Category:

Stress Management (Brehm)

Student Course Evaluation Form

We constantly strive to improve the quality and usefulness of our Internet study courses toward your continuing education. We ask that you fill out this questionnaire as part of the course assignment. This will allow us to monitor the quality of our program and make it responsive to your needs.

Information

Please provide the following contact information:

  • Category: Stress Management (Brehm)
  • Evaluation of the learning experiences provided by the Internet study course completed: (Check one letter: A = Excellent, B = Good, C = Fair, D = Unsatisfactory)
  • 6. Your assessment of course content:
  • hours
  • Are there other subjects areas that would interest you.

Learning Objectives

After completing the course, you’ll be able to:

Chapter 1: What is Stress?

  1. Describe the stress cycle.
  2. Explain the body-mind interaction to stress.
  3. Define and give examples of direct and palliative coping techniques.
  4. Describe components of wellness and how wellness relates to stress.
  5. Discuss how stress management can affect college students.
  6. Give examples of a specific stressor and a coping response.
  7. Explain the Yerkes-Dodson law.
  8. Complete a personal stress cycle diagram.

Chapter 2: The Fight or Flight Response: Survival of the Most Stressed?

  1. Describe the fight-or-flight response in terms of the nervous and endocrine system.
  2. Describe several physiological reactions to stress: specifically from the
    1. sympathetic nervous system
    2. autonomic nervous system
    3. reticular formation, and
    4. adrenal medulla
  3. Discuss the helpful and harmful impact of the fight or flight response on the cardiovascular and digestive systems.
  4. Explain the General Adaptation Syndrome.
  5. Define key organs and systems involved in physical stress responses.

Chapter 3: Stress and Health

  1. Describe the ways stress affects the cardiovascular system.
  2. Explain how stress may lead to various illnesses.
  3. Give examples of stress-related musculoskeletal problems.
  4. Describe how stress interrelates with the immune system.
  5. Discuss the Type A behavior pattern.

Chapter 4: Stress and Your Life

  1. Measure personal stress events and abilities to cope using various assessments.
  2. Develop and complete a detailed personal stress log.
  3. Develop and implement a stress management action plan.

Chapter 5: Coping Strategies and Problem Solving

  1. Describe several common strategies for coping with stress and their respective benefit and uses.
  2. Explain Lazarus and Folkman’s model of stress and coping.
  3. Define problem orientation.
  4. Describe the key steps in an effective problem-solving process.

Chapter 6: Time Management Part I.- Clarifying Values, Making Decisions and Setting Goals

  1. Describe steps in the decision-making process.
  2. Outline an action plan for achieving goals.
  3. Define spiritual health in terms of clarifying values.

Chapter 7: Time Management Part 2: Organization, Study Skills and Confronting Procrastination

  1. Develop a semester plan for schoolwork.
  2. Identify obstacles to organization.
  3. Describe effective methods for reducing procrastination and obstacles to organization.
  4. Complete an action plan for using study skills.

Chapter 8: Communication Skills

  1. Describe the three communication styles and their respective strengths and weaknesses.
  2. Explain how communication influences stress.
  3. List the steps needed for assertive communication.
  4. Practice active listening.

Chapter 9: Nutrition, Health and Stress

  1. Describe the blood glucose regulation cycle.
  2. Explain and list the basics of good nutrition.
  3. List ways to improve dietary habits.
  4. Discuss and give examples of how food, body image, society and stress are interrelated.
  5. Outline the Food Pyramid.

Chapter 10: Physical Activity and Stress Resistance

  1. Describe three direct ways that exercise increases stress resistance.
  2. Explain the role of hormones in exercise and stress reduction.
  3. List and explain recommendations for how often to do what types of exercise.
  4. Design an exercise program to meet basic health and fitness needs.

Chapter 11: The Pleasure Principle

  1. Cite examples of how each of the five senses bring pleasure and reduce stress.
  2. Explain why optimism, humor and laughter are buffers against stress.
  3. List several external events that can contribute to stress resistance.
  4. Name two stress-reducing activities that increase mindfulness.

Chapter 12: Stress? It Depends on your Point of View

  1. Explain where self-talk comes from and describe its positive and negative influences.
  2. Define “awfulizing,” “selective abstraction” and “cognitive restructuring.”
  3. Give an example of an irrational belief and ways to question and change that belief.
  4. Develop an action plan for stress reduction through cognitive intervention.

