KAPLAN UNIVERSITY

HW410 Stress: Critical Issues in

Management and Prevention

Stress
Management and
Prevention
1

Program Resource
Guide

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

Stress Management and Prevention

Program Resource Guide

By
Amber Williams
Kaplan University
HW410: Stress: Critical Issues in Management and Prevention
November 23, 2015

Table of Contents
UNIT

THE

NATU RE

OF

STRESS

Information to Remember........................................................................
Self-Assessment Exercises.......................................................................
Journal Writing.........................................................................................
UNIT

THE

PHYSIO LOGY

OF

STRESS

Information to Remember........................................................................
Self-Assessment Exercises.......................................................................
Journal Writing.........................................................................................
UNIT

PSYCHOLOGY

OF

STRESS

Information to Remember........................................................................
Self-Assessment Exercises.......................................................................
Journal Writing.........................................................................................
UNIT

PERSONAL ITY

TRAITS

AND

THE

HUM AN

SPIRITUAL ITY

Information to Remember......................................................................
Self-Assessment Exercises.....................................................................
Journal Writing.......................................................................................
UNIT

DEAL ING

WITH

STRESS:

COPING

STRATE GIES

Information to Remember......................................................................
Journal Writing.......................................................................................
UNIT
AND

REL AXATIO N

M ENTAL

TECHI QUES

1 :

BREATHI NG ,

M EDITATI ON,

IM AGE RY

Information to Remember......................................................................
Self-Assessment Exercises.....................................................................
Journal Writing.......................................................................................
UNIT

NUTRITI ON

AND

STRESS

Information to Remember......................................................................
Self-Assessment Exercises.....................................................................

UNIT

PHYSIC AL

EXERCISE

AND

ACTIV ITY

Information to Remember......................................................................
Self-Assessment Exercises.....................................................................
Journal Writing.......................................................................................
UNIT
AND

APPLYING

PREVE NTIO N

STRESS:

CRITICAL

TO

PROF ESSI ONAL

YOUR

ISSUES

F OR

M ANAGEM EN T

L IF E

Information to Remember......................................................................
ADDITI ONAL

INF ORM ATIO N

Discussion Post Unit 2

Discussion Post Unit 7
REF EREN CES

American Psychological Association. (2015). Stress effects on the body.

Retrieved from http://www.apa.org/helpcenter/stress-body.aspx
Davis, J. L. (2015). Meditation Balances the Body's Systems. Retrieved
from http://www.webmd.com/balance/features/transcendentalmeditation
Differencebetween.net. (n.d.). Difference Between Values and Beliefs |
Difference Between | Values vs Beliefs. Retrieved from
http://www.differencebetween.net/language/difference-betweenvalues-and-beliefs/
Georgetown University. (n.d.). About Neuroscience | Department of
Neuroscience | Georgetown University. Retrieved from
https://neuro.georgetown.edu/about-neuroscience
Hendershot, C. (2014). Interpersonal Mindfulness | Grand Rapids
Center for Mindfulness | Michigan Grand Rapids Center for Mindfulness.
Retrieved from
http://grandrapidscenterformindfulness.com/mindfulnessprograms/interpersonal-mindfulness/
Http://www.stress-relief-tools.com. (2015). Diaphragmatic Breathing.
Retrieved from http://www.stress-relief-tools.com/diaphragmaticbreathing.html
Http://www.prochange.com/. (2008). Transtheoretical Model (or Stages
of Change) - Health Behavior Change. Retrieved from
http://www.prochange.com/transtheoretical-model-of-behavior-change

Mayo Clinic. (2013, July 23). Spirituality and stress relief: Make the
connection - Mayo Clinic. Retrieved from
http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/stress-management/indepth/stress-relief/art-20044464
Mayo Clinic. (2012, July 21). Exercise and stress: Get moving to
manage stress - Mayo Clinic. Retrieved from
http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/stress-management/indepth/exercise-and-stress/art-20044469
PRPonline.net. (n.d.). Self-esteem. Retrieved from
https://www.ucdmc.ucdavis.edu/hr/hrdepts/asap/Documents/Self_estee
m.pdf
Seaward, B. (2015). Managing stress: Principles and strategies for
health and well-being (8th ed.). Boston, MA: Jones and Bartlett
Publishers.
SimplyPsychology.org. (n.d.). Stress, Illness and the Immune System |
Simply Psychology. Retrieved from
http://www.simplypsychology.org/stress-immune.html
Sodargye, K. (2010, June 25). The Tibetan Culture of Nurturing the Mind
and Prolonging Life - Haven of Peace: Finding our True Home in the
Mind and Heart. Retrieved from
http://www.khenposodargye.org/2013/03/the-tibetan-culture-ofnurturing-the-mind-and-prolonging-life/
Stahl, B. & Goldstein, E. (2010). A mindfulness-based stress reduction
workbook. Oakland, CA: New Harbinger Publications, Inc.
Towey, S. (n.d.). How to Deal with Chronic Fear and Anxiety | Taking
Charge of Your Health & Wellbeing. Retrieved from
http://www.takingcharge.csh.umn.edu/enhance-yourwellbeing/security/facing-fear/how-deal-chronic-fear-and-anxiety
University of Maryland. (2015). Relaxation techniques. Retrieved from
https://umm.edu/health/medical/altmed/treatment/relaxationtechniques

