KAPLAN UNIVERSITY

HW410 Stress: Critical Issues in

Management and Prevention

Stress
Management and
Prevention

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Program Resource
Guide

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

Stress Management and Prevention

Program Resource Guide

By

Tiffany Fisher

Kaplan University

HW410: Stress: Critical Issues in Management and Prevention

November 19, 2017

Table of Contents
UNIT 1 THE NATU RE OF STRESS

Information to Remember........................................................................3
Self-Assessment Exercises.......................................................................3
Journal Writing.........................................................................................3

UNIT 2 THE PHYSIO LOGY OF STRESS

Information to Remember........................................................................5
Self-Assessment Exercises.......................................................................5
Journal Writing.........................................................................................6

UNIT 3 PSYCHOLOGY OF STRESS

Information to Remember........................................................................8
Self-Assessment Exercises.......................................................................8
Journal Writing.........................................................................................8

UNIT 4 PERSONAL ITY TRAITS AND THE HUM AN SPIRITUAL ITY

Information to Remember......................................................................10
Self-Assessment Exercises.....................................................................10
Journal Writing.......................................................................................11

UNIT 5 DEAL ING WITH STRESS: COPING STRATE GIES

Information to Remember......................................................................14
Journal Writing.......................................................................................14

UNIT 6 REL AXATIO N TECHI QUES 1 : BREATHI NG , M EDITATI ON,

AND M ENTAL IM AGE RY

Information to Remember......................................................................16
Self-Assessment Exercises.....................................................................16
Journal Writing.......................................................................................17

UNIT 7 NUTRITI ON AND STRESS

Information to Remember......................................................................19
Self-Assessment Exercises.....................................................................19
UNIT 8 PHYSIC AL EXERCISE AND ACTIV ITY

Information to Remember......................................................................20
Self-Assessment Exercises.....................................................................20
Journal Writing.......................................................................................20

UNIT 9 APPLYING STRESS: CRITICAL ISSUES F OR M ANAGEM EN T

AND PREVE NTIO N TO YOUR PROF ESSI ONAL L IF E

Information to Remember......................................................................22

ADDITI ONAL INF ORM ATIO N PAGE 2 3

REF EREN CES PAGE 2 4

(This page intentionally left blank)

 1
Unit

Unit 1: The Nature of Stress

Information to Remember:
Key Learning Point: Mindfulness can be applied to any component of the wellness paradigm. There are 4
components: Spiritual, Emotional, Mental and Physical wellbeing. Emotional wellbeing is having the
ability to express all emotions in a healthy and controlled manner (Seaward, 2015).
Key Learning Point: You can be angry but not let anger control you and your actions. Being mindful is
the act being fully present in the now without any judgements, biases or distractions. Just
experiencing the moment (Stahl, 2010).
Key Learning Point: By being mindful, one can control emotions and think with a clear mind. Letting
distractions and judgements in the mind can cause the person to be overly or under emotional and not
let true emotion in and effect healthy relationships (Seaward, 2015).
Total Points = 9

Self-Assessment Exercise:
Personal Wellness is broken down in four main areas. These areas are Spiritual, Emotional, Mental and
Physical. In this assignment, all four-main area are described as well as their importance. I looked at each
area to determine which ones were the most important and ranked them from most to least. With this
ranking, I created my own personal mandala. Physical wellness at the center then mental, emotional and
lastly spiritual (Seaward, 2015).

References
Seaward, B. (2015). Managing stress: Principles and strategies for health and well-being. Burlington,
MA: Jones & Bartlett Learning.

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Journal Writing:
Unit One Journal Writing

Complete the Journal Assignment entitled: “How Stressed Are You?” Directions are found on
pages 11 and 12 of the Mindfulness workbook. List the situation on the left. Use a rating scale of 1
through 10 for the start, midway, and end. You will use this Journal Assignment as a way of mapping
your stress throughout the course. Keep it handy and refer back to it often.

Situation Start Midway End

Getting the kids ready for school 6
Driving in traffic 5
Running late to work 7
Briefing a group of people and then mess up 6
Preparing for the class 5
When my co-worker calls me out in front of people 8
Wedding Planning 7
Evening Homework (kids) and routine 8
Deciding what to make for dinner 4
School (mine) work 8

References
Seaward, B. (2015). Managing stress: Principles and strategies for health and well-being. Burlington,
MA: Jones & Bartlett Learning.

