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

Alberto Carrasquillo

Kaplan University

HW410: Stress: Critical Issues in Management and Prevention

 Table of Contents

UNIT 1 THE NATU RE OF STRESS

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

UNIT 2 THE PHYSIO LOGY OF STRESS

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

UNIT 3 PSYCHOLOGY OF STRESS

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

UNIT 4 PERSONAL ITY TRAITS AND THE HUM AN SPIRITUAL ITY

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

UNIT 5 DEAL ING WITH STRESS: COPING STRATE GIES

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

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

IM AGE RY

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

UNIT 7 NUTRITI ON AND STRESS

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

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 Self-Assessment Exercises.........................................................................

UNIT 8 PHYSIC AL EXERCISE AND ACTIV ITY

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

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

PREVEN TIO N TO YOUR PROF ESSI ONAL L IF E

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

ADDITI ONAL INF ORM ATIO N

REF EREN CES

Gauding, M. (2009). The meditation bible (1st ed.). London: Godsfield.

Aamodt, S., & Wang, S. (2008). Welcome to your brain (1st ed.). New York: Bloomsbury USA.

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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 1
Unit

Unit 1: The Nature of Stress

Information to Remember:
 Key Learning Point: There are three kinds of stress. Eustres is good stress from a exciting experience.
Neustress is a medium stress. Distress is bad stress. This is important to me because I have been able
to asses the kind of stress I am feeling, which has made me more productive at eliminating high
distress situations., (Seaward, 2015).
Key Learning Point: Know that stress comes from many areas of life. The environment, technology,
work, the family, and other areas. When we start to identify where the stress we are feeling comes
from, when can then begin to take steps to make our lives less stressful. That’s exactly what I have
been doing since taking this class. (Seaward, 2015).
Key Learning Point: Millennials are currently the highest in stress compared to the previous generation.
We are a generation that was pretty much babied so much it backfired in the long run. Knowing this I
can use my marketing skills to target this demographic for my practice. (Seaward, 2015).

Self-Assessment Exercise:
Sit down and begin to think about all the stresses in your life. Write them down
and rate them 1 – 10 on how much stress they bring you. Now begin to write
down ways you can lessen or eliminate these stressers. (Seaward, 2015).

Journal Writing:
 “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" column. 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.
(Stahl & Goldstein, 2010).

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 2
Unit

Unit 2: The Physiology of Stress

Information to Remember:
Key Learning Point: Stress can be a lead cause of insomnia. Knowing this I can help patients identify
where their loss of sleep is coming from, address techniques to help them fight this problem, and pass
this along to others they know, (Seaward, 2015).
Key Learning Point: The immune system can be greatly affected is stress levels are not managed
properly. This could lead to illness that then just adds more stress to the person all together. Chronic
illness can be a indicator if high stress. (Seaward, 2015).
Key Learning Point: Stress affects all areas of the body and can lead to serious health complications.
Knowing this I have been able to cut back on certain stresses like smoking. I can use this knowledge
to help others better care for themselves by knowing how stress affects the body. (Seaward, 2015).

Self-Assessment Exercise:
Stop to take a moment to see how you are being affected by stress. Take
particular notice on how it not only affects you, but your relationships and other
areas important to you. (Seaward, 2015).

Journal Writing:
 Explore: How is stress or anxiety affecting your life?
How is stress or anxiety about people affecting your life?

How is stress or anxiety about work affecting your life?

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

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

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

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How is stress or anxiety about exercise or lack of physical activity affecting your life?

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Unit

(Stahl & Goldstein, 2010).

Unit 3: Psychology of Stress

Information to Remember:
Key Learning Point: Tibetan teaching show us to bring ourselves to the present so that we can think
clearly, and live to our best. By studying their meditations and mantras, I have been able to bring a
level of zen to my house, and those I help. (Seaward, 2015).
Key Learning Point: Before you can make a stress disease help module for someone, you need to first
identify what stress there is, and where it is originating from. From there you can begin to dissect one
by one the problems. This is a great model for helping patients find a better understanding.
(Seaward, 2015).
Key Learning Point: Self-love is a major component for dealing with any shift in a person’s life. It allows
for a stronger resilience for problem solving. I know this to be true through personal experience.
When helping others eliminate and control stress, it is imperative to help them master self-love.
(Seaward, 2015).

