KAPLAN

UNIVERSITY

HW410Stress:CriticalIssuesinManagementand

Stress Management
and Prevention Program
Resource Guide
Prevention

KAPLAN UNIVERSITY

Stress Management and Prevention Program

Resource Guide

By
Chelsea Long
Kaplan University
HW410: Stress: Critical Issues in Management and Prevention
Date of Assignment
4/3/16

Table of Contents
UNIT

THE

NATUR E

OF

S TR E S S

Information to Remember..................................................................P.3-8
Self-Assessment Exercises.........................................................................
Journal Writing...........................................................................................
UNIT

THE

P HYS IOLO GY

OF

S TR E S S

Information to Remember................................................................P.8-13
Self-Assessment Exercises.........................................................................
Journal Writing...........................................................................................
UNIT

P SYC HOLOGY

OF

S TR E S S

Information to Remember..............................................................P.13-22
Self-Assessment Exercises.........................................................................
Journal Writing...........................................................................................
UNIT

P ER S ONALI TY

TR AITS

AND

THE

HUM AN

S P IR ITUALI TY

Information to Remember..............................................................P.22-23
Self-Assessment Exercises.........................................................................
Journal Writing...........................................................................................
UNIT

DE ALING

WITH

S TR E S S :

C OP ING

S TR ATE GIE S

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

R E LAX ATIO N

TE C HIQUE S

1 :

B R E ATHIN G,

M E D I TATI O N ,

AND

ME NTAL

Information to Remember..............................................................P.24-29
Self-Assessment Exercises.........................................................................
Journal Writing...........................................................................................
UNIT

NUTR I TION

AND

S TR E S S

Information to Remember...................................................................P.30
Self-Assessment Exercises.........................................................................

IM AGE RY

UNIT

P HYS IC AL

EX E R C IS E

AND

AC TIV IT Y

Information to Remember..............................................................P.31-35

Self-Assessment Exercises.........................................................................
Journal Writing...........................................................................................
UNIT

YOUR

AP P LYIN G

S TR E S S :

P R OF E S S IONAL

C R ITIC AL

IS S UE S

F OR

M AN AGE M E NT

AND

P RE VE NTION

LIF E

Information to Remember..........................................................................
P.37
ADDI TION AL

INF OR M ATION

P.38
R E F E R E NC ES

P.38

Unit 1: The Nature of Stress

Information to Remember:
Key Learning Point: Stress is the experience of a perceived threat (real or imagined) to
ones mental, physical, or spiritual well-being, resulting from a series of physiological
responses and adaptations (Seaward, 2015). Many people find it hard to coping with there
personal and social changes throughout there life. There are many health concerns when
dealing with stress including death, heart disease, cancer, lung ailments, accidents and
even suicide. When illness and disease occur stress may be a common cause of it.

(Seaward, 2015).
Key Learning Point: There are three kinds of stress: eustress, neustress, and distress. Eustress is
the good kind of stress that can motivate a person to certain level of performance or health. For
example, meeting a famous athlete and star or even falling in love. Neustress is any kind of
information or sensory stimulus that is perceived as unimportant or inconsequential (Seaward,
2015). An example could be news of an tsunami in foreign country. Distress is that bad type of
stress by having a negative interpretation of an event that can have you feeling fearful or angry.

TO

For example, if you are speeding done the highway and you get pulled over by a pop and
ticketed this could make you mad and cause stress.
(Seaward, 2015).
Key Learning Point: Wellness paradigm is the integration, balance, and harmony of mental,
physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being through taking responsibility for ones own
health; posits that the whole is greater than the sum of the parts (Seaward, 2015). It is
important to keep a balance of all four components in order to deal with your stress
wellness productively. A common goal of the paradigm is to find your inner peace and the
ability balancing the four components is for your overall well-being.

(Seaward, 2015).

Self-Assessment Exercise:
I really enjoyed this self-assessment exercise I made my own mandala showing the importance to
balancing my wellness paradigm. A wellness paradigm is the integration, balance, and harmony of
mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being through taking responsibility for ones own
health; posits that the whole is greater than the sum of the parts (Seaward, 2015). My most
important component to me is my mental well-being. I also explained one environment that helps
keep my mental, physical, emotional and spiritual wellness balanced, which is my local gym.
(Seaward, 2015).

Journal Writing:
Situation
Not having enough time to spend with my
friends and family.
Finding time to balance three online classes and
doing homework.
Working a full-time factory job that requires
working 10 hours a day.
Struggle to stay active and keeping a regular
workout routine.
Stressing out about eating healthy and not
making unhealthy eating choices
Feeling like I waste time when Im not
constantly doing something.
When the house is a mess and it needs clean.
Planning and worrying about paying off my
debt.
Finding time to spend time with my boyfriend
so hes not feeling lonely.
Limited time to prepare my breakfast, lunch,
and dinner.