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

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Unit 2: The Physiology of Stress

2
Unit

Information to Remember:
Key Learning Point: Chronic Stress has a physical impact on the body. It wears the body down much
faster. The body stays in constant fight or flight mode and cannot relax on its own (Seaward, 2015).
Key Learning Point: Mindfulness is the act of being fully present in the current moment. Practicing can
lead towards healthy changes in life. People who live with constant stress and anxiety have let it
control how they react (Stahl, 2010).
Key Learning Point: When someone is mindful of the stressors and triggers in their lives, they can
learn to develop skills to change their reactions and have balance. When someone is present in
the moment, they can truly see and fix what stresses them. By doing so, the cycle can be broken
and the person can move from being reactive to being proactive. This will empower them and
give some control back (Stahl, 2010).

Self-Assessment Exercise:
Neuroscience is the study of the nervous system (Nordqvist, 2017). The body needs stress to grow but to
much stress can cause physical manifestation in the body which is harmful. 5 examples of these issues are
bronchial asthma, tension and migraine headaches, temporomandibular joint dysfunction, coronary heart
disease and irritable bowel syndrome (Seaward, 2015). Stress, anxiety and unresolved anger seems like
insignificant issues but over time, they can lead to serious health issues. Without getting to the root of the
problem, they will only continue to fester and severely damage the body.

References
Nordqvist, C. (2017, May 23). What is neuroscience? Retrieved October 09, 2017, from
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/248680.php

Seaward, B. (2015). Managing stress: Principles and strategies for health and well-being. Burlington, MA:
Jones & Bartlett Learning.

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Journal Writing:
Unit Two Journal Writing Assignment
How is stress or anxiety about people affecting your life?
Currently, my husband and I going through a custody battle, fighting for custody of his 2
teens. His ex-wife and her lack of parenting has caused a lot of anxiety in my life in the last year.
Because she wants to be friends with the kids and let them do whatever they want, they have
behavioral issues while at our house. I can barely stand being in the same room with her and get
frustrated at the kids for not seeing hoe bad of a mother she is. I get worked up and stressed every
time something happens or when she has done something to let her kids down. There have been a few
times the stress has created arguments between my husband and I.

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

Political strife, severe weather and the potential for war has caused some anxiety and stress.
When I watch the news, and see people rioting or fighting because of differing opinions and views, I
am disgusted and refuse to watch. The recent hurricanes and devastating fires fills me with so much
anxiety and dread. My heart hurts for the families affected by the tragedies. It makes me stress over
potential storms that could reach our area which makes me obsess over tracking the storms. Being in
the military, potential for war gives me the most anxiety. If we were attacked on our soil, what would
I do? Protect and stay with my family or be called to the base to protect military assets. Would I be
able to bring the kids on base to keep them safe? Would they be safe? Many questions and lots of
anxiety.

How is stress or anxiety about work affecting your life?

As a military member serving in the U.S. Air Force, I come in contact with people from various
upbringings and backgrounds. Each person arrives with very different temperaments and attitudes.
Despite these potential conflicts we work well together. In the last 15 years, there is always one or two
people who affect me the most and cause stress in my life. A co-worker of mine whom I have been
forced to work with and teach with for 8-10 hours for 4 days once a month. Each week leading up to
the week of training is filled with anxiety. While teaching, she corrects me in a very unproductive
passive aggressive way. During this week, I am so stressed, I usually go home with a
headache/migraine and by the end of the week, I am mentally exhausted.

How is stress or anxiety about food and eating habits affecting your life?
I have a desire to be fit and attractive. But I really enjoy eating food and want to be happy. I
try to resist temptations but struggle when I see my husband eat 3 times more than I do and stays fit. I
just want to give up and eat whatever I want and not care about how I look. Food gives me much
anxiety. My office mate has a candy bowl and refuses to remove it. Sweets are a weakness of mine.
How is stress or anxiety about sleep and sleeplessness affecting your life?

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 I have PTSD and from the beginning of October to mid-November, my sleep suffers. This is
due to a traumatic event that happened many years ago. No matter what I do, I wake up at 2 am and
lay awake trying to fall asleep. If I do not get to bed by 9:30 pm, I start to get anxious because I know
how little sleep I will get that night. The next day I am sluggish and irritable.