Self-Assessment Exercise:
Take a few minutes out of every day to be present. Doesn’t matter what you are
doing- bring yourself to that present moment and enjoy the now. Do this every day
in different areas and see what changes take place in your life, (Seaward, 2015).

Journal Writing:
 Five-Minute Mindful Breathing and Bringing the Eight Attitudes of
Mindfulness into Your Life.. See what changes occur in relationships with yourself
and others around you. (Stahl & Goldstein, 2010).

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Unit 4: Personality Traits and the Human

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Unit

Spirituality
Information to Remember:
Key Learning Point: Spiritual evolution is directly affected by fear, stress, and negative emotion. When
someone feels the spiritual void, t usually is tied to some sort of emotional imbalance. Knowing these
are usually the main roots of spiritual depression, I can use these techniques to help others identify
and evolve. (Seaward, 2015).
Key Learning Point: Many mind based practices and exercise can be simultaneously used to help a
person reach a level of spirituality. Knowing this, as a practitioner I don’t have to focus on making a
point about pursuing spirituality. Instead I can use homework that will subconsciously help both areas
of a person’s soul. (Seaward, 2015).
Key Learning Point: Purpose is something that is crucial for human health. When helping others it is
important to keep this in mind as to be of the most help to your patient. I like using this technique for
those who are unsure of their path in life. It’s one of the fundamentals. (Seaward, 2015).

Self-Assessment Exercise:
Take time every day when you can to assess your body. Why does a certain area
hurt more than others? Could it be due to posture, or family life? Where are you
physically storing your stress? This will help you be more mindful of your day to
day interactions and how to manage stress effectively. (Seaward, 2015).

Journal Writing:
Identifying Emotions in the Body. Take a moment to mindfully tune in to your
body and discover any physical sensations associated with strong emotions (Stahl
& Goldstein, 2010).

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Unit 5: Dealing with Stress: Coping Strategies

6 5
Unit Unit

Information to Remember:
Key Learning Point: Journal writing can be a effective way to help someone shed light on a topic or
situation. It allows for later analysis and development. I use this frequently to help keep track of my
goals and feeling. I have recommended this to others as well and have seen great results. (Seaward,
2015).
Key Learning Point: Art is a very powerful tool. With it you can reach parts of the subconscious that are
very hard to reach. You can allow a person to transfer all of their negative emotions onto a medium,
leaving them felling empty and new. This can give a person a lot of opportunity to expand their
consciousness as well. (Seaward, 2015).
Key Learning Point: Cognitive reframing of the mind is probably one of the most effective ways of
helping a patient. Though it can be difficult to achieve, this can change a person’s life forever. I have
done this to fight my PTSD and continue to do so to increase my consciousness. (Seaward, 2015).

Journal Writing:
Walking Meditation or Mindful Self-Inquiry for Stress and Anxiety. Then take a
moment to reflect on whatever came up for you mentally, emotionally, and
physically (Stahl & Goldstein, 2010).

Unit 6: Relaxation Techniques 1: Breathing,

Meditation, and Mental Imagery
Information to Remember:
Key Learning Point: Mental imagery isn’t for everyone. So, if someone tells you it isn’t something they
can do, you should change methods of relaxation. For those who can do this technique, one of the
most effective images are associated with nature. You can go to a place that is familiar, or one that is
completely new. The goal should always to be at peace in this location. (Seaward, 2015).

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 Key Learning Point: Breathing is something a lot of people have forgotten how to do. Thank god for
breathing apps that can remind us when we should stop and breathe. It still isn’t enough. Take a

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Unit

minute every thirty minutes to breathe can really shave a lot of stress away. Combine breathing and
stretching, breathing in high emotional stress situations, or breathing while thinking. Your day can
only get better with breathing. (Seaward, 2015).
Key Learning Point: Meditation is a very powerful tool. With it you can calm anxiety, ease depression,
and change habits for the better. At first it may be hard to get into the swing of meditation, but once
you get the hang of it… it’ll be your best friend. I meditate every day. (Seaward, 2015).