Start
8

Midw
ay
6

End
4

5
5

5
4

4
2

(Stahl & Goldstein, 2010).

Resources:
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.

2
Unit 2: The Physiology of Stress
Information to Remember:
Key Learning Point: Anatomy is the structure, composition, makeup, framework of the
human body. (Seaward, 2015).The anatomy and physiology is made-up has seven energy
sources systems that permeates the whole body. This is called the chakra system and the
seven sources are the root, sacral, solar pexus, heart, throat, bow, and crown. They all play
a part of consciousness for the certain area in which there located. (Seaward, 2015)
Key Learning Point: The main job of the immune system is to fight off infectious agents
such as bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites. It has been shown that emotional stress can
effect the immune. Feeling anger, fear and even stress can suppress the immune system by
triggering physiological responses. (Seaward, 2015)
Key Learning Point: Research has shown a strong relationship between stress and disease.
The United Stated has increased there numbers of people having many unwanted chronic
diseases. Stress is the main reason why people go to the hospital or seek other health care
professionals. (Seaward, 2015).

Self-Assessment Exercise:
For this assessment exercise we made another paradigm and explain the interconnection of the
tenets. Using the wellness paradigm is a great tool to help understand the different aspects of
your life understanding if is either helping or harming you in reaching your optimal wellness. By
writing down and understand all the factors that influences the mind, body, spirit and emotions
can help enhances the quality and quantity of someones life. Its important not to favor one
component more than the others this could lead to an imbalance and cause the wellness paradigm
not to work. Integration of all components and harmony play great role in the wellness paradigm.
(Seaward, 2015).

Journal Writing:
How is stress or anxiety about people affecting your life?
Other peoples stress does affect me personally. I can always tell a difference in myself when
one of my friends are venting to me about there personal problems. They come over to my house

an immediately I can feel a negative vibe from them. This vibe is contagious! By having all there
thoughts and emotions surrounded around there problems I believe it will only attract more of
those negative feelings.
When are conversation ends I feeling tired and exhausted mentally and physically by trying
to comfort them and agree to the understands of there problems. I unintentionally end up making
up my own problems to fit our choice of conversation. It seems like girls play off each other
when they are venting trying to find a similarity in there own personal life. By being around
others who are always stressed or have anxiety really does affect me mentally and physically.

How is stress or anxiety about work affecting your life?

I do have a little stress when it come to my work life. Trying to juggle a social and personal
life as well as going back to school can seem pretty overwhelming. I work ten hours a day at a
factory job which has me crunched for time. Im always being rushed to get my daily duties
finished on time before having to back to a long days of work. My biggest stress about work
really isnt about the work itself but the lack of time and energy that I cant have in other things
that I like to do. Things like homework, working out, and hanging out with my friends.

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

I don't have any stress or anxiety about the world that really affects me personally. I know
most issues and concerns that are occurring but I have no control over them. Others may have a
different opinion about this but I dont like or care to get involve in the media or any
governmental debates. I guess I just dont know enough about the worlds issues or problems to
become stressed out about them.

How is stress or anxiety about food and eating habits affecting your life?
I have a lot of anxiety and stress when it comes to my eating and food habits. I have
currently lost over seventy pounds within these past three years. My health and wellness is my
top concern. This has affected my social and personal life by always stressing out about wanting
to eat healthy and make smart choice, you kind of get obsessed with it. Often times my friends or
family wants hangout or go out to eat but I usually dont want to because of the pressure of
breaking my routine and health habits.

How is stress or anxiety about sleep and sleeplessness affecting your life?
Stress dealing with lack of sleep does affect me physically, especially since I work a hard
labored factory job. It is important for me to refuel and re-energize myself correctly so I can have
a successful day. Many times if I dont get enough sleep it leaves me feeling tired, wore out and
often times sad and depressed. I hate the feeling of been tired because I didnt manage my time
wisely.

How is stress or anxiety about exercise or lack of physical activity affecting your life?
Lack of physical activity stresses me out a lot. I do have personal goals that I want to
achieve and when I dont time or are not able to go workout it upsets me. I feel like Ill become
overweight again and all of the progress that I have made will not be there any more. When I
dont workout it affect me mentally by thinking that I have messed up my regular routine and
now have to start back to where I use to be.

Summary
In conclusion, I do have a wide range of different things that affect my stress levels. Stress
can affect my health by making me tired and depressed, It can even affect my mental state. Many
problems that affect my stress levels are having to deal with my health and fitness goals. Always
wanting to eat right and the lack of exercise that I experience when Im too busy. This can really
stress me out.. A few other things that stress me out are others are work and lack of sleep and
even other people who are stressed out. The only things that I dont really stress out and doesnt
have an affect on me is the worlds problems.

Resources:
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.