Chapter 13: Self-esteem

  1. Define self-esteem and self-concept.
  2. Describe several steps to improving self-esteem.
  3. Explain how to change irrational beliefs.
  4. Explain the relationship between self-esteem and stress management.

Chapter 14: Hardiness Revisited

  1. Explain how Type A behaviors impact stress and health.
  2. Describe the three elements of hardiness.
  3. Discuss ways to change Type A behavior and to reduce hostility.
  4. Give examples of applying hardiness training to increase stress resistance.

Chapter 15: Relaxation Techniques: Decreasing your Physical Stress Reactivity and Increasing Self- Awareness

  1. Describe five guidelines for practicing relaxation.
  2. Experience and complete three exercises for relaxation.
  3. Explain how physical activity improves the relaxation response.
  4. Give examples of three mindfulness and breathing activities.

Chapter 16: Meditation and Visualization: It’s the thought that counts

  1. Explain why meditation is a useful stress reduction technique.
  2. Describe four basics of meditation.
  3. Define and describe three types of visualization exercises.
  4. Give examples of positive self-talk.

To assess the effectiveness of the course material, we ask that you evaluate your achievement of each learning objective on a scale of A to D (A=excellent, B=good, C=fair, D=unsatisfactory). Please indicate your responses next to each learning objective and return it to us with your completed exam.

Table of Contents

Detailed Contents

Section I The Nature of Stress

Chapter 1
What Is Stress?

  • The Stress Cycle
  • Coping
  • Health Behavior and Environmental Influences: The Context of Stress
    • STUDENT STRESS: ANCELA’S STRESS CYCLE
      STRESS AND YOU: YOUR STRESS CYCLE
  • Is Stress a Bad Thing?
    • STRESS RESEARCH: YERKES AND DODSON: A QUESTION OF BALANCE
  • What Is Stress Management?
  • What Stress Management Is Not
  • Wellness and Stress Management
  • Summary
  • References

Chapter 2
The Fight-or-Flight Response: Survival of the Most Stressed?

  • Fight or Flight?
  • The Nervous System
  • Brain Physiology: The Body/Mind Connection
  • The Endocrine System: Raging Hormones
    • What a Rush: Hormones of the Adrenal Medulla
    • Stressed Out: Hormones of the Adrenal Cortex
    • Nervous Energy: Thyroid Hormones
    • Under Pressure: Antidiuretic Hormone
    • Summary: Nervous and Endocrine Systems
    • STRESS RESEARCH: HANS SELYE: STRESS – A RESPONSE
  • Fight or Flight: The Cardiovascular System Responds
  • The Skeletal Muscles: Ready to Spring
    • STUDENT STRESS: CORY’S FIGHT-OR-FLIGHT RESPONSE
  • The Digestive System: Put on Hold
    • STRESS AND YOU: FIGHT OR FLIGHT? OR SIT AND STEW? YOUR EXPERIENCE WITH THE FIGHT-OR-FLIGHT RESPONSE
  • Summary
  • References

Chapter 3
Stress and Health

  • Can Stress Cause Illness?
    • STUDENT STRESS: TAMARA’S STRESS- RESISTANT COPING
  • The Cardiovascular System: Heart at Work
    • Artery Disease
    • Changes in Blood Chemistry
      • Blood Lipids
      • Hemoconcentration and Clotting
      • Blood Sugar Levels
    • Increased Blood Pressure
    • Arterial Injury and Spasm
    • Irregular Heartbeat
    • Changes in Health Behavior
  • Stress, Personality, and Cardiovascular Disease
    • STRESS RESEARCH: FRIEDMAN AND ROSENMAN: PERSONALITY AND STRESS TYPE A BEHAVIOR PATTERN
    • Summary: Stress and Cardiovascular Health
  • The Digestive System: Your Gut Response
    • Stress and the Digestive System
    • Gum Disease
    • Esophageal Spasms
    • Ulcers
    • Nervous Stomach and Nausea
    • Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Chronic Constipation, and Chronic Diarrhea
    • Inflammatory Bowel Disease
    • Health Behavior and the Digestive System
    • Summary: Stress and the Digestive System
  • The Musculoskeletal System: Stress Is a Pain in the Neck
    • Headache
    • Temporomandibular joint (TMJ) Syndrome
    • Back, Neck, and Shoulder Pain
    • Stress and Injury
    • Summary: Stress and Musculoskeletal Problems
  • Stress and the Immune System: The Wall Comes Tumbling Down
    • Psychoneuroimmunology
    • Respiratory Infections
    • Herpes
    • Allergies and Autoimmune Disorders
    • Cancer
    • Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)
    • Summary: Stress and the Immune System
  • Stress and Mental Health
    • Where Does Stress End and Mental Illness Begin?
    • Depression
    • Anxiety and Phobias
    • Addiction
    • Summary: Stress and Mental Health
    • STRESS AND YOU: STRESS AND YOUR HEALTH
    • STUDENT STRESS: JIM’S STRESS SYMPTOMS
  • Stress and Health: A Few More Thoughts
  • Summary
  • References