Self-Assessment Exercise:
Sit or lay down in a quiet place. Start to think of specific emotions like happiness,
and sadness. Pay attention to where in your body you feel those emotions. Note
any outstanding revelations. (Seaward, 2015).

Journal Writing:
Explore: Is Your Body-Mind Happy? Reflect and do this every few months and see
how yourself progress goes along. (Stahl & Goldstein, 2010).

Unit 7: Nutrition and Stress

Information to Remember:
Key Learning Point: Poor nutrition can cause stress. Foods high in preservatives have a tendency of
causing stress on the body, which then transfers to the mind and living. It’s important to look at our
nutritional habits when addressing our stress. It can be as simple as getting rid of soda. Seaward,
2015).
Key Learning Point: Poor dieting can lead to subtle stress. A person can be overweight, and not notice
that their body hurts from the extra weight. Self-confidence can also take a hit, which then can cause
depression and other states of stress. When helping someone eliminate stress, you should ask them
how they feel about themselves. If their body is part of the stress, help there first. (Seaward, 2015).

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 Key Learning Point: High stress can lead to a person eating less, which then can lead to more
complications. It’s important to develop skills that let us see when stress is affecting our eating habits.

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Unit

If we do so successfully we then eliminate another base line stress factor. (Seaward, 2015).

Self-Assessment Exercise:
Sitting Meditation or Mindful Lying Yoga. Take a moment to reflect on this meditation
and see what you get out of it. (Seaward, 2015).

Unit 8: Physical Exercise and Activity

Information to Remember:
Key Learning Point: Physical activity can help bring oxygen to the brain which then leads to a number of
positive effects. Not only is it good for your body, but also your thinking. Cardio is one of the main
ways to get more oxygen to the brain. Once you set a routine, you can then begin to feel happier. 5
days a week of fitness is best recommended. (Seaward, 2015).
Key Learning Point: It’s important to check with a doctor on your ability to do certain kinds of fitness.
Once you get a clear, you should try to find something that interests you like yoga. Try to get a friend
to go with you as you can both motivate each other. Try to stick with a schedule that will help you
stay active. (Seaward, 2015).
Key Learning Point: Passive physical activity like sex, or chores can also be made to help you stay active.
Sometimes massage can release stress so that the body can heal. Stress gets stored in muscle so it
wouldn’t be a bad idea to stretch, yoga, massage, or more. (Seaward, 2015).

Self-Assessment Exercises:
Think of a loved one. Think of them as though they were standing if front of you.
Think of them in certain emotional responses like openness. Take note of their
characteristics, and study them. Then go see how your interaction with this
person progresses. (Seaward, 2015).

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Journal Writing:

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Unit

Explore: Creating Connection (Stahl & Goldstein, 2010).

Unit 9: Applying Stress: Critical Issues for

Management and Prevention to your
Professional Life
Information to Remember:
Key Learning Point: Practice self-love. When you love yourself you help yourself grow and progress.
You allow yourself the understanding and space needed to be a more authentic self. This then spreads
to other areas of your life, creating a new level of harmony. (Seaward, 2015).
Key Learning Point: Try to expand your communication skills. This will help you be more effective at
avoiding stress from miss understood situations. Expand your network, and explore new avenues to
grow and learn from. (Seaward, 2015).
Key Learning Point: Take a moment to do self-exploration every day. If it’s making music, drawing,
dancing, reading, writing, or meditating. Try to do this as must as possible by nature. (Seaward,
2015).

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Additional Information

Gauding, M. (2009). The meditation bible (1st ed.). London: Godsfield.

Aamodt, S., & Wang, S. (2008). Welcome to your brain (1st ed.). New York:
Bloomsbury USA.

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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.

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