Psychology of Stress
Unit

3
Information to Remember:
Key Learning Point: When humans emotions tend to be unhealthy or have unsolved anger,
two options are available on an physiologic and emotional level; fight or flight which are
know as stress emotions. Anger and fear are the two primary stress emotion. The flight
response is anger and the flight response is fear. (Seaward, 2015).
Key Learning Point: Carl Gustav Jung was a theorist that researched that there is a level
tension and psychic tension between the conscious and unconscious minds. Through the
process of individuation he found that there was a continual soul searching that builds a
bridge of understanding between the conscious and unconscious minds (Seaward, 2015).
He believed that the unconscious mind work to resolve problems and issues that occur by
advocated self awareness through dream analysis. Also the conscious mind tends to ignore
the understanding the language of symbols that are presented in dreams.
(Seaward, 2015).
Key Learning Point: Spirituality is a broad concept with room for many perspectives. In
general, it includes a sense of connection to something bigger than ourselves, and it
typically involves a search for meaning in life (Taking Charge of Your Health &
Wellbeing, N.p).There are four pillars of human spirituality including,relationships
(internal and external), values, and a meaningful purpose. (Seaward, 2015).

Self-Assessment Exercise:
For this exercise we explained how stress and anger affects the body. It can cause a lot of
suffering in the long run with problems of attachment, expectations, and thought of fear. I also
provided ways to cope or deal with stress, including deep breathing, acceptance, problem
centering, and communication. (Seaward, 2015)

Journal Writing:
While doing my five- minute breathing practice I felt many different
feelings. Feeling that affected me mentally, emotionally, and physically. My
emotions seems very calm and relaxed which I havent felt this way in a long
time. For my mental state I was very focused on my breathing and how my
body was reacting to my inhalation and exhalations. I was mentally awake
by focusing on my breathing and fully aware of removing any distractions
and unwanted thoughts that surfaced. As for my physical feeling it felt like I
was in a hypnotized state. I could feel how heavy my eyelids were by being
closed. The pressure from my nose and chest as I was breathing. This
experience was an overall amazing feeling.
I really took the eight attitudes to heart and applied them as I meditated
through mindful breathing. By using the eight attitudes of being beginners
mind, non-judgment, acknowledgment, non striving, equanimity, letting go,
self-reliance and self-compassion it helped strengthen my practice greatly.
Using these attitudes can also channel in on a persons energy into the
healing process and growth. Each of these attitudes are interdependence;
each influences the others, and by cultivating one you enhance them all
(Stahl&Goldstein, 2010).

Resources:

Seaward, B. (2015). Managing stress: Principles and strategies for health

and well-being (8th ed.). Boston, MA: Jones and Bartlett Publishers.

Unit

4
Stahl, B. & Goldstein, E. (2010). A mindfulness-based stress reduction
workbook. Oakland, CA: New Harbinger Publications, Inc.
"What Is Spirituality? | Taking Charge of Your Health & Wellbeing." Taking
Charge of Your Health & Wellbeing. N.p., n.d. Web. 03 Apr. 2016.
<http://www.takingcharge.csh.umn.edu/enhance-yourwellbeing/purpose/spirituality/what-spirituality>.
.

Unit 4: Personality Traits and the Human Spirituality

Information to Remember:
Key Learning Point:The relationship between humans and environment has been known to
produce health consequences including overpopulation, global warming, and
overpopulation. This has caused not only stress in humans but planetary stress as well.
With population growing the amount of contamination and its affect on the environment
has produces many health risk including cancer and diseases.(Seaward, 2015)
Key Learning Point:Key Learning Point: Many people have experienced physical pain as
well as chronic pain. Chronic pain can may have a physical a cause and even be associated
with cognitive and emotional feelings such as anger, fear, grief of confusion. Mindfulness
meditation had been shown to be helpful with chronic pain (Kabat-Zinn et al. 1986)
Key Learning Point:There are three important steps of mindfulness to chronic pain. First is
investigating the feeling on how you hold pain and tension in the body. Second is working
with the emotions in physical pain. The third is and living in the present moment. By

adopting the attitude of mindfulness can allow you to experience these physical and
emotional sensations by allowing yourself to let them be without any judgment or
resistance. (Stahl& Goldstein)

Self-Assessment Exercise:
Self esteem was the main topic in this exercise. Self-esteem is the sense of underpinning selfvalues, self-acceptance, and self-love; thought to be a powerful buffer against perceived
threats (Seaward, 2013). Many factors can affects persons self esteem level by how they are
treated, how they are dressed, and even their behaviors. People with low self esteem may
portray codependency, helpless, or hopelessness qualities.
Values and relationships play an important role in spiritual evolution. Both values and
relationships go hand and hand. A persons value system is closely integrated with a
meaningful purpose in life. Roadblocks, setbacks and distractions such as stress can affect
relationship, values and meaningful purpose in life.
(Seaward, 2015).