(This page intentionally left blank)

1
Unit

Unit 1: The Nature of Stress

Information to Remember:
Key Learning Point: 43 percent of all adults suffer adverse health effects due to stress (Seaward, 2015).
This was something that I found to be very interesting. That is a very high percentage of people.
Key Learning Point: There are many different definitions of the term stress. These different definitions
range from an absence of inner peace to a loss of emotional control (Seaward, 2015). This
basically means that stress can come from anything that an individual experiences in their lives.
Key Learning Point: Journal writing has been a big part of what we have been doing in this class. This
Unit is where we learned about journal writing. Writing is a way that a person can calm themselves
in time of stress. It is said that to open up and disclose feelings, perceptions, opinions, and
memories has always been found to be therapeutic (Seaward, 2015).

Self-Assessment Exercise:
This self-assessment exercise was interesting, because it really made me think
about how I have my well-being set up. In the assignment we were to make a
chart of our four different types of well-being. Those four types being emotional
well-being, spiritual well-being, physical well-being, and mental well-being. This
was a big wakeup call for me, because it showed me that I did not necessarily
have my life completely in order for my well-being. In order for perfect wellbeing, you have to have all pieces of the pie chart balanced out, and it seemed as
though I gave a lot more attention to some areas more than others. My spiritual
well-being was the one that I lacked in the most. This definitely made me see that
I need to work on other things in my life, instead of solely focusing all on my
physical well-being. I think that this is the way that I am supposed to grow over

time though. Have a new learning experience all the time, so that I can learn to
appreciate each element of well-being even more (Seaward, 2015).

Journal Writing:
Complete the Journal Assignment entitled: How Stressed Are You? This exercise is found on
pages 11 and 12 of the Mindfulness workbook. Use these directions please. List situations you have
experienced on the left in which you can think through your levels of stress from the start, midway and
end. Use a rating scale of 1 through 10 for each column. At the end of the term you will prepare a
stress resource manual. Revisit these and imagine how you could have handled differently now that
you have learned stress prevention techniques throughout the term.
Situation
Making sure that I meet my macros each day.
When my boss asks to me to calculate the numbers of
members we have received compared to who we have lost.
Exercising at least 6 days a week.
Making the time to go and visit my family as much as
possible.
Making the schedule for work.
Trying to make sure that I spend plenty of time with my
stepdaughter.
Traveling to wrestling shows on the weekend and always
being in the car.
Making sure that Anthony and I get some alone time
throughout the week.
Making sure that one of us is able to pick Lily up from
school every day.
Keeping my house clean.
(Stahl & Goldstein, 2010).

Start
7
7
3
4
8
3
6
3
5
7

Midway

End

Unit 2: The Physiology of Stress

2
Unit

Information to Remember:
Key Learning Point: Psychophysiology is a term to describe the bodys physiological reaction to
perceived stressors, suggesting that the stress response is a mind-body phenomenon (Seaward, 2015).
This was interesting to me because it really made me think about how stress not only affects a
persons mind, but it can affect their bodies as well. Makes sense why there are so many people who
visit doctors with stress related illnesses.
Key Learning Point: There are three physiological systems that are directly involved in the stress
response: the nervous system, the endocrine system, and the immune system (Seaward, 2015). This
was something that made a lot of sense to me, because they are all connected together. It also makes
sense to me why people get stress related illnesses.
Key Learning Point: Research shows that several relaxation techniques are effective as complementary
strategies in decreasing the symptoms of stress-related illness (Seaward, 2015). There are many
different types of relaxation techniques that range from hobbies to meditation. These can be some of
the easiest things for a person to do that will not take too much time out of their days.

Self-Assessment Exercise:
This self-assessment exercise was where I wrote about stress and neuroscience.
This is where I learned that neuroscience is when emotions and thoughts are
looked at as being comprised of chemicals and electrical impulses that affect
multiple physiological systems. This affects many different systems, but some
more than others. But with neuroscience, thoughts and emotions can either be
the healing factor or the illness factor. This is where I learned more about stress
and how it affects the neurological effect of a persons body. I learned direct
illnesses that come from stress on a person, such as headaches, heart attacks,
and even strokes. This means that stress is more dangerous than what I could
have ever thought it to be. I already knew that the immune system was the

bodys basic defense system, but I did not know that stress can highly affect a
persons immune system. This is what makes them more susceptible to the
illnesses that they get. (Seaward, 2015).

Journal Writing:
Complete the Journal Assignment entitled, Explore: How is stress or anxiety
affecting your life? Directions are found on pages 33 through 35 of the
Mindfulness workbook. Upon completion of this Assignment, you will take the
first step toward greater well-being and become aware of how stress is impacting
your life. This should be a minimum of two full pages.

