Stress ManagementStress Management

The art of taking care of The art of taking care of oneself!oneself!

ObjectivesObjectives

To understand the nature of stress To understand the nature of stress and how it affects us.and how it affects us.

To understand stress associated with To understand stress associated with crisis counseling.crisis counseling.

To develop a personal stress To develop a personal stress management programmanagement program

What is Stress?What is Stress?

Stress is tension, strain, or pressure from a Stress is tension, strain, or pressure from a situation that requires us to use, adapt, or situation that requires us to use, adapt, or develop new coping skills.develop new coping skills.

Stress can be positive or negative.Stress can be positive or negative.

Perception plays a key role in interpreting Perception plays a key role in interpreting how stressful situations are.how stressful situations are.

Why Do We Need to Be Concerned Why Do We Need to Be Concerned about Stress?about Stress?

The biochemistry of stressThe biochemistry of stress The conflict between modern life and The conflict between modern life and

primitive instinctsprimitive instincts Stressors are multiple and overlap or occur Stressors are multiple and overlap or occur

simultaneouslysimultaneously The influence of beliefs, attitudes, and The influence of beliefs, attitudes, and

motivations and our interpretation of motivations and our interpretation of eventsevents

Stress results in “wear and tear on the Stress results in “wear and tear on the body” Hans Selyebody” Hans Selye

An event occurs of neutral value

or meaning

The individual appraises whether

the event is a threator a challenge

Bio-chemicals arereleased to enhance the ability of one’s

mind and body to respond

The individual responds to the threat or challenge

through fight or flight

The bio-chemicals are depleted through the exertion to meet the threat or challenge

Fatigue follows the depletion of

bio-chemicals from the exertion

After a period of rest, the individual is able to prepare for and meet a new threat or challenge

Common Stress ReactionsCommon Stress ReactionsA Self-assessmentA Self-assessment

BehavioralBehavioral PhysicalPhysical PsychologicalPsychological CognitiveCognitive SocialSocial

Patterns in Stress ResponsesPatterns in Stress Responses

Individual stress responses tend to cluster Individual stress responses tend to cluster and form a repeated pattern – and form a repeated pattern – sleeplessness, upset stomach, isolating, sleeplessness, upset stomach, isolating, etc.etc.

The greater or lengthier (intensity or The greater or lengthier (intensity or duration) the stress, and the less likely duration) the stress, and the less likely that relief is nearby, the more likely that that relief is nearby, the more likely that responses will broaden beyond those of responses will broaden beyond those of which we are most often aware.which we are most often aware.

Positive versus Negative StressPositive versus Negative Stress Positive stressPositive stress

• Feelings of excitement Feelings of excitement & anticipation& anticipation

• Creativity is heightenedCreativity is heightened• Coping skills learned Coping skills learned

and adapted quicklyand adapted quickly• Ability to process Ability to process

information rapidly information rapidly increasesincreases

• Perception narrows, Perception narrows, concentration increasesconcentration increases

• Heightened physical Heightened physical staminastamina

• Bonding increasesBonding increases

Negative StressNegative Stress• Feelings of anxiety and Feelings of anxiety and

uncertaintyuncertainty• Creativity is stuntedCreativity is stunted• Coping skills are Coping skills are

overwhelmedoverwhelmed• Ability to process Ability to process

information is stuntedinformation is stunted• Perception narrowsPerception narrows• Easily distracted by Easily distracted by

surrounding stimulisurrounding stimuli• Somatic symptomsSomatic symptoms• Conflict and blaming Conflict and blaming

occuroccur

Other Factors that Influence StressOther Factors that Influence Stress

Personal resilience – healthy Personal resilience – healthy detachmentdetachment

Perception of threat or challengePerception of threat or challenge Compounding eventsCompounding events Cumulative stimuliCumulative stimuli Historical similaritiesHistorical similarities Thoughts and imagesThoughts and images

Stress and the Crisis Stress and the Crisis Counseling RoleCounseling Role

Stress Vulnerabilities of Crisis Stress Vulnerabilities of Crisis CounselingCounseling

Cumulative stress from repeatedly hearing the Cumulative stress from repeatedly hearing the stories of victims, survivors, bystanders, and stories of victims, survivors, bystanders, and others.others.

Chronic stress from approaching strangers whose Chronic stress from approaching strangers whose responses to the offer of help cannot be responses to the offer of help cannot be anticipated.anticipated.

Feeling overwhelmed by the depth of others’ grief Feeling overwhelmed by the depth of others’ grief and sadness.and sadness.

Over-identification with the consumer.Over-identification with the consumer. Feeling helpless to take the pain of loss away.Feeling helpless to take the pain of loss away. Uncertainty about whether or how talking helps.Uncertainty about whether or how talking helps. Disturbing images from the stories people share.Disturbing images from the stories people share.

How Do You Know You Are in How Do You Know You Are in Trouble?Trouble?

You start providing concrete You start providing concrete services.services.

You can’t shake the images from You can’t shake the images from your mind.your mind.

You work increasingly long hours.You work increasingly long hours. Work becomes more important than Work becomes more important than

family and friends.family and friends. You feel angry at “the system.”You feel angry at “the system.” You are irritable and impatient.You are irritable and impatient.