Journal Writing:
FEAR: apprehension, anxiety, distress, edginess, jumpiness, nervousness, panic,
tenseness, uneasiness, worry, fright, feeling overwhelmed.
Start paragraph
All of these words bring give of a bad vibe to me. They portray bad
energy and send my body into an unconformable feeling. Seeing these
fearful words make me think of events in my life that were pretty scary. It
brings tension to my body and tends to get me of track mentally. For
example, if I have a lot of homework to do and I wait last minute to do it all
these feeling and emotions tend to set in. The pressure to get everything
done on time and pass. All of these unwanted feelings are caused by
something I could avoid but I still seem fall back into my procrastinating
ways.

CONFUSION: bewildered, uncertain, puzzled, mystified, perplexed, chaotic,

foggy, or unaware.
Start paragraph
Confusion come to mind when an unexpected event happens. For
example, world events, family deaths, or car accidents. These thought tend
to keep my mind running and always thinking why did that happen. Not
knowing why things happen the way they do will always keep me in
questions. Those thoughts wear me out by always thinking in my head about
past things and forgetting about the present moment.
ANGER: aggravation, agitation, annoyance, destructiveness, disgust, envy,
frustration, irritation, grouchiness, grumpiness, rage.
Start paragraph
I feeling angry every time something bad happens to me or doesnt go
the way Id like it to. I use the wrong way to deal with things and often
times take it out on other people like my boyfriend of family. Anger makes
my heart race and my body get filled up with energy that needs to be let off.
Sometimes if I become too angry I begin to cry because its the only way to
really release all of those emotions.

SADNESS: alienation, anguish, despair, disappointment, gloom, grief,

hopelessness, insecurity, loneliness, misery, unhappiness, rejection.
Start paragraph
When I think of sadness I feel like all my energy has been taken away
from me. These feeling of sadness usually always end up occurring when
someone doesnt treat me right or if someone passes way. Even times when
I feel like I could have made more of an effort in achieving something.
Arguments and disagreements made me have feeling of sadness I end up
thinking it was my fault and that I was the problem and begin to question
myself and say, I shouldnt have said that or I shouldn't have brought
that up. This makes me go into a depressed mode and everything tends to
go downhill from there.

SHAME: guilt, embarrassment, humiliation, invalidation, regret, remorse,

mortification.
Start paragraph
Feeling of shame happen when I get into an argument with my boyfriend
or family. It always worries me until the problem is fixed. I think that they
dont like me any more or things wont be the same as they use to.
Embarrassed by telling them how I really feel during an argument makes me
look down on myself by thinking I shouldnt feel that way. This effect my
emotional feeling makes me feel sad and unwanted.

LOVE: affection, arousal, attraction, caring, compassion, desire,

fondness, infatuation, kindness, liking, longing, warmth, sympathy,
sentimentality.
Start paragraph
The feeling of love is great! It warms my heart and does great things to my
emotions and body. Being liked and cared about sends good energy to my
mind and motivates me. When people show love to me it makes me want to
express it back. The best times are when we have family gathering around
that holidays. I get to see all of my family and appreciate the time I get to
share with them.
JOY: amusement, bliss, contentment, eagerness, elation, enjoyment, enthusiasm,
excitement, exhilaration, hope, optimism, pleasure, satisfaction.
Start paragraph
Joy happens when good things happens to me. These are great feelings to have that
motivate me to do better in life. I get excited to see my friends and family because I dont
get to see them often. I am joyful knowing that I am doing great in school and working
towards my goals. I have a great attitude and mindset when I have these emotions.

Summary
Fear, anger, confusion, sadness and shame are bad for my health and
bring unwanted feelings and emotions. While love and joy bring me good
feelings and my body seems to stay strong. There are many things that can
be affected by my thoughts, emotions, and feelings. My body can suffer as
well as my mind.

By becoming aware and understand the body scan process it can help me

Unit

deal with feelings with stress, anxiety, and physical pain. There are three
important steps that I will use to apply mindfulness into dealing with pain.
By first investigating pain and tension in the body, then working with the
emotions in physical pain, and finally living in the present moment. (Stahl,&
Goldstein, 2010)

Resources:
Seaward, B. (2015). Managing stress: Principles and strategies for health
and well-being (8th ed.). Boston, MA: Jones and Bartlett Publishers.
Stahl, Bob, and Elisha Goldstein. A Mindfulness-based Stress Reduction
Workbook. N.p.: n.p., n.d. Print.