How is stress or anxiety about people affecting your life?

Stress or anxiety affects my life with people different ways. With my boss, it
is the fact that she is always throwing her job at me making me do the work that
she should be doing, when she doesnt give the same treatment to any of the
other employees. It affects my relationship with my boyfriend, because I tend to
clam up and keep to myself. When I keep to myself, I end up having panic attacks
and it scares everyone around me.

How is stress or anxiety about work affecting your life?

Stress and anxiety about work probably affects my relationship the most.
Anthony hates to see that no one else that does the exact same job has the same
work load that I have. I dont say anything about it, I just do the work and it
bothers him because I am not getting any extra benefit from it. I dont think that
it really has any affect with my boss, because like I said, I never say no to her. I
always do what she asks of me, and I always take the wrath if I mess up. It makes
things really complicated and it adds a lot of stress onto me, but it is a job that
has hours that work well with my schedule while I am in school and have an eight
year old child at home.

How is stress or anxiety about the world affecting your life?

I wouldnt say that I have any stress and anxiety about the world. I am not
one to watch the news or keep up with current problems. I tend to steer clear of
it, because I feel like that is just a type of stress that I cant control. I cant do
anything to change what is going on in the world, so that is not something that I
need to add as a burden onto myself. I think as long as my family and I are taken
care of, that is what is important.

How is stress or anxiety about food and eating habits affecting your life?

Stress and anxiety about food and eating habits is not something that is
really a big deal for me until it comes time for the holidays. My family is not
really the type that eats a regular healthy diet like I do, so when they cook, they
cook foods that they will eat. It is not necessarily foods that I will eat. I have
gotten into the habit of always making or bringing my own foods to eat. At first,

that was super stressful, but as time went on, it was just another thing that I did,
and it did not bother me anymore.

How is stress or anxiety about sleep and sleeplessness affecting your life?

It really depends on the day with this one. Most of the time, I never have
problems sleeping. Hardly ever really. Only when I am sick is when I have
trouble sleeping. And when that happens, I feel even worse than I did before. I
get really cranky, and I know that is not something that neither Anthony nor Lily
want to deal with, so again, I keep to myself. I know that is not something that I
should probably be doing, but it is a work in progress for me. Like I said, it is
something that doesnt happen unless I am sick, so it is maybe a few times a year.
How is stress or anxiety about exercise or lack of physical activity affecting
your life?

I know that I do not have a problem when it comes to a lack of physical

activity. I am an avid exercise junkie, and I work out six days a week.
Powerlifting is something that has caught my interest, and I love it. I think
exercise is something that is actually beneficial for my stress. When there is
something bothering me or building up, I can just go and workout and pretty
much just lift everything away. I always feel a lot better after I work out, so I
know that it is something that does more good for me than bad.
All in all, I would say the most stress in my life comes from my job. I know
that it is something that I will eventually move on from, but as of right now, it is a
matter of convenience. I know that when it is all said and done, I will have my
dream job, and I will be happy doing what I do every day.

Unit 3: Psychology of Stress

3
Unit

Information to Remember:
Key Learning Point: Stressors fall into two categories, according to psychologist Wayne Dyer: guilt and
worry, which are two emotional states that immobilize the thought processes, distract one from the
present moment, and thus make one unable to conquer stress and attain inner peace (Seaward, 2015).
This is something that makes perfect sense to me. Whenever I get stressed, I feel worry, nervousness,
and an overwhelming sense of nausea. Guilt is something that is easy to feel even if you have not
really done anything wrong.
Key Learning Point: Feelings of anger initiate the fight response to defend oneself and the components
that constitute ones identity. Fear triggers the flight response, which makes one want to run and hide
(Seaward, 2015). This was interesting to me, because it makes me think about the feelings that I get
when I am angry or scared. This gives me a better understanding of how my body is reacting.
Key Learning Point: All forms of communication can lead to information overload, which compromises
ones ability to communicate (Seaward, 2015). This is something that stuck with me because I fully
agree with it. Technology and social media has completely killed old fashioned communication.
Today, people type things with misspellings and use emojis to describe the way that they feel.

Self-Assessment Exercise:
This was a self-assessment exercise where I talked about ways that I cope with,
manage, or resolve fear. The best way that I could describe what I do is to avoid
avoidance. Basically this means that I try to face my fears rather than run away
from them. Sometimes this is a little harder than what I originally think it will be,
but it is just where you really have to fight myself to face them. This is also where
I learned that fear is where people learn to pay attention to all the negatives in
their lives. (Seaward, 2015).

10

Journal Writing:
Complete the Journal Assignment entitled: Five-Minute Mindful Breathing and
Bringing the Eight Attitudes of Mindfulness into Your Life. Directions are found
on pages 45 and 46 of the Mindfulness workbook. Upon completion of this
Assignment, you will begin to understand the importance of making them a part
of your daily life. See what changes occur in relationships with yourself and
others around you. This should be a minimum of one full page.
Take some time to write about whatever you came up for you mentally,
emotionally, and physically when doing this practice for the first time.

