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 Milligan

Kaplan University

HW410: Stress: Critical Issues in Management and Prevention

January 17, 2017

Table of Contents
UNI T 1 THE NATURE OF STRESS

Information to Remember .....................................................................................................................4

Self-Assessment Exercises ......................................................................................................................4
Journal Writing .........................................................................................................................................5

UNI T 2 THE PHYSI OLOGY OF ST RESS

Information to Remember .....................................................................................................................6

Self-Assessment Exercises ......................................................................................................................6
Journal Writing ..................................................................................................................................... 6-7

UNI T 3 PSYCHOLOGY OF STRESS

Information to Remember .....................................................................................................................8

Self-Assessment Exercises ......................................................................................................................8
Journal Writing ..................................................................................................................................... 8-9

UNI T 4 PERSONALI TY TRAI TS A ND THE HUMAN SPI RITU ALI TY

Information to Remember .................................................................................................................. 10

Self-Assessment Exercises ................................................................................................................... 10
Journal Writing ...................................................................................................................................... 11

UNI T 5 DEALI NG WI TH STRESS: COPI NG STRATEGI ES

Information to Remember .................................................................................................................. 13

Journal Writing ................................................................................................................................. 13-14

UNI T 6 RELAXATION TECHI QU ES 1: BREATHI NG, MED I TATI ON,

AND MENTAL I MAGERY

Information to Remember .................................................................................................................. 15

Self-Assessment Exercises ................................................................................................................... 15
Journal Writing ...................................................................................................................................... 16

UNI T 7 NUTRI TI ON AND STRESS

Information to Remember .................................................................................................................. 17

Self-Assessment Exercises ................................................................................................................... 17
UNI T 8 PHYSI CAL EXERCI SE AN D ACTI VI TY

Information to Remember .................................................................................................................. 18

Self-Assessment Exercises ................................................................................................................... 18
Journal Writing ................................................................................................................................. 18-19

UNI T 9 APPLYI NG STRESS: CRI TICAL I SSUES F OR MANAGEMENT

AND PREVENTI ON TO YO UR PROFESSI ONAL LIFE

Information to Remember .................................................................................................................. 20

ADDI TI ONAL I NFORMATI ON

Additional Information ........................................................................................................................ 21

REFERENCES
References .............................................................................................................................................. 22

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 1
Unit

Unit 1: The Nature of Stress

Information to Remember:
Key Learning Point: The stress response is the bodys first, initial reaction to a perceived threat. The
body prepares itself to either fight or flight (flee). The body may also freeze in these stressful
situations. Each reaction is part of the stress reaction (Seaward, 2015).
Key Learning Point: The general adaptation syndrome (GAS) occurs when the body tries to
accommodate stress by adapting to it. There are three stages that occur during GAS: Stage one-
Alarm reaction, Stage two Stage of resistance, Stage three Stage of exhaustion. (Seaward,
2015).
Key Learning Point: One of the most effective coping skills available to combat stress is journal
writing. It begins the internal communication between the mind and soul, which allows closure of
stress to occur. Its a form of meditation, letting the mind be cleared of thoughts which produces a
calming effect (Seaward, 2015).

Self-Assessment Exercise:
A wellness paradigm is composed of mental, spiritual, physical, and emotional well-being,
usually symbolized using a circle. Mental wellbeing consists of the abilities to gather, process, recall,
communication, and exchange information (Seaward, 2015). It is my most important piece of the pie.
Spiritual wellbeing involves the awareness of a higher being, and a strong value system. It is a high
priority for me, and stress can cause the path seem impossible. The third element of physical
wellbeing comprises the actions of the body to stay in homeostasis and how all of the physiological
systems function properly. The physical body is important in my life, but stress hasnt caused issues
in that regard. The final piece is emotional wellbeing. This is the ability to feel and express human
emotions (Seaward, 2015). Stress can cause emotional overload, so being able to not them control
you is important. My happy place is my home, where I am with family and my kids.

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 Journal Writing:
Situation Start Midway End
Taking 3 online classes at once 7
Finding time for my children after work 4
Changing of leadership at my job 5
Current pregnancy after loss 8
Relationship with mother is rocky 4
Budgeting money for Christmas 6
Controlling weight gain during pregnancy 5
Rude and nosey in-laws 4
Finding time for homework 6
Refinancing current mortgage 4
(Stahl & Goldstein, 2010).