Unit 5: Dealing with Stress: Coping Strategies

Information to Remember:
Key Learning Point: Using humor as a coping technique is just one of many ways that has
been proven to be beneficial. They are different types of humor including parody, satire,
slapstick, black humor, and absurd/nonsense humor. Using this way of comic relief can
decrease fear and anger and it provides emotional balance to a stress filled life. (Seaward,
2015)

Key Learning Point: Stress has many affects on the body including mental, physical, and
emotional problems. Muscle tension, and eventually, muscle atrophy due to disuse of the
body, all promote chronic, stress-related musculoskeletal conditions (American
Psychological Association). Stress can also make it hard to breathe and can even trigger
asthma attacks, hyperventilation, and panic attacks. Chronic stress or stress over a long
period of time can contribute to long term problems for the heart and blood vessels,
including heart disease, heart attack or hypertension.
Key Learning Point: There is a correlation between self-esteem and stress levels. Typically
someone who has high self esteem usually has low stress, and someone with low selfesteem has high stress levels. (Seaward, 2015).

Journal Writing:
Mindfulness walking is an excellent way to get out of a stressful and
anxious head and feel your feet on the earth (Stahl&Goldstein). Usually
everyday we feel like we are almost constantly on the go and having to be
somewhere, but through walking meditation its different. It serves a
different purpose than having to be at a certain place at a certain time. The
real point is to arrive in the present moment through each step.
(Stahl&Goldstein)
While I was meditating through walking I paid most attention to how may
feet were working. By lifting each foot up and moving them forward, then
placing them down with each step. I slowed this process of walking down
and used this movement to become fully aware of my body. Throughout the
ten minutes I did see come changes.
As I was walking ten minutes in my quiet living room throughout any
distractions i place all of my attention to my body and listening to track. I
paid attention to how this affect me physically by how much pressure and
weight on the soles of my feet as I walked on my wooden floor. Noticing how

my body moved as I walk and how my arms would have a swinging motion
of back and forth.
I could feel the weight of my body on each foot as I switched legs to
walk. Realizing how my body reacted differently to the process of turning by
using more of my knees and ankles. Through this process I also felt calm
and relaxed through using the mindfulness of my breathing. I was in control
of my constant breathing process of inhaling and exhaling as I would walk.
This made me stay grounded and focused by being aware of my body and
surrounding.
Mentally I did have times where I would think of random events that
happened throughout the day or things that I still had to do. Like how my
cat was getting into my laundry basket or thinking about how much
homework I still had to do. I did realize those where possible mind traps that
could lead me to feeling overwhelmed and stressed out. So I was able to
redirected my thoughts and mindset and began to focus on the process of
body movements. By walking mindfully I was able to release unwanted
stress of daily life by focusing on the present moment with each step I took.
I felt in control of my emotions during this meditation. The quietness of
my surroundings helped me feel calm and relaxed. In life people forget to
appreciate the affect of a silence room can have on someone. I felt mentally
connected and focused with my body and mind. With being content with the

quietness of the room and movement of my body I was able to walk with a
purpose and live in the present moment.
This walking meditation was an overall great experience. I was able to
focus on the present moment and be fully aware of my thoughts, emotions
and the body movements. Emotionally feelings of calmness, relaxation and
contentment with myself and my surrounding had surfaced throughout the
meditation. Physically I was aware of the my breathing pattern and body
movements as I walked. Lastly, I was mentally focused for the most part
throughout all of the walking and when I did have little distractions I quickly
redirected my thoughts and was able to bring my focus back to where it
needed to be.

References:
Seaward, B. (2015). Managing stress: Principles and strategies for health
and well-being (8th ed.). Boston, MA: Jones and Bartlett Publishers.
Stahl, Bob, and Elisha Goldstein. A Mindfulness-based Stress Reduction
Workbook. N.p.: n.p., n.d. Print.
Stress Effects on the Body." American Psychological Association (n.d.): n.
pag. Web. 07 Mar. 2016. <http://www.apa.org/helpcenter/stressbody.aspx>

Unit 6: Relaxation Techniques 1: Breathing,

Unit

6
Meditation, and Mental Imagery
Information to Remember:
Key Learning Point:Meditation is a practice of increased concentration that leads to increased
awareness; a solitary practice of reflection on internal rather than external stimuli (Seaward,
2013). Meditation is a great way to clam the mind, body, and spirit by focusing on present and
letting go of any negative thoughts. Two ways meditation can affect the mind and body is
problems with insomnia and chronic pain.
Key Learning Point: A great practice to get rid of chronic pain is through mindfulness
meditation.Mindfulness meditation means to be conscious of the present moment in all that you
do, to fill your bodys senses with what you are experiencing at the present moment (Seaward,
2013 ). The mind-body-spirit paradigm suggest that by involving the mind and spirit with pain
relief, the cause of the problem and the symptoms may decrease. By getting in touch and
comfortable with the pain and using mediation to detach from the pain for temporary relief.
Key Learning Point: Meditation is great for helping people with insomnia. By training the mind
to release thoughts and feelings that can constantly bother someone. A deep sense of peace is
achieved in an awakened state. Studies have been shown people who meditate on a regular basis
achieve the theta (brain wave) state of consciousness, which is the closet to the delta wave
pattern observed when sleeping. (Seaward, 2013) Meditation can decrease mental activity for a
good nights sleep.