I thought that this journal was nothing but beneficial for me. I have never
really just sat and meditated before. I have heard many people talk about it, and
talk about how much it had helped them, but never really had the chance to
partake myself. In doing this activity, I really relaxed. More than I probably ever
have before. I didnt really imagine myself anywhere else, but I didnt feel like I
was just sitting here breathing. I felt at peace. My mind honestly felt at rest,
whereas normally I also have hundreds of things always going through my mind.
Emotionally, I was happy. I felt comfortable, and it was great. It made me happy
and warm and feel like I wanted to feel. Probably makes no sense to some, but it
is the best way that I can really explain it.
This was such an experience for me, but it was nothing short of amazing to me. I
have found something new that I can do to help me learn to calm myself. I would
have never really believed that this would be something that would work, but now
that I have actually tried it I know it is true. The breathing technique is definitely
something that I will continue to do.

11

Unit 4: Personality Traits and the Human

4
Unit

Spirituality
Information to Remember:
Key Learning Point: Personalities can be classified as either stress prone (seeming to attract stress) or
stress resistant (providing a buffer against various stressors) (Seaward, 2015). This was interesting to
me, because I know that personalities are learned at a young age. This made me more interested in
how a person learns to be stress resistant and stress prone.
Key Learning Point: Communication is divided into verbal and nonverbal forms. Verbal communication
involves both encoding our thoughts into words and decoding other peoples words through the sifter
of our perceptions. During the encoding and decoding process, some thoughts can get lost in
translation (Seaward, 2015).
Key Learning Point: Miscommunication can lead to conflicts, which are broken down into three types:
content conflicts, value conflicts, and ego conflicts. The last are the hardest to resolve (Seaward,
2015). We all know that miscommunications are common, but does anyone really think about how
they affect us in the short term? It makes me wonder why people have these three different types of
conflicts and how they not only affect themselves, but the other person/people as well.

Self-Assessment Exercise:
This self-assessment exercise was about self-esteem. Self-esteem is the way that
a person sees themselves and their value to the world. I thought that this was an
interesting assignment, because it lead me to talk about how self-esteem affects
the relationship that I have with other people, not just myself. I found it
interesting that to have a positive self-esteem leads to less stress in a persons
life. In this exercise, I also talked about how a person having a meaningful
purpose and life is connected to spirituality. Of course, we know that spirituality

12

is not necessarily a persons religion, but their connection with themselves. I

learned something interesting while working on this assignment. I learned that
when a person is connected with their spirituality, they are less likely to have
stress and to have a more meaningful purpose in life (Seaward, 2015).

Journal Writing:
Complete the Journal Assignment entitled: Explore: Identifying Emotions in
the Body. Directions are found on pages 74 through 77 of the Mindfulness
workbook. Upon completion of this Assignment, practice taking a moment to
mindfully tune in to your body and discover any physical sensations associated
with strong emotions. This should be a minimum of three full pages.
FEAR: apprehension, anxiety, distress, edginess, jumpiness, nervousness,
panic, tenseness, uneasiness, worry, fright, feeling overwhelmed.
Anxiety is a feeling of fear that I feel every once in a while. Anxiety is one of
the emotions that I feel beginning in my chest. My heart will begin to race and I
feel like a heavy weight is just sitting on my chest. I feel this emotion when there
is something important that I need to talk with people about most of the time. I
am not really sure why this happens, but it is something that I have had to face
many times. Jumpiness is something that I feel all the time. I am a person who
scares easy, so it is as easy as someone walking into a room and me turning
around and seeing them and jumping. It happens with my boyfriend all the time,
and he just laughs at me. Nervousness is something that I feel when I have
something bothering me and I have to talk to someone about it. I usually have
this nauseous feeling in my stomach.
CONFUSION: bewildered, uncertain, puzzled, mystified, perplexed, chaotic,
foggy, or unaware.
Unaware is a feeling that I get. This is something I feel when I am just not
really sure what is going on around me or what people are talking about. This
happens a lot when I am at work. Uncertain is something that I feel at work as
well. I have been told that I should make decisions on what I feel is right, but at
the same time they get upset with me if I do not do something exactly how they
want me to do it.
ANGER: aggravation, agitation, annoyance, destructiveness, disgust, envy,
frustration, irritation, grouchiness, grumpiness, rage.
Aggravation is a common emotion that I feel. This is something that I feel with
work, fighting with my boyfriend about stupid things, and when things dont
really go as I intentionally planned. Frustration is another emotion that I feel, but
that is more towards myself. I get frustrated with myself if I mess up or dont
understand something. Grumpiness is a common one for me when I am feeling
under the weather. I dont understand or know why I do it, but I do.