How is stress or anxiety about exercise or lack of physical activity affecting your life?
As a full-time student working on active duty with a family, most days are very busy. Most
days of the week, I find very little time to exercise the way I need to. When I go more than 2 days
without exercising, I get very stressed out. I schedule most days around being able to work out.
I have many stressors in my life which cause a lot of anxiety and health issues. I have a hard
time sleeping and suffer from daily headaches and weekly migraines. I know it is all from the amount
of stress I have in my life. I feel that once the final hearing takes place and I am finished with school,
I know my stress will go down. I just have to do what I can to cope and take one day at a time.

References
Seaward, B. (2015). Managing stress: Principles and strategies for health and well-being. Burlington,
MA: Jones & Bartlett Learning.

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

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Unit 3: Psychology of Stress

3
Unit

Information to Remember:
Key Learning Point: The brain is a complex organ responsible for neurochemical interaction. These
interactions are our thoughts, emotion, personality traits and behaviors. (Seaward, 2015).
Key Learning Point: Differences in gender norms allow males to express their anger outwardly while
women are expected to be more reserve and quiet. Because of this desire to keep feelings inside,
women can have lasting effects on heath over male counterparts. (Seaward, 2015).
Key Learning Point: The best way to get rid of a fear is to confront it head on and face it. This technique
is called systematic desensitization. This process involves the person confronting something that
causes a great deal of stress and fear which will eventually make the person get used to the fearful
thing (Seaward, 2015).

Self-Assessment Exercise:
Buddhism originates from Tibet and when China invaded in 1959, Tibetans fled the country and brought
Buddhism with them. Their religion believes stress comes from the mind and having negative thoughts
destroy happiness. Theorists believe what’s in the mind is reflected in the body. Fear is beneficial until it
takes over all emotion but with exposure to what is fearful, the feelings lessen. Communication skills
today are lacking. So many people rely on technology, people have forgotten how to talk to each other
(Seaward, 2015).

References

Seaward, B. (2015). Managing stress: Principles and strategies for health and well-being. Burlington,
MA: Jones & Bartlett Learning.

Journal Writing:
Unit Three Journal Writing Assignment
Taking time to be present in the moment is difficult sometimes. Family life with work, school,
multiple children and event planning brings much chaos to my life. Phones are constantly going off,
children need attention and tasks need to be completed. But, taking time to care for ourselves is

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important in such busy times (Seaward, 2015). Mindful breathing and practicing on of the eight
attitudes of mindfulness can ease some of the stress and tension (Stahl, 2010).
I began my 5-minute mindful breathing exercise while sitting on the couch with my husband
next to me doing homework. We have had a busy day. We took my car to be fixed, worked out at the
gym, grocery shopping and looked at 3 homes and found our home to buy. After this long day, it was
nice to take time for myself and just focus on breathing and acknowledgement of such a busy
productive day. Unfortunately, I had a hard time relaxing and being in the moment.
During my mindful breathing exercise, my 11 ½ year old son was eating lunch. For some
reason, every noise was magnified and very difficult to ignore. He was eating chips and a granola bar.
The loud crunching of the chips was distracting and I had to pause and remind him to close his mouth
instead of chomping on the chips. Once he was done with this, he decided to open his granola bar.
Because of his greasy fingers, he had difficulty opening the wrapper. He continued to struggle for
what seemed like 10 minutes which was actually about 30 seconds. So, I paused again and asked him
why it was taking so long and his response was that his hands were greasy. I asked him where his
napkin was. Once he wiped his hands, he was able to open the wrapper.
After such a busy day I was mentally drained and in need of relaxation which was a struggle
due to the noises. Emotionally, I was frustrated because I was unable to completely focus on the
exercise. Physically, I feel mellow, not necessarily tired but not energetic. The work-out this morning
took a lot of energy out of me but felt great.
Busy lives are stressful and prolonged stress can lead to health issues so it is important for me
to take care of myself. I can do this with mindful practice. With time, I believe I will be able to tune
out the distractions and focus on practicing being mindful. Additionally, I will choose a quiet location
without noisy wrappers.
References
Seaward, B. (2015). Managing stress: Principles and strategies for health and well-being. Burlington,
MA: Jones & Bartlett Learning.