Self-Assessment Exercise:
For this units exercise I explained what diaphragmatic breathing is
and the three important steps to this technique.Diaphragmatic breathing

is the most basic relaxation technique; breathing from the lower stomach
or diaphragm rather than the thoracic area (Seaward, 2013). Three steps
that are important for diaphragmatic breathing are assuming a
comfortable position, concentration, and visualization.
Also the effects that meditation has on the body and mind.
Meditation is a form of practice when your concentration is increased
that leads to increases awareness, which focuses on the reflection
internally rather than external influences.
Lastly, I explained three ways imagery and visualization can be
useful for relaxation. The most common way is through day dreaming.
Another way imagery and visualization can be useful is through
behavioral changes.A third way involves changes in physiological
functions by using imagination to see a certain body region in a healthy
state.
Journal Writing:
Mindful of how you interact with yourself?
When looking at how I interact with myself I realize that I have several mixture of
feelings and emotions. Different situations may affect my interact within myself differently
than others. A mixture of love and happiness while other times feeling sad and depressed.
Having these different emotions and feelings toward myself tend to take toil on my physical,
mental, emotional, and spiritual health.
Times that I look down on my self or feelings of worthlessness are usually when I have
an argument with a family member, or boyfriend, and times when I dont achieve a certain
goal that I have set for myself. These thoughts are not good for my mental health or
physical health. I tend to lose motivation and lack energy to get throughout the day. My
eating habits are usually thrown off balanced by either binge eating or lack of appetite.
I wouldnt talk to others the way I treat myself sometimes. I believe this way of thinking
causes more self destruction than fixing the real problem effectively. These unease
messages that I give to myself cause more harm than good by causing more stress, anxiety,

and unhappiness within myself. A long term affect of negative thinking can cause my body
to tense up and become more tired by the lack of sleep caused by my mind constantly
ruminating.

Seeds of suffering
By negatively watering the seeds to my suffering by the unkind
messages I give myself it has made a big impact on my life in all aspects.
Many people tend to have a lot stress, anxiety, pain, and illness that might
have been influence by personal suffering. All too often, it seems that so
much suffering comes from the simple fact that people are too hard on
themselves (Stahl&Goldstein, 2010).
There are many ways my life might change if this self caused suffering
would end. First off I would gain more self respect by believing in myself and
stop believing very bad situation is my fault. Secondly, would be more in
control of my feelings and emotions which can decrease negative thinking
that could cause stress, pain, anxiety and depression. Thirdly, my health
mentally, physically, emotionally, and spiritually would improve greatly. This
can help give myself an overall better chance of achieving optimal wellbeing.
Day-to-day life feelings of resentment?
Opening the heart to love, compassion, and empathy it makes room for
self improvement. Directing love and compassion within yourself and
redirecting it back to others make it easy to love, and understand many

people. You can expand love outward to friends, family and even strangers.
Eventually you can start sending loving-kindness to difficult people, including
people that you make have conflicts with. This is important for neutralizing
the negative effects of resentments. (Stahl&Goldstein, 2010)
Resentments have a negative effect on a person health and well-being.
Understand and reflecting on being forgiving and realizing the conflict often
times results in fear and lack of awareness. By opening your heart and
giving off love-kindness to difficult people will soon help find a way to open
their on hearts and gain more awareness of there negative thought of fear
and turn it into love. (Stahl&Goldstein, 2010) It may be extremely hard to
give share positive feelings to difficult people due to the unpleasant attitude
and lack of willingness to to change. When you start to understand and
become aware that people might be going through a rough time or challenge
in life that may be the causing their negative attitude and the unwanted
stress in there life. For example, a friend at work who is always stressed out
and seem to lack the motivation to give there best effort. They might have
hard time with balancing there work life with there personal and social life.
Maybe relationships troubles or tiredness from being a single mother are
reasons causing this problem. Dont let these traits interfere with the good
qualities that they may have. She may be a very giving, friendly person who
takes care of a lot of people.

Reflection on writing?
Sometimes I tend to give myself unkind messages during certain
situations that cause unwanted stress, pain, anxiety and sadness. These
negative feeling and emotions affect many things including my mental,
physical, emotional and spiritual health. By giving myself these unkind
messages it waters the seed to my own suffering. Through awareness and
the understanding of how this negatively affects me I can soon help myself
restore more positive thoughts. Feeling of resentment usually occur when
you encounter difficult people but it is important to understand that they
may be facing certain challenges and obstacles in life causing there negative
attitudes.

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.