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 2
Unit

Unit 2: The Physiology of Stress

Information to Remember:
Key Learning Point: Brain imaging has advanced and much has been learned about the brain. The
hippocampus and amygdala both play many roles in the brains functions of emotions and
reactions to stress. (Seaward, 2015).
Key Learning Point: There are many models that explain how disease and stress are connected,
including the Borysenko Model, the Pert Model, the Lipton Model, the Gerber Model, and the
Pelletier Model (Seaward, 2015). Each of these models show the links between certain body
systems, like the immune system, and how stress affects that system and produces certain
diseases.
Key Learning Point: Due to chronic stress, certain body systems seem to get over stimulated. These
systems are known as Target organs. A target organ can be anything, but it tends to receive
excess neural or hormonal stimulation which causes abnormal cell growth, causing dysfunction
of that organ (Seaward, 2015).

Self-Assessment Exercise:
The study of the brain and its structures and functions is called neuroscience. Certain parts of
the brain have been studied and revealed that stress can cause irreversible damage. When too much
stress causes an allostatic load and can cause physical harm to the body (Seaward, 2015). However,
the brain can change and form new connections, known as neuroplasticity. There are many illnesses
that can result from stress and affect the nervous system. Bronchial asthma, tension headaches,
migraines, IBS, and coronary heart disease are all diseases that are caused by stress (Seaward, 2015).

Journal Writing:
How is stress or anxiety about people affecting your life?
I am relatively stressed right now because of other people. Most importantly, my job is going
through some major changes. My immediate boss, that Ive worked under for the past 6 years moved
to a new position, so I will be getting a new supervisor soon. The new supervisor is well known for
being pretty hard-headed and hard to work for. This has me pretty stressed, just anticipating the new
working conditions. I used to have a very low-stressful career and I dont want that to change.

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 I am also pretty stressed due to my family. First, my sister has been trying to get pregnant and
has had three miscarriages within the last year. It breaks my heart, especially because I am now
expecting a baby. I feel guilty and she is calling and texting me every day about her situation, and it
causes me heartache. Next, is my mother. My mom is a narcissistic person and if everything doesnt
go her way, she makes life miserable. She recently decided to have a last minute Thanksgiving lunch,
even though we have a big dinner planned and then told my brother my sister and I are not invited.
For no reason at all! Very stressful and upsetting!
How is stress or anxiety about work affecting your life?
I already explained how my new supervisor is causing me stress. My work, however, doesnt
really cause me too much stress. My day to day work is very enjoyable. I like the work I do, so it
doesnt cause me stress. One aspect does cause me stress sometimes, though. I have to travel a lot.
This causes my family stress because my husband has to play full-time homemaker and take care of
our girls all by himself while I am away. I can be gone to up to a month, so that really puts a toll on
my family.
How is stress or anxiety about the world affecting your life?
I probably dont stress about the issues that affect our world, like I should. The thing that
stresses me the most about the world are the things that make me fear being called up on another
deployment. The relations between the U.S. and other countries can cause stress in my life, just
imagining another war or conflict.
How is stress or anxiety about food and eating habits affecting your life?
This stresses me out quite a bit, actually. The Army requires that I maintain a certain weight
and fitness standards. After having babies and getting older, the ability to keep off excess weight
becomes harder and harder. This really stresses me out and seems to always be in the back of my
mind. Every time I eat, every meal I cook, I am constantly worrying about calories, and fats, and all of
that.
How is stress or anxiety about sleep and sleeplessness affecting your life?
I really dont have any stress about sleep, usually other than the fact that I wish I could always
get more! I dont have a hard time falling asleep, but I do have a hard time squeezing in all of the
things I have to do in my life, like school work, family functions, work, etc. and also being able to get
to bed at a decent time. Over the past few weeks, I have had a hard time staying asleep. Ive been
tossing and turning, probably due to the pregnancy. But it doesnt really stress me out because my
husband allows me to sleep in or get a cat nap.
How is stress or anxiety about exercise or lack of physical activity affecting your life?
This goes along with the stress I mentioned about food and eating habits. I have to also keep
up my fitness standards, in order to keep my job. I have had 2 previous C-sections, so I was having a
lot of problems last year with pain from scar tissue and that was very stressful! I lost a lot of sleep
over this issue. Thankfully, I was able to get medical documentation that restricts any abdominal
testing, so that has alleviated a lot of the stress that it used to cause. However, I still have other
requirements to prepare for and those can cause stress in my life. Thankfully, now that Im pregnant,
my fitness testing is on hold.
I didnt realize all of the different aspects of my life that was providing stress in my life. I try
to keep stress to a minimum, but now that Ive just written two pages about things that stress me out, I
guess its there and I didnt realize! Now I can focus on these things to make sure that they dont
overwhelm me (Stahl & Goldstein, 2010).