13

 SADNESS: alienation, anguish, despair, disappointment, gloom,

hopelessness, insecurity, loneliness, misery, unhappiness, rejection.

grief,

Disappointment is something that I feel when someone has lied to me or I fail

at something. It honestly feels like heartbreak. I know they are two different
things, but being lied to can be one of the worst things that I think someone can
do. I know I am in control of if I fail or not, but it doesnt stop me from feeling the
way that I do. Insecurity is a big one that stood out to me when reading this.
That is one that really hits home. I am a very insecure person. That is something
that really hits me everywhere. My mind, heart, and just physically in general. I
feel like I should be a better person than what I am for everyone. I try so hard to
make sure that everyone is happy before I ever worry about my own happiness,
because I dont feel like someone will want to be in my life if I dont.
SHAME: guilt, embarrassment, humiliation, invalidation, regret, remorse,
mortification.
Embarrassment is something that I feel. There are conversations that my
boyfriend and I will have about things that I shouldnt even be embarrassed
about, but I will still get that way. I tend to blush a lot when I get embarrassed.
Guilt is something that I feel often too. I feel guilty if I dont help someone with
something, because I feel like I owe it to them. People easily make me feel guilty
all the time.
LOVE: affection, arousal, attraction, caring, compassion, desire, fondness,
infatuation, kindness, liking, longing, warmth, sympathy, sentimentality.
All of the love emotions are something that I have or currently do feel.
Kindness is something that I always try to do, because it makes me feel good
when I can do something nice for someone without them asking me to. Affection
isnt just an emotion that I feel when it comes to my boyfriend, it is something
that I feel when I am with my family, my step-daughter, close friends. They are
just different types of affection. Arousal is an obvious thing. But with arousal, I
honestly feel a little bit of nervousness as well. Its a weird combination, but I
must admit that I kind of like the feeling it gives me. Attraction is a given as well.
I am very attracted to my boyfriend, and it has become very obvious to people
around me. They tell me all the time that I look at him like we have just started
dating and still have that puppy love going on, when in reality, we have been
together for 4 years now and have lived together for 3 of those 4 years.
JOY: amusement, bliss, contentment, eagerness, elation, enjoyment,
enthusiasm, excitement, exhilaration, hope, optimism, pleasure, satisfaction.
Optimism is the one word that stood out to me the most. This is because I try
to be a very optimistic person. No matter the situation and whether it goes the
way I want it to go, I am going to try to find something positive about anything.
Enjoyment is another word that jumped out to me as well. This is because it goes
hand in hand with my optimism. Even if a situation is not necessarily going the

14

way that I want it to be, I am going to try to have a good time with whatever I am
doing.

5
Unit

Being able to really tap into my emotions and see what words really jumped
off was amazing. To see that there are things that I did not really think about
happening and how I felt when I felt those things, and them even bringing
memories back to me. Those memories coming back even brought back those
emotions just now when nothing was even happening. (Stahl & Goldstein, 2010).

Unit 5: Dealing with Stress: Coping Strategies

Information to Remember:
Key Learning Point: Cognitive restructuring means changing a perception from a negative interpretation
to a neutral or positive one, making it less stressful. This process is also called reappraisal, relabeling,
reframing, and attitude adjustment (Seaward, 2015). This was interesting to me, because it goes
more in depth about what an attitude adjustment is. We all know that we hear that someone needs to
make an attitude adjustment, and now it explains where this comes from.
Key Learning Point: Studies show that humor promotes mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual wellbeing (Seaward, 2015). I found this interesting, because it relates back to a previous unit and how
they all coincide together. Seeing that humor is good not only for emotional well-being, but also all
other elements of well-being was amazing. It makes me appreciate laughter so much more.
Key Learning Point: Time management is defined as the ability to prioritize, schedule, and execute
responsibilities to personal satisfaction. Time-management skills are now taught to people to help
them gain a sense of control over personal responsibilities (Seaward, 2015). Even though time is a
human-made concept, it is still something that stresses people out. Learning about time management
and how it can help to be less stress has been nothing but beneficial for me.

15

Journal Writing:
Choose from either formal practice: Walking Meditation or Mindful SelfInquiry for Stress and Anxiety. Directions are found on either pages 58 through
60 or 119 through 121 of the Mindfulness workbook. Upon completion of either
practice, take a moment to reflect on whatever came up for you mentally,
emotionally, and physically. This should be a minimum of two full pages.
Take some time to write about whatever came up for you mentally, emotionally
and physically when doing this practice for the first time.
This was an interesting assignment to participate in. Never would I thought to
really think about what it feels like when I am actually walking. This was honestly
something that I was kind of skeptical about at first, but once I actually
participated in the assignment, my mind completely changed. I definitely made
myself more aware. When I first stood up, I felt a breeze blowing from my fan.
There was no smell that was actually in the air, but all around me I just took in the
sights of my bedroom. When I moved all of my weight to my left foot to begin
walking, I noticed that there was a great bit of strength there, and I could feel all
of the muscles in my foot tighten up. It was strange to me, because this was
something that I never really paid attention to before. I noticed that it took a lot
of that strength to hold my balance as my right foot went up and it lasted until I
put my right foot back on the ground. When my right foot touched the ground
again, I noticed how quickly it went from relaxed to tight in an instant. The same
feeling that I had with the left foot was the same with the right foot. Actually
paying attention to this gave me a whole new appreciation for my body and how it
works. It really gives a sense of amazement that our feet and legs are so strong
that they can hold up all our weight and continue to help us get from place to
place.
Walking is definitely something that I have taken for granted. Never before
would I have thought to participate in something like this before, but I am
honestly glad that I did. This was a big learning experience, and it made my not
only appreciate my body more, but also appreciate meditation more. I am
learning more and more each week about how meditation is more beneficial than
I would have ever thought (Stahl & Goldstein, 2010).