Unit 7: Nutrition and Stress

Unit

7
Information to Remember:
Key Learning Point: Mindfulness means paying attention in a particular way; On
purpose,in the present moment, and non-judgmentally (Wildmind Buddhist Meditation.
N.p.). For my mindfulness activity I chose eating breakfast. I thought about how where all
of the food came from before eating. The process and benefits that I would gain from
simply eating a healthy breakfast. I focused on how the food felt by different textures, the
different tastes and also any sounds that I would make while eating.
I believe using mindfulness as I ate really helped me enjoy and appreciate my food better.
Most people tend to be in a hurry during the morning so they just grab something fast and
dont fulling understand the importance off starting your day right with a healthy meal.
Key Learning Point: The important components of visualization is to focus on the the
present, incorporate all five senses, use positive thoughts and intentions,detach from the
outcome, and think an attitude of gratitude. When imagery and visualization are
incorporated stress management and prevention technique. (Seaward, 2015)
Key Learning Point: Some aspects of visualization process that can help enhance your
experiences to the fullest. Step 1 is through relaxation, step 2 concentration, then step 3
visualization. (Seaward, 2015).

Self-Assessment Exercise:
For this units assignment I decided to practice sitting meditation. Formal sitting practice
of mindfulness meditation, which begins with mindfulness of breathing and gradually expands
to physical sensations, sounds, thoughts and emotions, and ultimately choice-less awareness,
also known as present moment awareness (Stahl&Goldstein, 2010). While I was practicing
this meditation I became more aware of thoughts and feelings, and patterns of behaviors that
may have hindered my thought process. I was aware of the many sounds occurred, internally
and externally as well and many sensations through my body.

Unit

8
References:
Seaward, B. (2015). Managing stress: Principles and strategies for health
and well-being (8th ed.). Boston, MA: Jones and Bartlett Publishers.
What Is Mindfulness?" Wildmind Buddhist Meditation. N.p., n.d. Web. 19 Mar.
2016. <http://www.wildmind.org/applied/daily-life/what-is-mindfulness>.

Unit 8: Physical Exercise and Activity

Information to Remember:
Key Learning Point: Hatha yoga, integrates components of muscular strength,
endurance, flexibility, and muscle relaxation, as well as serving as a catalyst for
meditation (Seaward, 2015). There are about 15.8 million Americans practicing yoga,

and

studies have shown people use yoga for helping to maintain and improve ones health
status.
Key Learning Point: Tai Chi chuan is a form of exercise that can help requlate a flow of
energy. Its a a great technique that promotes relaxation. There are four principles in Tai
Chi, fasting the heart, returning the nature, wu-wei, and winning by losing. (Seaward,
2015).

Key Learning Point: Not only can food have an affect on the body , but it can affect the
mental, emotional, and spiritual as well. Choosing the right kinds of food can nurture the
health of the seven chakras. (Seaward, 2015).

Self-Assessment Exercises:
For this exercise I prepared an employee wellness program implementing mind-body
exercises to reduce stress on the workplace. The mind-body practices that I want to be offered
for employees are yoga, massage therapy, mediation, and mindfulness walking. I think using
these ways can help them feel more mentally awake and relaxed.
Employees will be offered healthy snacks in venting machines and a provided optional
meal plan. By have better quality of food offered to the employees will help in fueling there
body properly and more efficiently for a hard day of work. It is important that companies and
bosses mindfully understand the relationship that they have with there employees so they can
work a safe and productive work environment. (Seaward, 2015).

Journal Writing:
OPENNESS:
When I thought of someone for this exercise I thought of my mother.
Interpersonal mindfulness- bringing nonjudgmental present moment awareness to your
interactions with others (Stahl&Goldsein,2010). By being more open minded about the
different type of qualities that she has even though she might have qualities event though
there might be a few that I dont like. Despite the few traits that I don't like there are
several more good traits than bad. I use to think of my mother as being very strict and not
letting me do much when I was younger, but when I remove that thought of her I become
more aware of other great qualities that she has. Thoughts of how me could have been
looking out for my best interest and she was just concerned about me being safe.

EMPATHY:
I imagined my mothers view on life rather than mine. She was always is a hard worker
and wasnt always around that much since she worked second shift. When I started to let go
of my thoughts and feelings of wishing she could be around more and not work so much , I

started to realize why she works so hard. She was a single mother of three girls and she did
what she had to provide for her daughters.
Rather than focusing on the negative thoughts of way she worked so much and how it
made me feel sad, I became more aware of how she might have felt. I know she didnt want
to be stuck in a factory working ten hours a day and would want to be at home with us
instead. She probably felt sad at times missing some of my school functions and events. By
focusing on how my mother might have felt and the importance of how hard she works to
provide for my sisters and I; my views of my mother started to change.