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 3
Unit

Unit 3: Psychology of Stress

Information to Remember:
Key Learning Point: The study of psychology has developed several theories on the connection
between stress and emotional wellbeing (Seaward, 2015). Freud was one of the first to develop
the idea that there is an instinctual tension, in which the mind and body which can cause stress.
This tension can never be fully resolved, so stress in inherent and inevitable.
Key Learning Point: Anger, fear, and the pursuit of happiness are all the emotions of stress (Seaward,
2015). Anger triggers the fight response, while fear stimulates the flight response in a persons
mind. Each of them are known as the survival emotions.
Key Learning Point: With so many forms of electronic communications (Facebook, text messages)
which have actually reduced the quality of communication for this generation and causes much
stress (Seaward, 2015). All of this technology causes overload, which causes poor
communication as well as stress.

Self-Assessment Exercise:
The concepts of inner peace have evolved over many years, and most of the ideas originated
from the works of Buddha (Seaward, 2015). The four noble truths help to explain stress and the
consequences of desires that lead to suffering and stress. Meditation is a great way to let go of hatred,
anger, and many other emotions that can cause stress. Therapy can be used in order to manage stress,
by focusing on the anxieties and fears a person has. There are also many ways to improve
communication. Ask for clarifying statements, speak with precision, avoid overloads, and enhancing
vocabulary are all ways to improve communication (Seaward, 2015).

Journal Writing:
I enjoyed this exercise. It was surprising how I was able to really feel relaxed while focusing
on my breathing. I was able to initially focus on my breathing only. I watched how my breath entered
and exited my body and how my chest would rise and fall in rhythm. It was pretty neat to feel my
body relaxing. I could feel my arms feeling heavier and my legs seemed to sink into the chair. My
eyes got a little groggy, but I wasnt really tired. I just felt more aware of my body and how it felt.

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 Mentally was a little harder for me to focus completely. I was in a quiet place, but I could still
hear my daughters talking or giggling in the other room. That would instantly snap me back mentally
instead of allowing me to stay focused on my breathing. I also found myself suddenly thinking about
work or schoolwork or just random thoughts that seemed to pop into my mind for no reason. So I
would have to consciously refocus back on my breathing. I finally was able to do a better job of not
letting my mind wander, but this will take so practice.
Emotionally this was great. I was able to understand how good my body felt yet my mind
wouldnt always stay focused, so emotionally it allowed me to take a hard look at the things that are
distracting me. I dont typically dwell on things, but I am now aware that I obviously worry or think
about them more than I realize since my mind kept snapping back to those things. I dont tend to get
very emotionally attached to things, some have even called me cold! But I do have emotions, and this
allowed me to concentrate on myself only and relax myself a little bit. I enjoyed trying to focus on
myself and my own body, instead of the other stresses in my life.
In summary, I really enjoyed this exercise. It is something I would like to try and incorporate
into my routine. I dont usually take any quiet time for myself to relax or focus on my stress-levels, so
I think this will be beneficial so that I can relax and at least get 5 minutes of me-time (Stahl &
Goldstein, 2010).

