing musculature
moving from the feet to the head. This process is believed to reduce susceptibility to disease by
reducing the level of physical symptoms caused by stress.

PMR is still used to promote relaxation and research has since proved this technique does, in fact,
reduce muscular tension.
Resources: Exercises:

Progressive Muscular Relaxation: This exercise introduces you to the technique via audio recording.
Understanding how to successfully participate in this technique is essential to seeing the results from
relaxing the muscles in your body. It also helps you identify ways in which you can incorporate PMR
into your daily life to reap the maximum benefit.
Tools: Journal Writing:

Focus!: This journal discusses focus and attention. It offers an opportunity to evaluate the areas in
your life that present an issue with mental focus. Mental focus (attention span) plays a key role in
stress coping mechanisms (such as meditation and even PMR). Understanding if you struggle with
mental focus is the first step in self-awareness of this area.
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Additional Information
Reinecke, Mark. (2010). Little Ways to Keep Calm and Carry On: Twenty Lessons for Managing Worry, Anxiety,
and Fear. New Harbinger Publications: Oakland, CA.
This book would be an excellent resource for those who wish to discover new ways to reduce
their stress but feel as though they do not have an abundance of time. Little Ways to Keep Calm and
Carry On has only 136 pages and is written with brief but powerful techniques for everyday
people.
Sapolsky, Robert. (2004). Why Zebras Don’t Get Ulcers (3rd ed.). St. Martin’s Press: New York, NY.
Seaward, Brian. (2009). Managing Stress: Principles and Strategies for Health and Well-Being (6th ed.). Jones and
Bartlett Publishers: Sudbury, MA.
Seaward, Brian. (2008). The Art of Peace and Relaxation Workbook. Jones and Bartlett Publishers: Sudbury,
MA.
The American Institute of Stress. (n.d.). Retrieved on September 27, 2013 from http://www.stress.org/.
“The American Institute of Stress (AIS) is a non-profit organization which imparts information
on stress reduction, stress in the workplace, effects of stress and various other stress related
topics. AIS was founded in 1978, at the request of Dr. Hans Selye to serve as a clearinghouse of
all stress related information. Today, AIS provides a diverse and inclusive environment that
fosters intellectual discovery creates and transmits innovative knowledge, improves human health
and provides leadership to the world on stress related topics.”
TotallyStressedOut.com. (2013). Retrieved on September 27, 2013 from
http://www.totallystressedout.com/.
This website is designed to provide simple yet effective ways to reduce stress. They provide
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relaxing pictures (such as beach scenes) to help with mental imagery and quick exercises to
promote relaxation.
WatchWellCast. (2013). Stress Management Strategies: Ways to Unwind. Retrieved on September 28, 2013 from
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0fL-pn80s-c.
This video provides a quick and light-hearted view of reducing stress. It provides practical ways
for even the busiest person to reduce stress and promote relaxation.
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