Coping with StressCoping with StressDeveloping a personal Stress Management ProgramDeveloping a personal Stress Management Program

Self-awareness and self-monitoringSelf-awareness and self-monitoring

A balanced lifestyleA balanced lifestyle

Nutrition, exercise and restNutrition, exercise and rest

Self-MonitoringSelf-Monitoring What combination of symptoms do I seem What combination of symptoms do I seem

to experience habitually when under to experience habitually when under stress?stress?

How do my thoughts, attitudes, and How do my thoughts, attitudes, and reactions seem to change under stress?reactions seem to change under stress?

How long a period of time can I work under How long a period of time can I work under stress before my performance begins to stress before my performance begins to suffer?suffer?

How do I develop a conscious awareness How do I develop a conscious awareness of how I am thinking, feeling, reacting, and of how I am thinking, feeling, reacting, and functioning under stress?functioning under stress?

A Balanced LifestyleA Balanced LifestyleEach day we need to:Each day we need to:

Engage in productive activityEngage in productive activity

Address our spiritual needsAddress our spiritual needs

Seek intellectual challengeSeek intellectual challenge

PlayPlay

Productive ActivityProductive Activity

Productive activity can encompass paid Productive activity can encompass paid employment, volunteerism, hobbies, employment, volunteerism, hobbies, etc.etc.

We derive a sense of accomplishment We derive a sense of accomplishment from the tasks performedfrom the tasks performed

We derive a sense of contribution or We derive a sense of contribution or completion from the activitycompletion from the activity

Spiritual NeedsSpiritual Needs

Spiritual activities feed the soul and Spiritual activities feed the soul and are often contained in daily rituals or are often contained in daily rituals or comfort routines.comfort routines.

They can encompass meditation, They can encompass meditation, prayer, poetry, formal religious prayer, poetry, formal religious services, a 12 step meeting, etc.services, a 12 step meeting, etc.

They can be the “wow” of a sunrise, They can be the “wow” of a sunrise, the calm of a warm bath, or the the calm of a warm bath, or the wisdom of a child’s observation.wisdom of a child’s observation.

Intellectual ChallengeIntellectual Challenge

Intellectual challenge opens us up to Intellectual challenge opens us up to new ideas and perspectives – new new ideas and perspectives – new approaches to familiar problems.approaches to familiar problems.

Intellectual challenge encompasses Intellectual challenge encompasses learning something new each day, learning something new each day, gaining mastery over a new skill, or gaining mastery over a new skill, or exercising our minds beyond what exercising our minds beyond what we commonly experience in our daily we commonly experience in our daily routines.routines.

PlayPlay

Leisure is to be engaged in an Leisure is to be engaged in an activity in which the process is more activity in which the process is more important than the product.important than the product.

In leisure, we lose ourselves and our In leisure, we lose ourselves and our concerns.concerns.

In play, we celebrate the child in all In play, we celebrate the child in all of us.of us.

Additional ConsiderationsAdditional Considerations

NutritionNutrition

ExerciseExercise

RestRest

NutritionNutritionStress Suppresses the Immune SystemStress Suppresses the Immune System

Avoid fat, sugar, caffeine, nicotine, Avoid fat, sugar, caffeine, nicotine, and alcohol.and alcohol.

Eat many small meals rather than Eat many small meals rather than one or two big ones.one or two big ones.

Increase the intake of fruit, Increase the intake of fruit, vegetables, and whole grain foods.vegetables, and whole grain foods.

Carry healthy snacks – fresh fruit, Carry healthy snacks – fresh fruit, nuts, granola, trail mix.nuts, granola, trail mix.

Drink lots of water.Drink lots of water.

ExerciseExercise

Exercise depletes the bio-chemicals Exercise depletes the bio-chemicals produced under stress.produced under stress.

Exercise can also serve as a form of Exercise can also serve as a form of meditation.meditation.

Exercise increases mental acuity.Exercise increases mental acuity.

RestRest

Rest counteracts the depression that Rest counteracts the depression that follows the “adrenalin rush,” follows the “adrenalin rush,” especially if the rush has been especially if the rush has been sustained over several days.sustained over several days.

Can’t sleep? Resting quietly can still Can’t sleep? Resting quietly can still be an effective alternative.be an effective alternative.

Develop relaxation routines if sleep is Develop relaxation routines if sleep is difficult.difficult.

Strategies to Counteract StressStrategies to Counteract Stress Realistic expectation – help versus responsibility.Realistic expectation – help versus responsibility. Buddy systemsBuddy systems Maintain fundamental priorities – self, family, and Maintain fundamental priorities – self, family, and

friends first.friends first. Stay within established work hours.Stay within established work hours. Discuss concerns with supervisorsDiscuss concerns with supervisors Participate fully in stress management related Participate fully in stress management related

activities in staff meetings and training events.activities in staff meetings and training events. Be clear with family and friends about what you Be clear with family and friends about what you

are comfortable discussing about your work.are comfortable discussing about your work. Practice a personal stress management program Practice a personal stress management program

daily.daily.