Building Stress Resilience:

in Uncertain Times

Jim Kendall, LCSW, CEAP

Bounce Back Construction
 Stress Re·sil·ience

Pronunciation: ri-'zil-y&n(t)s
Function: noun
Date: 1824

 1 : the capability of a strained body to recover its size

and shape after deformation caused especially by
compressive stress

 2 : an ability to recover from or adjust easily to

misfortune or change
 Stress is all around
 Workplace stress
– Heavy Demands
– Dealing with Loss
– Limited control
 Personal stresses
– Depression
– Anxiety
– Family pressures
– Relationship conflicts
– Addiction
– Loss
– Other significant problems
like everyone else.
 The issue is not
the amount of
stress you have
but rather how
well you can cope
with it.
Stress Is:

- the body’s natural response to demands,

challenges, and change.
-perceived as mental strain, urgency or pressure.
-both positive “eu-stress” and negative “distress”
-linked to illnesses and diseases that impacts us both
physically and emotionally.
Stress: “The critical ingredient to
any success.”
Taylor Swift, Musician
 Stress Is…
• Dr. Hans Selye originally
wrote in German: the
word for stress is
Belastung which can
more easily be
translated as strain as
caused by a load or
burden.
Seyle, H. (1956). The Stress of Life. New York: McGraw-Hill
Living with Uncertainty is a
Stressor

9
 Plan for Challenging Times

Worry and focus about the things that you can

Control.
 Stress Response
Can Save Your Live -Can Take Your Life.
 Physical Stressors
– Running from a lion who is
wanting you to be his dinner.
– Trying to catch your dinner for
own survival.
 Emotional Stressors
– Worry about life events
– Assigning meaning to
situations

Robert Sapolsky, PhD, Stanford University

 The Stress Response in Action

 Fight

 Flight

 Freeze

Run Faster….Jump Higher

 Stress Response
 A Stressor is anything that throws your body out
of “allostatic” balance (the optimal points for
various functions).

 The body’s attempts to survive through the

following processes:
– Secretion or inhibition of hormones
– Activation of the nervous system
– Other physiological changes

Robert Sapolsky, PhD, Stanford University

 Activate Emergency Systems

 Energy Mobilization
 Puts fuel (glucose) in the bloodstream
 Delivers it fast to rapidly increased heart rate and
blood flow
 Activate Emergency Plan
 Suppression of “non-essential services”
(Suspend long term building projects)
 Growth
 Immune system Allows us to survive the
 Reproduction next few minutes
 Digestion

 Sharpens cognition and alertness (Increases

dopamine)
 Physical signs of stress

 Headache
 Weight gain/weight loss
 Increased blood pressure
 Problems with sleep
 Fatigue
 Digestive problems
 Emotional Signs of Stress
 Irritability
 Depression
 Anxiety attacks
 Emotional paralysis
 Scattered and Forgetful
 Isolation
Risk of Developing Physical Problems

 Shock Alone
 Another rat (displacement)
 Wood block (hobby)
 Warning Signal (predictability)
 Lever to press (perceived control)
 Perception (50 to 25) vs (10 to 25)
 Friends (social support)

“Why Zebras Don’t Get Ulcers” Robert Sapolsky, PhD

 Critical Components for Stress

 Lack of Predictability
 Lack of Control
 Lack of Outlets for Frustration
 Limited Social Support
 Lack of Perceived of Life Improvement
Internal Forces
 One Event

Activated by our perception

 Different Responses
Filtered through our interpretation of an event

Events interpreted as a challenge, a threat, or a

negative condition will activate the stress response.
External Forces
 Triggered by the Outside World
 We respond to the perceptions of external
events
– Demands: Work, family, school, relationships,
children, spouses, traffic, noise, etc
– Challenges: Learning, taking on new
responsibilities, increased workload

– Changes: The unique events that threaten our

equilibrium (illness, family changes, financial
setbacks, terrorism, war, etc)
“Stress is the Spice of Life.”
- Hans Selye
 Best Stress Management Advice

Have a Life (Passion) Outside of Your Work

Laugh and Smile!

Embrace an
optimistic
outlook on
life.
You do have
control over
your attitude.

Learned Optimism: How to Change Your

Mind and Your Life
Knopf Publishing, Martin Seligman, PhD
1991
The only way to counteract the severe
consequences of sleepiness is to sleep.

NASA-National Aeronautics and Space Administration

 Enjoy some Quiet Time …

The more quiet time one takes, the less likely one is to perceive that he/she is
under much stress or burned out.
VUMC Faculty and Physician Stress Survey /Work/Life Connections-EAP 2003
“Me time” …enjoy time for You.
Mindfulness

Learning to enjoy each moment

 Exercise…30 minutes daily

YOU: On a Walk: Michael F. Roizen MD and Mehmet Oz, MD, Simon & Schuster 1995
…and strive to have a healthy diet

Eat healthy snacks

5 a Day…CDC
Spend your time, money and attention
according to what's important.

Life Matters A. Roger Merrill and Rebecca Merrill, 2003

Regularly Give and Receive Affection

THANKS or GOOD JOB

is always appreciated!
Nurture your social life
Seek a pleasing level of satisfaction with
your love life.

Gabbe S, Melville J, Madel L, Walker, E ,

“Burnout in chairs of obstetrics and
gynecology: diagnosis, treatment and
prevention.” 2005
Organize your time effectively

Getting Things Done-The Art of Stress-Free Living, David Allen, Penguin Books, 2001
Before you work your self up… decide
how important it is.

Is it really within your control anyway?

 Organize your
time
effectively
Exercise 30 Cultivate
minutes daily Friendships

Eat 5 Fruits & Get 7-8 hours

Coping
Vegetables daily of sleep

Embrace an
“Stressages” Live according to
Optimistic Outlook your Values

Give and
Take Quiet Time
Receive Affection

Find balance
in your life
 Work/Life Connections-EAP
… like a travel agent for ‘psychological support ’ services
Promoting Problem Solving and Stress Resilience

Assessment Stress
Depression
Brief Counseling Workplace Issues
Addictions
Performance Coaching
Financial Problems
Relationship Concerns
Eldercare
Referrals for Community Parenting
Resources
Our mission is to support health and productivity.