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 4
Unit

Unit 4: Personality Traits and the Human

Spirituality
Information to Remember:
Key Learning Point: There are certain types of people who have characteristics that are known to be
more resistant to stress, and are said to have a hardy personality. They are able to buffer stress by
using commitment, control, and challenge (Seaward, 2015). They also tend to be more resistant to
certain illness.
Key Learning Point: Spirituality has become more popular in the Western world and American
lifestyles. Spirituality is hard to define, but transcendence is a term that can be used and it means
to rise above mundane existence to see a higher order of things (Seaward, 2015).
Key Learning Point: Personality is made up of three factors: values, attitudes, and behaviors. A
personality is hard to change, but behaviors can be conditioned in various ways. Classical
conditioning, operant conditioning, and modeling are all ways that behaviors can be changed
(Seaward, 2015).

Self-Assessment Exercise:
People who have low self-esteem are more likely to have a stress-prone personality. Self-
esteem is made of three components: self-values, self-acceptance, and self-love (Seaward, 2015).
These each play a role in how the person handles stress. A personal value system is a component of
spiritual well-being, which stress can cause problems with. Values, attitudes, and beliefs are all
different for each person. Values include the perception of what is right or wrong. Attitudes are how
the person views certain situations, and it can vary. Beliefs are what the person believes in, including
God or other powers. In order to make negative lifestyle changes, there are four stages: pre-
contemplation stage, contemplation stage, determination state, and action stage (Seaward, 2015).

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Journal Writing:
FEAR: apprehension, anxiety, distress, edginess, jumpiness, nervousness, panic, tenseness,
uneasiness, worry, fright, feeling overwhelmed.
I was feeling apprehension quite often, when I first found out I was pregnant, due to a recent
miscarriage. So when I found out I was pregnant again, I was pretty apprehensive about losing this
one too. However, Ive had two ultrasounds now and Im about to enter the second trimester, so I am
feeling a lot less apprehension. I do think that I suffer from edginess, as a result of my personality and
upbringing. My mother is very short and snippy, and I think that I carried on that trait. I am much
calmer with my children than I am with my husband. The hormones are probably not helping right
now!
I have suffered from jumpiness slightly, my whole life. But anyone who knows me will admit
that I am a very jumpy person. I think that the increase in my jumpiness happened during and after my
deployment to Iraq. Loud car alarms, fireworks, people walking up behind me, and many other things
seem to send me into a much higher state of alert than most people. Just the other day at work, a co-
worker walked into my office behind me and I must have been deep in thought, because when he said
my name I screamed bloody murder and jumped. It was strange. I dont find myself being nervous,
however. I did feel nervous during the beginnings of this pregnancy, but nothing that made my heart
race or be upset. Just negative thoughts in the back of my mind.
I havent felt panic in quite some time. I can only really think about an instance recently where
a car pulled out in front of me, and I had to quickly stop to avoid a crash and that caused some panic
afterwards. I sometimes feel uneasy around my in-laws, mainly my sister-in-law, because we do not
have a good relationship and being around her puts me on the defense.
CONFUSION: bewildered, uncertain, puzzled, mystified, perplexed, chaotic, foggy, or
unaware. I am bewildered by the actions of citizens of the US on a daily basis. I am uncertain about
my future career goals, post military. I find myself puzzled about how I am able to fit everything I do
fit into my small schedule! I feel perplexed at work sometimes, just trying to navigate through issues
Ive never experienced before. My whole life, raising kids, plus pregnancy, plus work, plus school has
my life feeling very chaotic. My husband says I am unaware of my surroundings sometimes - Ive
learned to tune out my environment pretty well.
ANGER: aggravation, agitation, annoyance, destructiveness, disgust, envy, frustration,
irritation, grouchiness, grumpiness, rage.
I get aggravated with my husband sometimes. We have polar opposite personalities and our
priorities sometimes do not mesh. My agitations are mostly things people do that annoy me - mostly
at work and my kids! My annoyances are things that people do that I feel are selfish or are simply not
taking into consideration those around them, ie: leaving spilled milk on the counter for someone else
to clean up. I feel disgust for my sister-in-law, due to the choices she continually makes in her life and
expects others to look the other way. I envy other beautiful women. I wish my nose was smaller and
my stomach was flatter (after baby, of course). I get frustrated with my children for misbehaving or
not listening to me. My main irritation are rude people or people expecting a free ride (SIL). Ive been
pretty grouchy this pregnancy, Ill blame it on the hormones.
SADNESS: alienation, anguish, despair, disappointment, gloom, grief, hopelessness,
insecurity, loneliness, misery, unhappiness, rejection.
I feel alienation mostly because my best friend moved 1000 miles away and I miss her. I was
pretty loyal to my previous boss, which alienated me from others in the office and now that shes
gone, I can tell people are still standoffish towards me too. I felt anguish and despair after my