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

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Unit 4: Personality Traits and the Human

4
Unit

Spirituality
Information to Remember:
Key Learning Point: Self-esteem can be described as how someone values, loves and
accepts themselves. Having self-esteem is loving and accepting everything
about yourself, to include the quirks and flaws and owning it (Seaward, 2015).
Key Learning Point: Someone with low self-esteem doesn’t see their own worth and
value. This individual would most likely have a self-defeatist mindset and
would have some levels of stress and anxiety. Without self-esteem, they would
compare themselves to others, feel they cannot measure up to anyone’s or
their own standards and would have internal turmoil. These anxieties would
lead to stress and worrying over failing and incompetence (Seaward, 2015).
Key Learning Point: Negative and toxic thoughts start in childhood. These feelings eventually lead to
frustration, anger and pain. Negative feedback from parents fuel these feelings (Seaward, 2015).

Self-Assessment Exercise:
Self-esteem is how someone loves, values and accepts who they are as a person. Someone with low self-
esteem cannot see their own worth and may have feelings of hating or not liking themselves. This causes
turmoil and anxiety inside them. This can lead to chronic stress which has lasting effects on the body and
with relationships. People who see the negative things in life recognize the need for change. Prochaska’s
Stages of Change Model is an example of what people may go through. There are 6 stages:
precontemplative, contemplative, determination, maintenance, and relapse (Seaward, 2015).

References

Seaward, B. (2015). Managing stress: Principles and strategies for health and well-being. Burlington,
MA: Jones & Bartlett Learning.

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Journal Writing:
Unit Four Journal Writing Assignment

-FEAR: apprehension, ANXIETY, distress, edginess, jumpiness, nervousness, panic, tenseness,

uneasiness, worry, fright, feeling overwhelmed.

I feel my anxiety in a few different places, my chest, my hands and in my stomach. In my

chest it feels tight and sometimes pain near my heart. My hands feel tight, restless and sometimes
ache. In my stomach, it feels uneasy or feels like I am on a roller coaster and flips. My anxiety
increases in times of stress or when feeling overwhelmed. Some images that come to mind is a chaotic
room or scene with me standing in the middle. That is how I feel when I feel very anxious. It is really
bad when I know I have many tasks that need to be completed and I either have procrastinated so long
and now I barely have enough time to do it or I forgot to do something and now have to deal with the
aftermath or rush and get it done. I also get anxious when something happens and I have no control
over the outcome. I have had some pretty bad anxiety and panics attacks.

-CONFUSION: bewildered, uncertain, puzzled, mystified, PERPLEXED, chaotic, foggy.

This doesn’t happen very often anymore. I make an effort to stay informed of what is going on
in my family or with my husband. In a previous relationship, it felt like I was in a constant state of
confusion. It is the worst chapters of my adult life. The feeling is mostly in my stomach and head. I
felt uneasy in my stomach and pain in my head. In this relationship, we dated for 5 years but during
that time, I never felt like it was a true relationship and felt like he was always looking for something
better. He was a narcissist who was very toxic. He kept me in constant confusion about how he felt
and the future of our relationship. I felt like I was always mad and frustrated and this was because I
was so confused (perplexed). I didn’t understand why he would tell me he loved me and then not
show it, especially in public. I also felt like I wasn’t good enough. Images are always of me crying in
the bathroom and him shaking his head.

-ANGER: aggravation, agitation, annoyance, destructiveness, disgust, envy, frustration, irritation,

grouchiness, grumpiness, rage.
Aggravation in my life is sometimes from my child not doing his homework, lying about it
and then getting bad grades. These feelings are in my chest and stomach. My chest feels like I can’t
breathe and tight and my stomach feels like it is in knots. Images I see are of me sitting at the table
crying because I don’t know what to do and am frustrated. Currently, this is one of my biggest
frustrations. He is in 6th grade and cannot initiate his homework without being prompted. Even if he
does it, he may “lose” it or “forget” to turn it in. When I ask him why, he always says I forgot or I
don’t know. This and lying about homework or chores aggravates me the most. I get very angry when
he lies about it.

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-SADNESS: alienation, anguish, despair, disappointment, gloom, GRIEF, hopelessness, insecurity,
loneliness, misery, unhappiness, rejection.
A few years ago, my grandmother and great grandmother passed away within 10 months of
each other. This was a very painful part of my life. As a child, my sisters and I were very close to both
of them. We lived with my grandmother for a few years and my great grandmother lived with us while
we were in elementary school. They helped shaped me into the person I am today. The image I see is
my grandmother’s funeral. We were all so upset and grieving deeply. She was the glue that held the
family together. The grief I had, I felt in my entire body. I still get very sad when I think about her.
What upsets me the most is the fact that as an adult, I didn’t visit her as much as I should have and I
took the time I had with both of them for granted.