16

Unit 6: Relaxation Techniques 1: Breathing,

6
Unit

Meditation, and Mental Imagery

Information to Remember:
Key Learning Point: Diaphragmatic breathing is thought to be the easiest method of relaxation. When the
emphasis of breathing is centered in the lower abdomen rather than the thoracic cavity, a less
sympathetic neural activity is generated, causing a greater relaxation effect (Seaward, 2015).
Key Learning Point: Meditation is thought to be the oldest form of relaxation. In simple terms, it is a
mind-cleansing or emptying process. At a deeper level, meditation is focused concentration and
increased awareness of ones being. When the mind has been emptied of conscious thought,
unconscious thoughts can enter the conscious realm to bring enlightenment to our lives (Seaward,
2015).
Key Learning Point: Mental imagery describes the ability of the unconscious mind to generate images
that have a calming, healing effect on the body. Visualization is one aspect of mental imagery,
wherein there is conscious direction of self-generated images. Guided mental imagery is a variation
wherein images are suggested by another person (either live or on tape) (Seaward, 2015).

Self-Assessment Exercise:
In this self-assessment exercise, I talked about diaphragmatic breathing,
meditation, and visualization of mental imagery. This is where I learned that
diaphragmatic breathing is one of the simplest of all relaxation techniques. It is
interesting to see that it is also the same thing as deep breathing. It was
interesting for me to learn that this is a breathing technique that stimulates the
parasympathetic nervous system to slow a persons cardiovascular system and
relax that persons muscles. I also learned that meditation is good for a persons
heart health, immune system, and even womens health. Mental imagery is

17

something that involves unconscious thoughts that become conscious on the

effort to heal a person. This is another relaxation technique to promote the
relaxation response. (Seaward, 2015).

Journal Writing:
Complete the Journal Assignment entitled: Explore: Is Your Body-Mind Happy?
Directions are found on pages 151 through 153 of the Mindfulness workbook.
Upon completion of this Assignment, practice identifying unkind messages you
send to yourself and turn it around with positive affirmations. This should be a
minimum of two full pages.

Mindful of how you interact with yourself?

I have always been hard on myself. I am assuming it comes from a lot of selfdoubt. I always tell myself that I could be better to people, I need makeup to feel
pretty, and I find all of my flaws just by looking in the mirror. I have done this
with more than just the way that I look. I have done it with my relationship with
my boyfriend, my relationships with others, my work, and even in my exercising.
I think that this has been a constant battle for me, and I thought that I was
getting better at it there for a while, but then I reverted back to it. Even though it
is uncomfortable and causes a lot of stress in my life, it seems to also be like a
safe house as well, because it is easier just for me to point out all the wrong
things in myself. Not all people may agree with the things that I see about myself,
but I have always been told You are your own worst critic.

Seeds of suffering?

If I were to stop watering my seeds of suffering, I would have more

confidence in myself. Especially in the way that I look. I think I would feel more
comfortable in the relationships in my life as well. I would also feel more
confident in how hard I work. I know I am to please everyone before worrying
about myself, so I think I would try to make sure that I am focusing on myself and
my happiness as well. I think that I would honestly have a lot less stress in
everything I do. Which is something that could benefit me mentally, but
physically as well.

Day-to-day life feelings of resentment?

When I think of a person that I am going through a difficult situation with, I try
to think about all the things that could be going through their mind. I think about
how busy they have recently become at work, and I am sure that is something
that hasnt been easy on them. But at the same time, I feel like there is a lack of
communication between us, and I am not sure what the issue could be there. The
only thing that I could think of is how busy they have been at work, but that cant
be the only thing.

Reflection on writing?

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When I think about everything that I just wrote, I feel like I have poured a lot out
about myself and what constantly goes through my mind. I continue to feed into

7
Unit

these negative thoughts, whether they are true or not, and I dont know how I
have continued to do so. I know that this adds a lot of stress to my life, and I
could change it if I just quit being so hard on myself. I need to work on
complementing myself more and tell myself that I am pretty. I think that this
would make a huge difference. I also think that I need to make sure that I
understand that everyone in my life has their own problems going on as well, and
I cant make up all these things in my head. Maybe someone else is just trying to
deal with things in a similar manner that I am, and I have to respect that. But I
know that I also have to teach myself that it is not always about me, and
sometimes a person just needs to deal with their demons on their own. (Stahl &
Goldstein, 2010).