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miscarriage. I am disappointed with my mother, who tends to worry about herself more than others. I
am also sometimes disappointed in my own motherly instincts. I sometimes feel grief about my lost
baby, but its getting better. I have some insecurities about my looks or weight, mostly. Im not lonely
or miserable. But I feel unhappy sometimes, just about how life can feel redundant. I feel rejection
when my husband and I fight and he goes downstairs to his man cave.
SHAME: guilt, embarrassment, humiliation, invalidation, regret, remorse, mortification.
I feel guilty about not being a stay-at-home mom for my girls. I get embarrassed sometimes
about my mom and how she treats others. I also get embarrassed because my husband is a class clown
and intentionally tries to embarrass me! I have many regrets, but most of them are many years old and
Ive learned a thing or two from them. Taught me to never make those same mistakes again.
LOVE: affection, arousal, attraction, caring, compassion, desire, fondness, infatuation,
kindness, liking, longing, warmth, sympathy, sentimentality.
I feel immense affection for my daughters and my husband. I feel arousal from my husband,
especially when he does little, silly things to cheer me up. I care for my family very much so, and try
to ensure they have all the necessities. I feel compassion for those less fortunate. I desire love from
my mother and husband and especially my children. I try to be kind to everyone, even strangers. I
cant hardly bring myself to be rude. I feel a lot of warmth and longing when Im at home. I will long
for my own bed after only a short time away. I feel sympathy for others who I see struggling, but I
have a hard time with making it part of my problem to fix. I am not really very sentimental. I throw
stuff out left and right.
JOY: amusement, bliss, contentment, eagerness, elation, enjoyment, enthusiasm, excitement,
exhilaration, hope, optimism, pleasure, satisfaction.
I am amused by watching my daughters grow and learn. I find amusement in watching others
just be themselves - I like to people watch! I am in bliss at home, especially around the holidays when
we have the lights on and music playing, watching a movie with hot chocolate. I am very content with
life. I get enthusiastic about my job and my family. I get excited at the prospect of a new baby in the
house! I have hope that this world will turn out okay. I find pleasure in my family and friends and
watching them succeed. I am satisfied with my life.
Overall, I have a lot of emotions, more than I think I do. I tend to hold my emotions in, so
writing about each one gave each one some realization (Stahl & Goldstein, 2010).

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 5
Unit

Unit 5: Dealing with Stress: Coping Strategies

Information to Remember:
Key Learning Point: Cognitive restructuring is a tool used to change negative perceptions into
positive ones which reduces stress. One form of cognitive restructuring was developed by
Meichenbaum, and is known as rational emotive behavior therapy (REBT) (Seaward, 2015).
Key Learning Point: Humor is a perception that something is funny but it is not a mood, however,
feelings of joy and happiness can be triggered by joy. (Seaward, 2015). There are many theories
that try to explain what makes people laugh, like the superiority theory and release/relief theory,
to name a few. Humor can also be used as a coping mechanism for stress.
Key Learning Point: Time and money can cause stress, so resource management is important. Time
management is the ability to prioritize, schedule and execute responsibilities to personal
satisfaction (Seaward, 2015). There are many roadblocks that can occur, which reduces
productivity.

Journal Writing:
I didnt think that this exercise would go very differently than it normally does when I walk. I
love to take walks by myself, usually with music playing in my headphones. Im able to just walk and
clear my mind. However, this time since I was focusing on the things that the book suggested, the
walk was different than Im used to.
Firstly, since I was focusing on my feet so much, it really took away any chance for my mind
to wander, at first. I was able to at first, focus on my body and feet. For some reason, whenever I am
actively focusing on my body, it instantly relaxes me. When I focus like that, my body kind of gets a
shiver over it, and I can feel my muscles relaxing. My face relaxes, my ears relax, and my arms and
legs begin to feel heavy.
Once I started walking, I did as the book said and truly looked at the surroundings around me.
I noticed that my basement had a unique smell. It is always feels cooler down there, but I was more
aware of the degree difference than upstairs. This made me instantly think about my husband, because
he prefers cooler temperatures. I was walking around toys and princess dresses, since my daughters
play room is also in the basement. Both of these thoughts made me feel happy.