Chapter 4
Stress and Your Life

  • Sources of Stress: Life Events
    • STRESS AND YOU: SELF-ASSESSMENT SURVEY
    • STRESS AND YOU: SOCIAL READJUSTMENT RATING SCALE
    • STRESS AND YOU: COLLEGE SCHEDULE OF RECENT EXPERIENCE
  • Thinking about Your Life Events
  • Hardiness
    • STRESS AND YOU: HARDINESS SLLF-ASSESSMENT
  • Stress and Wellness
  • Relaxation and Adaptive Coping
  • Using Pleasurable Experiences to Cope
    • STRESS AND YOU: THE ARDELL WELLNESS STRESS TEST
    • STRESS AND YOU: TWENTY PLEASURES
  • Developing a Deeper Understanding of Your Personal Stress Cycle with a Stress Log
    • STRESS AND YOU: STRESS LOG
  • On Your Mark, Get Set … Designing a Stress Management Action Plan
    • STRESS AND YOU: EVALUATING YOUR STRESS LOG
    • ACTION PLAN: STRESS MANAGEMENT ACTION PLAN
    • STUDENT STRESS: STEVE’S STRESS MANAGEMENT ACTION PLAN
  • Creating a Successful Action Plan
  • Summary
  • References

Section II Direct Coping: Changing the Sources of Stress

Chapter 5
Coping Strategies and Problem Solving

  • How Do You Cope with Stress?
    • STRESS AND YOU: COPING STRATEGIES WORKSHEET
  • Problem Solving: Coping Strategy of Choice
    • STRESS RESEARCH: RICHARD LAZARUS: THE COMPLEX NATURE OF STRESS
  • Problem Solving, Stress Management, and Stress Resistance
  • Improving Your Problem Solving Ability: Problem Orientation
  • Negative Problem Orientation
    1. Having a Tendency to Blame Yourself for the Problem
  • STUDENT STRESS: JASON’S PROBLEMS
    1. Seeing Problems as Threatening
    2. Having Little Faith in the Problem-solving Process
    3. Needing Instant Answers and Solutions
  • Summary
  • Positive Problem Orientation
    1. See Problems as a Fact of Life
    2. Develop an Ability to See Problems as Challenges
    3. Strengthen Your Belief in Your Ability to Solve Problems
    4. Understand and Accept the Fact That Solving Problems Takes Time and Effort
  • The Problem-Solving Process
    1. Define the Problem
    2. Brainstorm Possible Solutions
    3. Evaluate Your Options and Select Your Solutions
    4. Implement and Then Evaluate Your Solutions
      STRESS AND YOU: PROBLEM -SOLVING WORKSHEETS
  • Serenity, Courage, and Wisdom
  • Summary
  • References

Chapter 6
Time Management Part 1: Clarifqing Values, Making Decisions, and Setting Goals