-SHAME: guilt, EMBARRASSMENT, humiliation, invalidation, regret, remorse, mortification.

From my adolescent years until my mid-twenties, I was very self-conscious and had low self-
esteem. I had a lot of social anxiety. This made me awkward in social settings. During this time, I
always felt embarrassed by how I acted and the way I talked. I felt these feelings in my stomach like
knots. The image I have is of me eating my lunch alone and hiding in the library in high school so I
didn’t have to feel like that. I am still awkward but I own it.
-LOVE: AFFECTION, arousal, attraction, caring, compassion, desire, fondness, infatuation, kindness,
liking, longing, warmth, sympathy, sentimentality.
For the first time in my life, I feel loved and can give love without any negative feelings or
darkness in my heart. My husband and I have been together or 2 years and married for 3 months.
Every other relationship I have had was either not healthy or I was not in the best mindset to make
that relationship successful. The affection and love I have feels like a warm spot in my chest. The
image I see is of us holding hands in old age. He makes me very happy and I feel very confident and
secure in our relationship and future.

-JOY: amusement, bliss, contentment, eagerness, elation, enjoyment, enthusiasm, EXCITEMENT,

exhilaration, hope, optimism, pleasure, satisfaction.
My husband and I just signed a contract on our very first home. We were approved for the loan
and will be able to close on the house and move-in in early December, just in time for Christmas. This
fills me with so much excitement. My twin sister will also be visiting for the holidays. The excitement
fills my chest and warms my heart, I also have some butterflies in my stomach for the new adventure.
Exploring past memories and feelings was very difficult. I felt angry thinking about the past
relationships and incredibly sad while thing about my grandmothers. Some of these feelings caused
additional feelings in other areas like anger and frustration from grief, embarrassment, confusion and
fear. They can all mingle together. I am also happy, content and full of satisfaction when thinking
about my future with my husband and our new home. Although I have had some darkness and pain in
my past, the future looks very bright and full of happiness.

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 References

5
Unit

Seaward, B. (2015). Managing stress: Principles and strategies for health and well-being. Burlington,
MA: Jones & Bartlett Learning.

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

Unit 5: Dealing with Stress: Coping Strategies

Information to Remember:
Key Learning Point: Perceptions and interpretations of a situation can be exaggerated be someone and
this is called cognitive distortion. This interpretation may be negative and people believe this is the
truth. To change this perception someone needs to change the perception from negative to a more
positive or neutral (uncaring) view (Seaward, 2015).
Key Learning Point: Humor is not an emotion, it is a perception. Someone can think one thing is funny
but to others it may not be funny. There are various types of humor. But overall, studies have proven
humor and laughter have healing properties and can restore balance to the body (Seaward, 2015).
Key Learning Point: Time management is an important ability to master. You would be able to prioritize
and accomplish tasks on time. Procrastinators have a hard time with time management. But using a
few tools like ABC rank order, the pareto principle and the important versus urgent method would
help lessen the stress of completing tasks on time (Seaward, 2015).

Journal Writing:
Unit Five Journal Writing Assignment
Mindful Self-Inquiry for Stress and Anxiety
Mentally: Today was a draining day. It wasn’t particularly stressful or even a busy day. I teach
a week-long class and today was the second day. We have a large class of 19 people when we usually
have 8 or 9 people in the class. In my class, I teach continuous process improvement. Each day I