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 Next, I started focusing only on my walking. It made me more aware of how small of steps I
was taking. I usually walk in the basement when Im trying to catch up on my Fitbit steps for the day.
During those times, however, I usually walk really fast to hurry up and meet the steps. This time, I
was trying to stay relaxed, so I was walking pretty slowly. Thats how I noticed that I was taking
smaller steps.
Next, as I was walking and being aware of every step it made me feel more relaxed. It made
my legs feel very heavy, yet I was aware of each movement, each contracting my muscles. I could
even feel how my feet were lifting up and then down. My toes were bending at the end of every step.
My arms were swinging back and forth, and it made my whole body feel alive. I could feel
everything!
I kept walking and after reaching the end of the books instructions and found myself drifting
back into normal day to day thoughts. What will we have for dinner? What homework do I still have
left for the week? Did my daughter finish her homework? I did find, however, that I was able to
refocus back on my legs and feet more quickly because I was more aware that my mind had drifted.
But for once, these thoughts didnt make me feel anxious or stressful, rather they were just thoughts
that came into and then out of my mind.
I made several laps and probably walked for about 30 minutes. I was even able to keep an
aware mind even when my kids came downstairs and asked what I was doing. I was able to answer
them, and then resume focusing on my walking, taking one step at a time and always being aware of
my moving body parts. Once I stopped, I felt relieved and stress-free. I was really relaxed too!
In summary, I enjoyed this exercise. Walking to clear my mind is something that I have
enjoyed doing for quite some time, so this was fun to switch it up a little bit. Instead of only letting
my mind focus on things going on in my life, I was able to focus on the here and now. (Stahl &
Goldstein, 2010).

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 6
Unit

Unit 6: Relaxation Techniques 1: Breathing,

Meditation, and Mental Imagery
Information to Remember:
Key Learning Point: Diaphragmatic breathing is a type of controlled breathing and is considered the
most basic relaxation technique. The only things needed for this type of breathing includes:
finding a comfortable position, focused concentration, and mental imagery (Seaward, 2015).
Key Learning Point: The practice of meditation is the oldest known relaxation method. Two branches
of meditation have evolved, restrictive meditation and opening-up meditation. Restrictive
meditation involves concentration is focused on one object and opening-up involves meditation
where all thoughts are invited into awareness without judgement (Seaward, 2015).
Key Learning Point: Mental imagery uses the imagination to observe images created by the mind,
usually falling into three categories. Daydreaming is the most common type of mental imagery. It
is known to allow the brain a chance to check out and triggers the relaxation response
(Seaward, 2015).

Self-Assessment Exercise:
The most basic relaxation technique is deep, controlled breathing that is called diaphragmatic
breathing (Seaward, 2015). It is a component of techniques like yoga and Tai Chi. It helps the body
to relax and benefits like reduced heart rate, decreased muscle tension, improved mental clarity,
increased oxygen, and reduced overload of stress. Meditation has a lot of effects on the mind and
body, including immune function, sleep, chronic pain, and mood (Seaward, 2015). There are three
categories of mental imagery: tranquil natural scenes, behavioral changes, and internal body images.