  • Time Management versus Efficiency
  • Charting Your Course: Why Time Management Is about Clarifying Values, Making Decisions, and Setting Goals
  • Values Clarification
  • Values and Stress
  • No Values and Stress
  • Values Clarification Increases Your Stress Resistance
    • Clarification and Control
    • Clarification and Commitment
  • Goal Setting and Values Clarification: Where Do You Want to Go and How Do You Like to Travel? Spirituality: A Search for Meaning
    • STUDENT STRESS: JOAN’S VALUES CLARIFICATION
  • Nurturing Your Spirituality and Clarifying Your Values
  • Making Decisions
    • Habit
    • Others’ Demands
    • Impulse
    • Taking the First or Easiest Alternative
    • Conscious Decision
    • STRESS AND YOU: CAREER VALUES CLARIFICATION
  • Time Management: Setting Your Goals
    • STRESS AND YOU: TIME MANAGEMENT: SETTING YOUR GOALS
    • EXERCISE: ACHIEVING GOALS WITH AN ACTION PLAN
  • Who Knows Where the Time Goes?
  • Will Time Management Solve All Your Problems?
    • STUDENT STRESS: ANDREW’S TIME LOG
    • STRESS AND YOU: KEEPING A TIME LOG: HOW DO YOU SPEND YOUR TIME?
  • Summary
  • References

Chapter 7
Time Management Part 2: Organization, Study Skills, and Confronting Procrastination

  • Organize Your Time: Making Time with Realistic Scheduling
    • Why Schedule?
    • Why Lists Don’t Work
    • The Art of Creating Realistic Daily Schedules That Highlight Priorities
    • Too Much to Do?
    • Make Time to Plan
  • Schedule Around Prime Time: Go with Your Flow
    • Internal Prime Time
    • External Prime Time
  • Make a Semester Plan
  • Organize Big Assignments
  • Scheduling Example: Term Paper
    • ACTION PLAN: SCHEDULING AN UPCOMING ASSIGNMENT
  • Additional Helpful Hints for Reducing Stress with Better Organization of Your Time
    • STRESS AND YOU: HOW ORGANIZED ARE YOU?
  • Obstacles to Organization
    • Habit
    • Resistance to Structure
    • Procrastination
  • Organize Your Environment: Reduce Stress by Reducing Daily Hassles
    • Create a Stress-Free Home Environment
    • Create a Productive Work Environment
    • Get Support
    • STRESS RESEARCH: KANNER ETAL.: DAILY HASSLES AND UPLIFTS
  • Study Skills
    • Create Productive Work and Study Habits
    • Learn to Concentrate
    • Schedule Uninterrupted Time
    • Go with Your Flow
    • Student Behavior
      • Attend Class and Take Notes
      • Stay Involved in Class
      • Do Your Homework
      • Talk to Your Professors
    • Reading and Studying
    • Preparing for Exams, Taking Exams, and Scheduling Your Work: The 80/20 Rule Revisited
    • Get Help: Take Advantage of Campus Resources
  • Confronting Procrastination
    • Procrastination Can Be a Good Idea
    • Listen to Your Self-Talk and Question Irrational Beliefs
    • Confront Procrastination
    • Break the Procrastination Habit
    • ACTION PLAN: GOALS AND ACTION PLAN FOR ORGANIZATION, STUDY SKILLS AND PROCRASTINATION
    • STUDENT STRESS: ROB’S ACTION PLAN
  • Summary
  • References

Chapter 8
Communication Skills

  • Communication and Stress
  • Authentic Relationships and Social Support
  • Direct Coping
  • Problem Solving and Time Management
  • Good Communication Promotes Healthy Emotions
  • Communicate to Relate
  • Your Childhood: Early Lessons in Communication
  • Effective Communication Starts with Listening
  • Receiving Messages: Stop, Look, and Listen
  • Effective Listening
  • Active Listening
  • Active Listening Helps Both Speaker and Listener
  • Active Listening for Clarification
  • Listening with an Open Mind
  • Effective Listening Improves Communication with Children
  • EXERCISE: PRACTICE EFFECTIVE LISTENING
  • Express Yourself. Sharing Your Thoughts and Feelings
  • Emotional Intimacy: Make a Connection
  • Seeking Social Support: Gender Differences
  • Coping With Conflict: Assertive Self-Expression
  • Communication Styles: Passive, Aggressive, and Assertive
  • Communication Style and Underlying Beliefs
  • STRESS AND YOU: STRESS AND YOUR COMMUNICATION STYLE
  • Assertiveness Training
  • 1. Define Your Rights and Goals
  • 2. Set the Scene
  • 3. Define the- Problem and Express Your Request
  • 4. Use Assertive Body Language
  • STUDENT STRESS: KARA’S ASSERTIVE RESPONSE
  • 5. Use Effective Listening to Reinforce Your Request and Find a Solution
  • Negotiating a Solution
  • Communicating with Aggressive People
  • Use Active Listening
  • Stay Focused
  • Postpone Discussion
  • Try the Broken Record Technique
  • Family Communication Problems
  • ACTION PLAN: COMMUNICATION GOAL SETTING AND ACTION PLAN
  • STUDENT STRESS: ABIGAIL’S COMMUNICATION SKILLS ACTION PLAN
  • Summary
  • References