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coach and guide them into picking a project to work on. I have to help them understand the problem
and break it down in simplest form which is mentally taxing. Teach is stressful for me and fills me
with anxiety so I end the day usually in a irritated mood. Today was one of those days. While listening
to the meditation, I thought back to how I felt and maybe why I felt particularly irritated today.
Unfortunately, my husband had to see this side of me. The lady I work with is very passionate about
teaching the lessons and it is hard to have the same amount of passion and emphasis. Sometimes it is
forced. I am an introvert and teaching was completely out of my comfort zone, as well as the coaching
and mentoring. So it felt like my brain hurt and it was hard to turn wind down from the day.
Emotionally: The lady I work with is a difficult eccentric person. She can be very passive
aggressive and frustrating. Emotionally, I am irritated and sometimes mad after teaching with her.
Today, I was mostly frustrated and anxious. Lately, due to my upcoming wedding, I am filled with
anxiety. During this exercise, my thought drifted to my feelings about the upcoming wedding. I am
scared, anxious and excited. This is a new chapter and there are many unknowns which is scary. I am
excited but nervous about how the ceremony and reception will turn out. I want my family to enjoy
themselves and to have a nice event. There are so many moving pieces and parts that I feel
overwhelmed and anxious at times. I have family flying in from other states. My little sister had to get
a new dress because the one she picked out was too big. The worst part was the boutique had no
remorse and didn’t want to reimburse her. She ended up having to buy a different dress from another
location. As a bride, this is stressful, especially when it feels like my wedding is an inconvenience for
people. I know that this is probably not the case and everyone is just as happy and excited for the day
to come. It just feels like I have dark thoughts when I am stressed. I need to refocus on the positives
and let the negativity roll off my back. It is a very special day and I just want everything to be
memorable and perfect, as much as it can be.
Physically: Today was rough. While going through the body scan, I noticed a few tired and
sore areas. My neck and shoulders have some stiffness and pain, especially into my cervical spine
area. I had a procedure done last week called a nerve ablation. I had an over active nerve which was
causing headaches and migraines for the last few years. The procedure included sticking long needles
in between the bones with only the surface of my skin to be numb. It was very painful. The area of the
procedure is still somewhat painful and now has a numb section on the skin which feels weird and a
slight itchy sensation. I have not a headache in a week but my neck seems to have more pain. I have
pain down my back as well and into my mid back. Which is annoying after sitting for a while or
laying down in certain positions. I usually go to the gym a few times a week but because of the kid’s
soccer games, I have not been able to run or work out for a few days. I know this has contributed to
my stiffness and pain.
On days like today, taking time to be mindful and understand each emotion and the cause
helps to let them go and be in a more positive mood. My poor mood/emotions affect the way my body
feels as well. One of the biggest issues is the lack of exercise. I love running and lifting weights and
when I go for many days, I do not feel like my normal cheerful self. This takes a toll on my family
and my emotional wellbeing. Since I have so many stressors right now, I need to take more time for
myself. Taking care of my mind and body is the most important during high stress moments in life.

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 References
Seaward, B. (2015). Managing stress: Principles and strategies for health and well-being. Burlington,

6
Unit

MA: Jones & Bartlett Learning.

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

Unit 6: Relaxation Techniques 1: Breathing,

Meditation, and Mental Imagery
Information to Remember:
Key Learning Point: Imagery and visualization are used to help patients with physical
and mental illness. It can also be used to help calm and aid with stress.
Drawing or painting to calm or relieve stress in a person. Drawing a picture of
emotions, pain or thoughts and try to use them to heal or understand what
hurts and work on it (Seaward, 2015).
Key Learning Point: Diaphragmatic breathing is an effective relaxation technique. This type of breathing
involves deep breathing from the diaphragm. It has been known to ease chronic pain (Seaward,
2015).
Key Learning Point: Meditation is the oldest form of relaxation and there are two methods: inclusive and
exclusive. Inclusive involves all thoughts but removing from them emotionally, no judgments or
feelings. Exclusive involves removing all thoughts except one thought or mantra and to focus on it
(Seaward, 2015).

Self-Assessment Exercise:
There are various techniques to relax and relieve stress. A few examples are diaphragmatic breathing,
meditation, imagery and visualization. Diaphragmatic breathing is slow deliberate breaths using the
diaphragm. This creates a calming affect and relieves stress. Meditation can be in the form of practicing

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 Tai Chi, mindful breathing, chanting a mantra, and bringing awareness to mind and body. Imagery and
visualization uses mental images or pictures of calming, relaxing scenes. They can also be used to help
the sick and injured heal by visualizing a healthy whole body (Seaward, 2015).

References
Seaward, B. (2015). Managing stress: Principles and strategies for health and well-being. Burlington,
MA: Jones & Bartlett Learning.