Unit 7: Nutrition and Stress

Information to Remember:
Key Learning Point: Physical exercise is a form of stress: the enactment of all the physiological systems
that the fight-or-flight response triggers for physical survival (Seaward, 2015). This was very
interesting to me, because I thought that physical exercise was more of a stress relief to me. I could
understand how strenuous physical activity would be a form of stress.
Key Learning Point: The body adapts, either negatively or positively, to the stress placed upon it. 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.
Physical exercise allows the body to use stress hormones for their intended purposes, detoxifying the
body of stress hormones by utilizing them constructively (Seaward, 2015). This is where I learned
more about what I had originally thought. Physical exercise being a benefit type of stress.

19

Key Learning Point: The positive effects of physical exercise are lowering resting heart rate, resting
blood pressure, and muscle tension, and a host of other functions that help maintain or regain

8
Unit

physiological calmness (Seaward, 2015). I actually already knew that a positive for physical exercise
was lowering your resting heart rate, but learning other benefits that come from physical exercise was
actually pretty interesting. I love knowing the benefits that can come from physical exercise, and
how our bodies react.

Self-Assessment Exercise:
For this activity, I chose to practice Mindful Lying Yoga. This was an interesting
thing for me to do, because I had never experienced any kind of yoga before this
class. I chose to do the fifteen minutes practice with the CD. My reasoning for
choosing this was because the book suggested that this would be the better
choice for people who do not stretch on a regular basis and are not that flexible.
Each pose was interesting for me, because I just felt more and more relaxed with
each pose. Just focusing on my breathing and not having any type of distractions
around me. They also made my body feel super relaxed as well. It was
interesting, because I remember during one pose, my back popped and it was
such a relief to me. Probably the most relaxing thing I have ever experienced. I
really enjoyed this assignment. It was definitely something that I would repeat
(Seaward, 2015).

Unit 8: Physical Exercise and Activity

Information to Remember:
Key Learning Point: Yoga is a Sanskrit word meaning union, which is accomplished through
meditation. More specifically, it refers to the union of mind, body, and spirit. Hatha yoga is one of
five types of meditation and it emphasizes physical balance. Hatha actually translates to (a balance

20

of) the sun (ha) and the moon (tha). Hatha yoga is the most commonly practiced form of yoga
meditation in the United States (Seaward, 2015). Like I have stated before, yoga was something that
I had no background in until learning about it in this class, so Chapter 20 talking about hatha yoga
gave me a better understanding of this form of yoga and how it began.
Key Learning Point: Chi is a Chinese term representing the universal life energy that surrounds and
permeates everyone, the life force. Tai Chi chuan is a form of exercise that is thought to help
regulate this flow of universal energy (Seaward, 2015). This was an interesting form of yoga to me.
Learning about universal energy and how to exercise with that was so detailed. I am sure that this is
so amazing to experience.
Key Learning Point: Physical exercise is classified as either anaerobic (fight) or aerobic (flight).
Anaerobic (without oxygen) is short, intense, and powerful activity, whereas aerobic exercise (with
oxygen) is moderately intense activity for a prolonged period of time. Aerobic exercise is the better
type to promote relaxation (Seaward, 2015). Going further into detail with the fight or flight
response that the body has was the best part to me. I am so interested in how our bodies work and
what triggers certain things, so this was something that instantly drew me in.

Self-Assessment Exercises:
This was a teamwork self-assessment exercise. This was honestly a little more
complicated for me than what I thought that it would be. I have never worked
with a partner since I have been with Kaplan, so this was a big challenge. My
partner and I were assigned to be with each other, but she was a very sweet
person. We honestly never got that much communication with each other, and I
know that was on both our parts with our personal lives interfering with
everything. I also know that this is no excuse, so I take full blame for not trying
harder than what I did. I feel that my partners pitch was an amazing idea. You
could tell that she really had thought hard about what her business pitch was,
and ways to better the stress issues in the company. I thought that I had a pretty
good pitch for businesses as well, and my partner really helped me better the idea
that I had. Details that I had missed, she pointed out to me, and helped me see
that these were things that needed to be known and discussed (Seaward, 2015).

Journal Writing:
The person that I thought about is someone very special to me. A person that I
really love and care about. He is my best friend and a person that I cannot see
my life without.
When thinking about Openness with the person, I think of being able to talk to
each other about absolutely everything and feeling comfortable talking about it.
It is not easy to be able to open up to a person about things that bother you,
especially when it is about said person, but I feel that we have that kind of
openness with each other. He is someone who thinks so highly of me, no matter
of all the self-doubt that I have. I feel the same way about him. He has all of
these big dreams that he wants to accomplish, and I want nothing more than to

21

show him that I support him one hundred ten percent. Openness is when we can
count on each other to always be there to be that person to talk to, no matter the
situation. He is definitely that person for me.
I know that he is a person who takes my feelings into consideration with
everything. He is always making sure that I am happy, even when things get the
best of me. I feel like sometimes I take that for granted, and lose sight of doing
the same for him. I try to make sure that I am a person that he can talk to when
upset and try to make him feel better, but sometimes I let my stuff get in the way
of that. I know this isnt fair to him, and I need to work on being more
considerate to him. He is a person who is not afraid to show his emotions, and
that is a quality that I enjoy about him.