Section III Lifestyle and Stress Resistance

Chapter 9
Nutrition, Health, and Stress

  • Nutrition and Stress: Running on Empty
  • Stress, Health, and the American Diet
    • STUDENT STRESS: ARTHUR’S EATING HABITS
  • Nutrition Basics
    • Carbohydrate, Protein, and Lipids: Dietary Sources of Energy
    • Vitamins, Minerals, and Water: Essential for Health and Stress Resistance
  • Food and Energy: The Role of Blood Sugar
    • Eat Regularly
    • Include Protein Foods at Every Meal
    • Avoid Sugar Overload
    • What about Breakfast?
  • Food and Mood: The Role of Neurotransmitters
  • Good Nutrition for Stress Resistance and Health
    • Eat More Fruits, Vegetables, and Grains
    • Keep an Eye on Fat and Sugar
    • Keep an Eye on Salt Intake
    • Drink Plenty of Fluids
    • Limit Caffeine
    • Limit Alcohol
  • Do You Need More Vitamins and Minerals When You Are Under Stress?
  • Eating in Response to Stress: Feeding the Hungry Heart
  • Body Fat, Weight Control, and Health
    • Is Obesity Really a Problem?
    • How Fat is too Fat?
      • Body Composition
      • Location of Fat Stores
      • Medical History and Family Medical History
      • Age
    • Focus on Fitness, not Fatness
    • Compulsive Dieting and Disordered Eating
    • STRESS RESEARCH: JEAN KILBOURNE: FOOD, BODY IMAGE, AND STRESS -THE ROLE OF THE MEDIA
    • STRESS AND YOU: DISORDERED EATING BEHAVIOR
  • Eat, Drink, and Be Merry
  • Improving Your Diet
    • Assess Your Current Eating Habits
    • Make a Plan
    • ACTION PLAN: NUTRITION PLAN FOR STRESS RESISTANCE AND HEALTH
  • Summary
  • References

Chapter 10
Physical Activity and Stress Resistance

  • Physical Activity, Exercise, and Stress
    • Physiological Effects: Fight, Flight, or Exercise
    • Exercise High: Endorphins, Hormones, and Neurotransmitters
    • Post-Workout Muscle Tone: Relaxation
    • Rhythmic Exercise: Relaxed Brain Waves
    • Decreased Physical Response to Stress
    • Exercise Health Benefits Counterbalance Negative Stress Effects
    • Mind Games
  • Exercise Benefits
    • Aerobic Exercise
    • Resistance Training
    • Stretching
  • How Much Is Enough?
  • Basic Health-Fitness Exercise Recommendations
  • Every Activity Counts
  • Play It Safe: Prevent Injury
    • Start Slowly
    • Progress Slowly
    • Warm Up and Cool Down
    • Make Time to Stretch
    • Recognize Warning Signs
    • Don’t Ignore Pain
    • Invest in Good Footwear and Safety Equipment
  • Staying with It
    • Take the “Work” Out of Your Workouts
    • STRESS AND YOU: WHAT PHYSICAL ACTIVITIES ARE RIGHT FOR YOU?
    • Anticipate Setbacks and Plan for Recovery
    • Make Your Health a Priority
    • Use the 80/20 Rule
    • Keep Expectations Positive but Realistic
    • ACTION PLAN: DESIGNING A PERSONALIZED EXERCISE PROGRAM
    • STUDENT STRESS: FIONA’S ACTION PLAN
  • Summary
  • References