Journal Writing:
Unit Six Journal Writing Assignment
Mindful of how you interact with yourself?
I have been practicing mindfulness for the past 3 years. Not every day is a perfect or easy day
but I make a conscious effort to be mindful of my self-talk and intrusive thoughts. In the past, I would
berate myself and make myself worse after doing something awkward, embarrassing or wrong. It was
really bad when I was a teen, I basically hated myself. This make me have intense social anxiety and
very depressed. This continued until my early twenties. Once I was married, it was even worse. I felt
like I was a bad wife and mother then I met new people who helped me become more independent
and confident. This helped but it wasn’t until I was close to my 30s, I listened to a podcast that talked
about negative self-talk and I realized I did this and I had to change. Currently, I make an effort to
recognize a mistake, understand what I should have done differently and move on. If I have any
negative moments, I remind myself that I love who I am, I am human and I make mistakes like
everyone else.
Seeds of suffering?
I did stop “watering my seeds of suffering”. When I finally realized what I had been doing, I
acknowledged my mistakes and slowly worked on changing my negative thoughts. Once I did this, I
became very independent, happy and light. I felt a huge weight lifted off my shoulders, like a nasty
gremlin that was sitting there, telling me how stupid I was. I have made mistakes in the past but
instead of looking at them like mistakes, I see them as lessons I have learned and grown from.
Day-to-day life feelings of resentment?
Working in a military dental clinic has put me in situations where I felt immense resentment
either working with a difficult patient or someone whom I worked for, with and a subordinate. With a
patient, after understanding my role as their care provider and understanding how empathy is
important, I found it easy to have an open heart and consider they may be in pain or not feeling well.
Their emotions may not be intentional and I should do what I can to ease their suffering or frustration.
Being in the military, I have had situations where I resented my superiors and didn’t understand why
they made certain decisions. Now that I am in their shoes, I can understand why some decisions were
made, if I had known what I know now, I would have reacted differently. A person in particular is
someone I used to supervise. In the military, each person receives a rating based on their past
performance in a year. Last year, she was getting close to the end of her enlistment and was not able to
stay in unless she advanced in rank. The rating can add beneficial points or hurt the person. The rating

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I gave her was above average which is great but not the highest rating. Since she did not receive the
high rating, she was extremely upset and started to cry and yell at me. I just sat there and told her I

7
Unit

would not continue to talk to her unless she calmed down. I was upset, she didn’t appreciate what I
had done for her during the previous year. I know now, she reacted this way because she was scared
the lower rating would prevent her from staying in the military. She is a single mom with a young son
and was worried about not having a job to take care of her son. She is an overly emotional person
which is good because she cares deeply for people but also creates emotional stress for herself.
Reflection on writing?
My past gremlin prevented me from having loving and lasting relationships with people. I had
difficulty staying in relationships with exes and friends. I have lost great friends because of the
demons on the inside. Since I have been able to heal my wounds and grow a positive light inside me, I
have been able to mend previous relationships, create new ones and fall in love with a wonderful man,
his children and now have a loving family life with them. If I still had my gremlin in my life, I would
have continued my destructive path and not found my husband.
References
Seaward, B. (2015). Managing stress: Principles and strategies for health and well-being. Burlington,
MA: Jones & Bartlett Learning.

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

Unit 7: Nutrition and Stress

Information to Remember:
Key Learning Point: Physical exercise can be either aerobic (oxygen) or anaerobic (without oxygen). It is
a stress reaction of fight or flight. Aerobic exercise builds endurance to give us the ability to flee.
Anaerobic exercise improves our ability to react and fight (Seaward, 2015).
Key Learning Point: Aerobic exercise has positive relaxation benefits for the body and the mind. Exercise
helps release hormones and detoxifies the body (Seaward, 2015).

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 Key Learning Point: Certain foods have been found to make the body react as if it was stressed. These
include high amounts of sugar or salt, caffeine, and foods with very little nutritional value. After longs

8
Unit

periods of stress, the body will be more susceptible to illness and disease (Seaward, 2015).

Self-Assessment Exercise:
The Mindful Laying Yoga exercise involves moving through 21 different poses in a mindful way. While
in each position, the person has to notice their breath and the way their body feels. Each person will have
different ways of completing each pose. Some people have more strength and flexibility and others do
not. The person needs to take their time to feel each movement and feel if there are any painful
movements or positions. While in the last few positions, take the time to reflect on the day or things to
come. In the last position, take this time to relax and clear the mind before finishing the movements
(Stahl, 2010).