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Journal Writing:
Mindful of how you interact with yourself?
I honestly interact with myself pretty nicely. I am a fairly confident person, and I rarely get
upset with myself or depressed. The only thing I can think of that I do negatively is that I sometimes
will stew about a conversation or decision that I made towards someone and Ill replay it back in my
head over and over. It doesnt happen very often, because usually once I make a decision, Im happy
with it and I just move on. But every once in awhile, I will find myself replaying it in my head
questioning if I made the right choice. I never talk down to myself or find myself worthless, I just
wonder if I made the right choice.
I suppose now that I think of it, the one area of my life that I do cut myself down is my
appearance. I compare myself to others and expect that I should look a certain way and if I dont, or I
see pictures of myself afterwards, I will tell myself I need to lose weight or that I am not as pretty as I
wish I was. Right now with this pregnancy, I am also worried about gaining too much weight, so that
is something that I think about when I look in the mirror or weigh myself. I need to not put so much
pressure on these silly things.
Seeds of suffering?
If I was able to stop watering the seeds of suffering, I think I would find myself more accepting of the
decisions Ive made. If I was more accepting of these decisions, I wouldnt waste time replaying it in
my head and I could spend that time thinking about more productive things. I also need to take
compliments when they are given, that should help those thoughts keep from blossoming into worse
things.
Day-to-day life feelings of resentment?
The person that I can think of that I do not really feel a good connection with. We have a lot of
bad history together, and we have never been able to really move past it all. We are in the same
family, however, so we have to see each other quite often. I know that she has had a lot of bad things
happen to her in her lifetime, and she has a hard time trusting other women. That is most likely the
problem that we have, and I try to understand it. However, there comes a point that I have realized
that we are just not meant to be close, and Im okay with it. I wish things could be different, but I
think keeping our distance is much better on both of us mentally and emotionally. She does have
some good qualities, but I have realized that I dont have to be friends with her, I just have to learn to
not let it negatively affect my life or my family.
Reflection on writing?
In reflection, I think it is important for myself to remain optimistic. I cant worry about some
of the petty things I tend to find myself worrying about. I have a wonderful family, husband, kids,
home, job, and many other great things and I shouldnt let a few silly worrisome things get the better
of me. In regards to the negative person in my life, I will continue to keep my distance simply for my
own sanity, but I will continue to remember that some things that have happened in her life have
caused her to be so bitter and untrusting. Maybe one day, when she has aged and had a few more life
experiences, she will see things differently. I want to continue to not dwell on things very long, since I
tend to move on very quickly and I think that is healthy for my mind. I am very happy with my life
right now, and it would be very silly of me to not focus on those good things more often (Stahl &
Goldstein, 2010).

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 7
Unit

Unit 7: Nutrition and Stress

Information to Remember:
Key Learning Point: Exercise triggers the stress response, but once its over it goes back to
homeostasis. The human body was not designed to sit idly all day, so physical activity helps the
body maintain physiological homeostasis (Seaward, 2015).
Key Learning Point: Four vitamins are known to affect chronic stress: Vitamin A, C, E, and B. Not
all supplements can be used. The best source of vitamins is unprocessed foods (Seaward, 2015).
Key Learning Point: A malnourished diet causes stress on the body. Some foods, including sugar,
caffeine, salt, and other foods low in nutrients are lesson the bodys ability to resist the stress
response. This can make the person more susceptible to disease (Seaward, 2015).

Self-Assessment Exercise:
Mindful lying Yoga includes many different positions that are meant to induce relaxation and
mindfulness (Stahl & Goldstein, 2010). During each pose, I was very aware of how my body was
moving and how my muscles were stretching. I was not able to do each position at 110%, but
tempered myself to about 60%. My favorite position was the supine twist, because it stretched my
hips and sciatic nerve, which is usually a problem for me during my pregnancies. I skipped a few
positions, due to it causing problems with my stomach or I could tell that my body would not tolerate
the stretch. At the end of this exercise, my body felt more relaxed and at ease.

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 8
Unit

Unit 8: Physical Exercise and Activity

Information to Remember:
Key Learning Point: Yoga comes from ancient Sanskrit and means union of the mind, body, and
soul. One of the most common of the five forms of yoga is Hatha yoga. It involves physical
postures as well as breathing control (Seaward, 2015).
Key Learning Point: Tai Chi is a Chinese concept of movement of the body that brings it into
harmony using balance, power, and enlightenment (Seaward, 2015). The movements involved
are fluid and controlled.
Key Learning Point: There are six components to fitness: cardiovascular endurance, muscular
strength, flexibility, agility, power, and balance. There is a relationship between exercise and the
relaxation response, which is related to the parasympathetic rebound (Seaward, 2015).