Chapter 11
The Pleasure Principle

  • Feeling Good: The Psychophysiology of Pleasure
  • Feeling Pleasure or Killing Pain?
  • What Is Addiction?
    • STRESS AND YOU: ADDICTION SELF-ASSESSMENT
  • Use, Abuse, or Addiction?
  • Addiction: Avoiding Life
  • Healthy Pleasure
    • STRESS AND YOU: TWENTY PLEASURES
  • Sensation-Seeking Redefined
    • Touch
    • Sight
    • Sound
    • Smell
    • Taste
  • Accepting Pleasure
  • Cultivate Your Sense of Humor
    • STRESS RESEARCH: NORMAN COUSINS: THE BIOLOGY OF HOPE
  • Helper’s High
  • Recreation
  • A Good Night’s Sleep
    • Insomnia
    • Sleep Therapy
    • The Sleep Environment
    • Healthy Sleep Habits
    • What about Napping?
  • Creatures Great and Small
  • Islands of Peace
  • Mindfulness
  • Expressive Writing Enhances Mindfulness and Relieves Stress
    • RELAXATION EXERCISE: MINDFUL AWARENESS
    • RELAXATION EXERCISE: EATING AWARENESS
    • ACTION PLAN: INCREASING HEALTHY PLEASURES AND DAILY ENJOYMENT
    • STUDENT STRESS: MEGHAN’S HEALTHY PLEASURES
    • STRESS AND YOU: APPRECIATION OF PLEASURES
  • Summary
  • References

Section IV Changing Your Perception of Stress

Chapter 12
Stress? It Depends on Your Point of View

  • Perception and the Nature of Reality
  • Perception and Stress
    • STUDENT STRESS: CLASSMATES’ PERCEPTIONS
  • Perception and Stress Resistance
  • Reality Check: Avoid Making Mountains Out of Molehills
  • Selective Abstraction: What You Seek You Shall Find
  • Habitual Perception: Your Automatic Pilot
    • STRESS AND YOU: TUNING IN: CONNECTING EVENTS AND EMOTIONS
  • Tuning In Takes Plenty of Practice
  • Rewriting the Script
  • Cognitive Restructuring for Students: Exam Self-Talk
    • EXERCISE: REWRITING SANDRA’S SCRIPT
    • STRESS AND YOU: PART TWO: REVISING YOUR THOUGHTS AND FEELINGS
  • Thought Stopping
  • Reaching Deeper: Irrational Beliefs
    • EXERCISE: REWRITING EXAM SELF-TALK
    • STUDENT STRESS: ANNA’S IRRATIONAL BELIEFS
    • EXERCISE: REWRITING ANNA’S SCRIPT
  • Challenging Irrational Beliefs
  • Optimism and Stress Resistance: What You See Is What You Get
    • EXERCISE: CHANGING IRRATIONAL BELIEFS
    • ACTION PLAN: USING COGNITIVE INTERVENTION TO REDUCE STRESS
    • STUDENT STRESS: MICHAEL’S ACTION PLAN
  • Summary
  • References

Chapter 13
Self- Esteem

  • Self-Concept and Self-Esteem
  • Self-Esteem and Your Perception of Stress
  • Self-Esteem, Coping Ability, and Stress
  • Self-Esteem and Stress Resistance
    • EXERCISE: SELF-ESTEEM VISUALIZATION
  • The Basis of Self-Esteem: You Are Special
    • STRESS AND YOU: SELF-ESTEEM SELF-ASSESSMENT
  • Where Does Self-Esteem Come From?
  • Improving Your Self-Esteem
    1. Challenge Critical Self-Talk
      STUDENT STRESS: EVA N’S SELF- ESTEEM
    2. Change Irrational Beliefs
    3. Eliminate Cognitive Distortion
    4. Be Wary of Comparison
    5. Polish Up Your Self-Image
    6. Cultivate an Optimistic Self-Regard
    7. Set and Achieve Goals
      STRESS AND YOU: POSITIVE SELF-IMAGE WORKSHEET
    8. View Mistakes as Lessons That Further Self-Development
    9. Strengthen Your Social Support Network
    10. Develop Inner Peace and Self-Acceptance
      EXERCISE: YOUR SOCIAL SUPPORT NETWORK
    11. Take Good Care of Yourself
      ACTION PLAN: ENHANCING SELF-ESTEEM
  • Summary
  • References