References

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

Unit 8: Physical Exercise and Activity

Information to Remember:
Key Learning Point: Yoga is the process of uniting the body, mind and spirit through meditation. Hatha
yoga is one of the most practiced forms in America but its true form has been tainted to be more ego
centric (Seaward, 2015).
Key Learning Point: Hatha yoga when performed right, will decrease chronic pain and help with
relaxation. It also helps to improve balance, flexibility, muscle tone and create a sense of calmness
(Seaward, 2015).

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 Key Learning Point: Tai Chi is a form of exercise originating in China. It is believed to improve the flow
of energy into the universe. This energy work promotes the movement with the stressors of life
instead of against it. It is used for relaxation and chronic stress (Seaward, 2015).

Self-Assessment Exercises:
A wellness program pitch was created and collaborated with a classmate. This program included yoga
classes, walking and running groups, and nutrition and fitness education. The program will be
implemented in phases and reviewed for improvements after 3 months. In the second phase, weight
lifting and high intensity workouts will be introduced. These changes will improve lifestyles, health,
mental wellbeing and be beneficial for the company by reducing cost of health care and have healthier,
happier employees (Seaward, 2015).

Journal Writing:
Unit Eight Journal Writing Assignment

OPENNESS: My twin sister has always been a judgmental highly anxious person. Looking at her
with openness, I would see a kind, helpful person with so much love and passion. She is
passionate about her values, family’s needs as well as her own.
EMPATHY: Feeling empathy would give me a better sense as to why she feels the way she does. She
has been a single adult female for her 20s and into her 30s. Without any children, she is independent
and high strung. Seeing things from her perspective and feeling what she feels, I would see that she
has taken the time to earn what she has and wants to keep things nice.
COMPASSION: Since she doesn’t have any children, she has a hard time understanding why I did
things the way I did them. She also probably feels some jealousy and resentment because she cannot
have any children and this makes her very sad. Having compassion for these experiences will help me
understand her feelings
LOVING-KINDNESS: Through our many challenges in our relationship, I have always wanted the
very best for her. She is like a piece of my heart and I hurt when she hurts and am happy when she is.
All I want is for her to be happy and healthy.
SYMPATHETIC JOY: If my sister was able to have a baby, I would be overwhelmed with happiness
for her. I would probably cry. I hope her wishes will come true one day.
EQUANIMITY: No matter what we face, I will always see her as my twin and hope for the very best
for her.
My twin sister and I have had a relationship filled with a rollercoaster of emotions. When we
were younger, we barely got along but always defended the other. As adults in our early twenties, we
had a hard time understanding each other since we were in different stages in life. In our thirties, she
is married and hoping for children as I have children closer to being adults than babies. But no matter
what, as long as we love and respect each other, our relationship will only get stronger.
References

20
Seaward, B. (2015). Managing stress: Principles and strategies for health and well-being. Burlington,
MA: Jones & Bartlett Learning.

9
Unit

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

Unit 9: Applying Stress: Critical Issues for

Management and Prevention to your
Professional Life
Information to Remember:
Key Learning Point: There are many coping mechanisms and not all methods work for all people and
situations. Multiple methods can be used together to help someone improve themselves and their
circumstance (Seaward, 2015).
Key Learning Point: Learning about the situation is an effective coping mechanism. This increases the
knowledge of what is going on and helps relieve stress and anxiety over the unknown (Seaward,
2015).
Key Learning Point: Additional methods for coping include hobbies like painting, reading, drawing and
bird watching. Hobbies should be low stress and enjoyable. Other methods include meditation and
prayer, and using dreams to understand subconscious problems (Seaward, 2015).

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Additional Information
Emet, J. (2013). Buddha's Book of Stress Reduction: Finding Serenity and Peace with Mindfulness
Meditation. New York, NY: Penguin Group.

This book is designed to bring mindful meditation to stress reduction. The book also
introduces positive values to create a calm and constructive attitude. Secondary Source

Shape.com Editors. (2013, July 22). 20 Simple Stress Relief Techniques. Retrieved November 22,
2017, from https://www.shape.com/lifestyle/mind-and-body/20-simple-stress-relief-techniques

Article by Shape.com with 20 techniques to reduce and eliminate stress. Secondary Source

What's New. (n.d.). Retrieved November 20, 2017, from http://www.nationalwellness.org/

Website with certifications and webinars designed to educate and improve wellness.
Secondary Source

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 References

Nordqvist, C. (2017, May 23). What is neuroscience? Retrieved October 09, 2017, from

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/248680.php

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.

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