COMPASSION:
When I started to become more mindful of how she might have had her
own thoughts and feelings I felt like I could understand her more. She might
have had her own personal desires or goals to reach. Knowing that I mom
has have perfect attendance and has never had an unexcused absence, it
makes feel feel very proud of her. I thought about how she might have had
some hard and stressful day and times where she might have wanted to
quit. Even though she could have had some bad days she is it working there
and always has a positive attitude.

LOVING-KINDNESS:
My mother is very kind and nice woman and I wish for the best for her.
She is always putting other before herself and barely gives herself and
attention. I hope she lives a happy and healthy life and begins to focus more
on herself than others. I know she is a hard worker and she and do anything
she wants if she puts her mind to it.

SYMPATHETIC JOY:
Even though it might have been hard and challenging to be a single
mother of three girls, two of them being twins I think it really helped her
grow to become a great woman. It showed her how to be responsible and
independent. She might have needed help but she never wanted it. She
actually use to work three jobs use to make her way in life with us girls. I
hope she found joy and happiness by taking this difficult role of both
parents.

EQUANIMITY:
By becoming more aware and understanding my mothers thoughts,
feeling, and ambitions I started to reflect on how I use to treat my mother
my thoughts have drastically changed. Feeling or resentment or anger
toward her by not always being there soon changed into thoughts of how
strong, hard working and independent she really is. Sometimes when youre
are younger you dont realize other peoples circumstances or situations and
only care about there own feelings.

Summary
Through this exercise I was able to feel more connected with mother. By
using the six different qualities of openness, empathy, compassion, loving-

kindness sympathetic joy, and equanimity I started to look at things in her

point of view. My feelings of anger and resentment soon vanished as I began
to understand the reasoning between some of the things she had to do. This
exercise has helped me be more mindful of my relationship with my mother.

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.
What Is Mindfulness?" Wildmind Buddhist Meditation. N.p., n.d. Web. 19 Mar.
2016. <http://www.wildmind.org/applied/daily-life/what-is-mindfulness>.

Unit 9: Applying Stress: Critical Issues for

Unit

9
Management and Prevention to your Professional
Life
Information to Remember:
Key Learning Point:The way to free yourself from the past is to resolve or complete it,
because the events that haunt you are ones that remain unresolved and unhealed (Walsh,
1999). The way you handle your feelings and emotions plays a big part in forgiveness.
Forgiveness is a way to carry the pain of the past away. It can heal the heart and also take
away feelings of guilt. A great method for reducing fault- finding and anger is through
recalling and learning about the good people have done, which fosters gratitude. If you
hold on to feeling of anger or sadness it can cause a lot of problems later in life, by having
a bad view on yourself and causes a sense of unworthiness.
Key Learning Point: Clinical Birofeeback uses the use of machines to increase body
functions including heart rate, muscle tension, and brain activity. The purpose is to gain
better control of there physiology. (Seaward, 2015)
Key Learning Point Techniques of Tai Chi, progressive muscular relaxation and clinical
biofeedback can be used professionally to provide clients and patients to reduce stress and
improve health outcomes.(Seaward, 2015)
Resources:
Seaward, B. (2015). Managing stress: Principles and strategies for health and well-being (8th
ed.). Boston, MA: Jones and Bartlett Publishers.
Walsh, Roger N. Essential Spirituality: The 7 Central Practices to Awaken Heart and Mind. New
York: J. Wiley, 1999. Print.

Additional Information
75-90% of all visits to primary care physicians are for stress-related complaints or disorders.
(Stress Facts, 2008)
Stress has been linked to all the leading causes of death, including heart disease, cancer, lung
ailments, accidents, cirrhosis, and suicide. (Stress Facts, 2008)
...An estimated 1 million workers are absent on an average workday because of stress related
complaints. (Stress Facts, 2008)
Stress Facts. (n.d.) Stress Facts: Costs of Job Stress. Retrieved July 18, 2008 from
http://faculty.css.edu/dswenson/web/Stress/stressfacts.html
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.
Stress Facts. (n.d.) Stress Facts: Costs of Job Stress. Retrieved July 18,
2008
from
http://faculty.css.edu/dswenson/web/Stress/stressfacts.html
Stress Effects on the Body." American Psychological Association (n.d.): n.
Pag.Web.07Mar.2016.<http://www.apa.org/helpcenter/stressbody.aspx.
Walsh, Roger N. Essential Spirituality: The 7 Central Practices to Awaken
Heart and Mind. New York: J. Wiley, 1999. Print.
"What Is Spirituality? | Taking Charge of Your Health & Wellbeing." Taking
Charge of Your Health & Wellbeing. N.p., n.d. Web. 03 Apr. 2016.
<http://www.takingcharge.csh.umn.edu/enhance-yourwellbeing/purpose/spirituality/what-spirituality>.
What Is Mindfulness?" Wildmind Buddhist Meditation. N.p., n.d. Web. 19 Mar.
2016. <http://www.wildmind.org/applied/daily-life/what-is-mindfulness>.