Self-Assessment Exercises:
For the health and wellness management proposal, I chose an on-site fitness training program.
The rational is to provide a more convenient location and easier access for employees. The main
focus will be on aerobic classes, including Zumba, step, cycle class, dance classes, and a weight-
lifting class. The equipment will be minimal, only enough to get the needed things for the classes.
The most obvious return on investment will be healthier employees which will decrease health care
costs. The timeline is short, due to the only requirements are the acquiring of equipment and training
the personnel. The budget is relatively low, however I left out the costs of a locker room which could
increase costs. In summary, the program will benefit employees by helping them become healthier
and reduce health care costs of the business (Seaward, 2015).

Journal Writing:
OPENNESS: I imagined my husband as I saw him when we first met. He was so young and so
was I! We both had so much curiosity about life and used to laugh and have a great time together. His
perspective has always been very different than mine, but even from the beginning I knew we were
opposites, yet it made me feel a rush.
EMPATHY: I struggle with empathy, I think. By putting myself in my husbands shoes, I
could see things more from his point of view. He grew up in a rough childhood home and a lot of his

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actions and thoughts are guided by those feelings from long ago. I have to let go of my own feelings
that not much can get me down, and understand that other people are not so able to let go.
COMPASSION: As mentioned before, my husband has many scars, mostly revolving around
his father. If that was my child, I would want to show him incredible love and empowerment and
confidence. He has many insecurities stemming from his dad, and I would encourage those behaviors
so that he can move past them.
LOVING-KINDNESS: I would encourage their strengths and reiterate how smart and
important my husband is. He did not hear that a lot growing up, so now he struggles with his
confidence.
SYMPATHETIC JOY: I have unlimited desire for my husband to be happy with his life and
choices, and for him to find a career and friends that truly make him happy.
EQUANIMITY: I think I sometimes do not see my husband as an equal. I work while he
fathers the kids, and I take advantage of this. He isnt afforded much adult interactions during the day,
so when he wants to go out with friends, I may get angry. I need to see him as an equal partner, who
has human needs and wants for human interactions.
In summary, this exercise allowed me to see my partner in a new light, and to appreciate the
things that I may sometimes take for granted (Stahl & Goldstein, 2010).

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 9
Unit

Unit 9: Applying Stress: Critical Issues for

Management and Prevention to your
Professional Life
Information to Remember:
Key Learning Point: There are several hundred forms of coping strategies. Information seeking
involves searching and collecting information and facts that should help solve problems and
reduce stress (Seaward, 2015).
Key Learning Point: A hobby is a therapeutic escape in which a person pursues a pleasurable interest
and the person can sort our lifes chaos. Some hobbies are not stress relieving, some experts
think, by causing tension. A good aspect, however, is that they promote self-esteem which is a
stress reliever (Seaward, 2015).
Key Learning Point: For a coping mechanism to be effective, it must: increase awareness of the cause
of stress, help process information about the stressor, or adjust attitudes and behaviors that
promote a peaceful resolution (Seaward, 2015). Not all types of strategies will work for everyone.

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Additional Information
I chose a book called A Clinicians Guide to Teaching Mindfulness. This guide is a great resource for
health care professionals in order to deepen the skills in order to understand and facilitate mindfulness
for myself, and others. Mindfulness can be used in many areas of life, so having this guide will be
very beneficial going forward.
This source is a secondary source.

Wolf, C., Shoup, A., Solis, M., Goodman, T., Serpa, J. G., & Kornfield, J. (2015). A Clinician's Guide

to Teaching Mindfulness : The Comprehensive Session-by-Session Program for Mental Health

Professionals and Health Care Providers. Oakland, California: New Harbinger Publications.

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 References

Seaward, B. (2015). Managing stress: Principles and strategies for health and well-being (8th ed.).

Boston, MA: Jones and Bartlett Publishers.

Stahl, B. & Goldstein, E. (2010). A mindfulness-based stress reduction workbook. Oakland, CA: New

Harbinger Publications, Inc.

Wolf, C., Shoup, A., Solis, M., Goodman, T., Serpa, J. G., & Kornfield, J. (2015). A Clinician's Guide

to Teaching Mindfulness : The Comprehensive Session-by-Session Program for Mental Health

Professionals and Health Care Providers. Oakland, California: New Harbinger Publications.

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