I know that Compassion is one that goes hand in hand with Empathy, and I
think that I described a lot of the compassion problems that I have in that section.
Him, he is a very compassionate person. He cares for people and their situations
and never wants to see a person hurt, even if that means getting hurt himself. I
admire him for being so compassionate, and I wish that I could be more like him.

Loving-kindness is something that I could talk about all day when it comes to
him. I worry about him all the time with the type of profession he is in. He is a
professional wrestler, and this is a job where you can easily get hurt at any
moment. I know that the first thing that I always tell him before the trip, before
his match, and on his way home is to be careful, because I am terrified that he
will be hurt. To where he is a stubborn person and never wants to do anything
about being sick or when he gets hurt, I am the one who will convince him to do
what is needed to be done in order to get better. It is nothing but a nervous
feeling in the pit of my stomach until he is back to me.

Sympathetic joy is something I am still experiencing with him. Being able to

watch how far he has come in wrestling, and how far he still wants to go is
something that I would not trade for the world. He is a person that has such
passion and drive and really sets his mind to something and accomplishes it. This
is when I get to watch him experience these things and how happy it makes him.
In turn, it makes me happy that he is doing something that makes him happy.

Equanimity is not my strong suit. He knows this, and he makes me see this
when I am not actually doing it. He is someone who goes out of his way to be
kind and courteous to people, where I am the type to get upset easily by the
silliest little things. He is someone who can help a person who is having a bad
day, have a good day just by saying hello and making quick small talk. He is
definitely rubbing off more on me in that aspect, but I still have my moments.
This was definitely an eye opening journal. It made me realize small things
that I tend not to notice on a regular basis. It is an assignment to really make you
appreciate someone in your life that you may take for granted.
(Stahl &
Goldstein, 2010).

22

Unit 9: Applying Stress: Critical Issues for

9
Unit

Management and Prevention to your

Professional Life
Information to Remember:
Key Learning Point: 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, 2015). There are
many different alternative ways to deal with stress that not many people may be aware of, but it is
important to know the cause of the stress to deal with it.
Key Learning Point: Avoidance is considered a negative coping technique; however, to step outside your
problems for a short while to gain a better perspective on them is thought to be quite healthy. Hobbies
can be used as positive diversion tactics that allow for a healthy release from daily stressors. When
approached in this way, hobbies can contribute to self-esteem, which then transfers to other areas of
ones life (Seaward, 2015).
Key Learning Point: Stress can induce a sense of personal violation. Harboring feelings of resentment
and anger is a means of maintaining control over someone we feel has unjustly attacked us. But when
feelings of anger are not released correctly, they become toxic. Forgive ness allows these feelings to
be released so that a peaceful resolution is the final outcome (Seaward, 2015).

23

Additional Information
One of our discussion questions was from Unit 2, and the question was, What are the physiological
effects of prolonged stress on memory? I found this interesting, because I wanted to know what
negative effects could happen to the mind. I am a person who seems to stress about more than I really
should, so this was something that really caught my attention. I learned that the damage of the brain
and memory can occur due to the disruption of the ACTH, which helps with the fight, flight, or freeze
response that our bodies react to. The research that is being done has concluded that an encounter that
is filled with stress can be etched into a persons memory so that the same kind of accident can be
avoided at a later date, and the stress will not be repeated. In the instance that the stress is repeated, it
can lead to a decrease in strength of the hippocampus cells, which can lead to a reduction in memory.
Stressful periods that are chronic will cause the brain to shrink, and then cause the connection
between the neurons and the brain waste away. Brains that endure the presence of chronic stress show
similarities to those that are aged. This is something that is interesting, because if you notice people
who are stressed out and most likely suffering from chronic stress, their appearance tends to age (bags
under their eyes, wrinkles, pale, etc.). Prolonged stress can ultimately cause anxiety attacks,
headaches, insomnia, and so much more. The research that is being conducted on the brain is also
utilized in the studies that are being conducted on Parkinsons disease and Alzheimers disease
(Seaward, 2015).
Another discussion that caught my interest came from Unit 7, and the question was, How does stress
affect digestion, absorption, and elimination? Again, I am a nerd when it comes to learning about
how the body works and what affects it, so this was something else that caught my interest. I learned
that stress affecting a persons digestion can actually be something quite serious. If a person has a
poor diet that is lacking essential foods, certain amino acids, vitamins, and minerals, they would have
what is called a malnourished diet. This is considered to be a stressor to the body. Being
malnourished is not the only stressor on the body. Overconsumption is another problem that can be a
stressor to the body. There are many people who are emotional eaters, and this can cause a person
to eat when they are not even really hungry. There is a profound connection between food and
stress. Eating to pacify the nerves is such a common behavior that it is often overlooked in the field of
stress management (Seaward, 2015). Seaward also states that normal eating is still not considered
healthy. He suggests that a person keep a journal of what they are eating in times of stress, and the for
a person to ask themselves whether eating is something they feel they have control over or whether
eating is something that is controlling them (Seaward, 2015).

24

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