Chapter 14
Hardiness Revisited

  • Personality Differences and Stress Resistance
  • Personality and Artery Disease: Type A Behavior
    • STUDENT STRESS: RITA’S STRESS RESISTANCE
  • The Type A Outlook: Cognitive Distortion
    • EXERCISE: COGNITIVE RESTRUCTURING FOR TYPE A BELIEFS
  • Are We a Type A Society?
  • Hostility: The Heartbreak Trait
  • Is Type A Okay?
  • STRESS AND YOU: HOSTILITY SCALE
  • Hardiness: The Answer for High-Stress Times?
    • STRESS AND YOU: HARDINESS SELF-ASSESSMENT
  • Does Hardiness Keep You Healthy?
    • STRESS RESEARCH: SUZANNE KOBASA: A FOCUS ON THE POSITIVE
  • How Does Hardiness Work?
    • Hardy People Have an Optimistic Point of View
    • Hardiness May Decrease the Physical Strain of Stress
    • Hardy People Cope More Effectively with Stress
    • Hardy People May Have Better Health Habits
  • Personality and Environment: Looking for the Right Fit
  • Other Variables That Increase Stress Resistance
    • Exercise
    • Self-Esteem
    • Optimism
    • Social Support
    • Spiritual Health
    • Tolerance for Ambiguity
  • Stress Resistance: Variation on the Self-Actualization Theme
  • Where Does Stress Resistance Come From?
  • How Can You Increase Your Stress Resistance?
    • Changing Type A Behavior
    • Reducing Hostility: The Trusting Heart
    • Hardiness Training
    • ACTION PLAN: STRESS RESISTANCE GOAL SETTING AND ACTION PLAN
    • STUDENT STRESS: AMY’S STRESS RESISTANCE ACTION PLAN
  • Summary
  • References

Section V Changing Your Stress Response

Chapter 15
Relaxation Techniques: Decreasing Your Physical Stress Reactivity and Increasing Self-Awareness

  • The Relaxation Response
    • STUDENT STRESS: STEPHEN’S INSOMNIA
  • Who Needs Relaxation Techniques?
  • Getting Started: Which Techniques Are Best?
  • Guidelines for Practice
  • A Word about Relaxation Anxiety
  • Tuning In: Increasing Your Awareness of the Physical Signs of Stress
  • Progressive Relaxation
    • EXERCISE BODY SCAN
  • Tuning In and Mindfulness ]
  • Take a Deep Breath
    • EXERCISE: PROGRESSIVE RELAXATION
    • EXERCISE: PROGRESSIVE RELAXATION -SHORT VERSION
    • EXERCISE: COUNTING DOWN -VERY SHORT VERSION
    • EXERCISE: BREATHING AWARENESS
    • EXERCISE: ALTERNATE NOSTRIL BREATHING
  • Abdominal Breathing
    • EXERCISE: DEEP BREATHING
  • Physical Activity and the Relaxation Response
    • STUDENT STRESS: CARLA’S RELAXATION PRACTICE
  • Body Awareness May Increase Your Need for Fitness
  • Relaxation Through Body Work: Hatha Yoga
    • ACTION PLAN: RELAXATION PRACTICE
  • Summary
  • References

Chapter 16
Meditation and Visualization: It’s the Thought That Counts

  • Meditation Meets Science
  • The Psychophysiology of Meditation
  • Meditation Basics
    1. Quiet Environment
    2. A Comfortable Position
    3. A Mental Focus
    4. Physical Relaxation and Calm Breathing
    5. Passive Attitude
    6. Regular Practice
  • Just Sitting: Mindfulness Meditation
    • EXERCISE: THE RELAXATION RESPONSE
    • EXERCISE: SITTING
    • STUDENT STRESS: NINA’S MEDITATION PRACTICE
  • Visualization: Directing the Power of Meditation
    • STRESS RESEARCH: JON KABAT-ZINN: BEHAVIORAL MEDICINE
  • Any Suggestions? Hypnosis and Visualization
  • Autogenic Training: Do-It-Yourself Relaxation
    • EXERCISE: AUTOGENIC TRAINING
  • Fine-Tuning: Biofeedback for Relaxation and Healing
  • How Does Biofeedback Work?
  • Clinical Applications of Biofeedback
  • Creative Visualization
  • Guidelines for Visualization Practice
  • Effective Images
  • Visualization for Stress Management
  • Beyond Relaxation: Visualization for Success
    • EXERCISE: PLEASANT PLACE VISUALIZATION
  • Affirmations: Positive Self-Talk to Reinforce Your Visualization
    • EXERCISE: PRACTICING VISUALIZATION FOR SUCCESS
    • ACTION PLAN: MEDITATION AND VISUALIZATION
  • Summary
  • References

Glossary

Contact Us