KAPLAN UNIVERSITY

HW410 Stress: Critical Issues in Management and

Prevention

Stress Management and

Prevention Program
Resource Guide
1

KAPLAN UNIVERSITY

Stress Management and Prevention

Program Resource Guide

By
Cynthia Evans
Kaplan University
HW410: Stress: Critical Issues in Management and Prevention
April 28, 201

Table of Contents
UNI T

THE

NATURE

OF

STRESS

Information to Remember ..................................................................................................................... 3

Self-Assessment Exercises ..................................................................................................................... 3
Journal Writing......................................................................................................................................... 4
UNI T

THE

PHYSI OLOGY

OF

ST RESS

Information to Remember ..................................................................................................................... 6

Self-Assessment Exercises ..................................................................................................................... 7
Journal Writing......................................................................................................................................... 7
UNI T

PSYCHOLOGY

OF

STRESS

Information to Remember ................................................................................................................... 11

Self-Assessment Exercises ................................................................................................................... 11
Journal Writing....................................................................................................................................... 12
UNI T

PERSONALI TY

TRAI TS

A ND

THE

HUMAN

SPI RITU ALI TY

Information to Remember ................................................................................................................... 15

Self-Assessment Exercises ................................................................................................................... 16
Journal Writing....................................................................................................................................... 16
UNI T

DEALI NG

WI TH

STRESS:

COPI NG

STRATEGI ES

Information to Remember ................................................................................................................... 21

Journal Writing....................................................................................................................................... 22
UNI T

RELAXATION

TECHI QUES

1:

BREATHI NG,

MEDI TATI ON,

AND

MENTAL

I MAGERY

Information to Remember ................................................................................................................... 26

Self-Assessment Exercises ................................................................................................................... 27
UNI T

NUTRI TI ON

AND

STRESS

Information to Remember ................................................................................................................... 31

Self-Assessment Exercises ................................................................................................................... 32

UNI T

PHYSI CAL

EXERCI SE

AN D

ACTI VI TY

Information to Remember ................................................................................................................... 33

Self-Assessment Exercises ................................................................................................................... 33
Journal Writing....................................................................................................................................... 34
UNI T

APPLYI NG

PREVENTI ON

TO

STRESS:

YOUR

CRI TICAL

P ROFESSI ONAL

I SSUES

FOR

MANAGEMENT

AND

LI FE

Information to Remember ................................................................................................................... 37

ADDI TI ONAL

I NFORMATI ON

References .39

1
Unit

Unit 1: The Nature of Stress

Information to Remember:
Key Learning Point: Stress is something everyone deals with on a daily bases. Stress causes wear
and tear on our bodies and interferes with our mental capabilities of dealing with stressors. Stress
can also cause a loss of emotional control. (Seaward, 2015)
Key Learning Point: There are three types of Stress. Eustress is a good stress related to feelings of
exhilaration. Neustress is a neutral stress related more to concerns for others within the world.
Distress is a bad stress, which is what most of us experiences, relates to personal loss such as
death in the family, loss of job, all negative aspects that effect your personal life. (Seaward,
2015)
Key Learning Point: There are two types of distress. Acute distress is intense but short lived, such as
having a police car coming up behind you and give you a speeding ticket. Your body receive a
short physical reaction to this stressor. Chronic stress pertaining to a constant present of a
stressful situation such as dealing with a college roommate or having extended family members
living with you causing stress within the home. (Seaward, 2015)

Self-Assessment Exercise:
The unit one self-assessment exercise helps one understand and develop self-awareness of their own
stress reactions. To search within oneself and pull out the feelings pertaining to the physical wellbeing, emotional well-being and ones spiritual well-being (Seaward, 2015).

Journal Writing:
Unit One Journal Writing
Everyone perceives stress differently due to the fact everyones individual perspective of the
world is different. According to our Managing Stress textbook, Stress: The experience of a
preceived threat (real or imagined) to ones mental, physical, or spiritural well-being, resulting from a
searies of Physciological responses and adaptiations. (Seaward, 2015) As we grow and move
throughout our lives we experance several kinds of good, nutral, and bad stressors. However we
never really think about measuring our stress because it is just part of life. Most of us adapt to the
stressors we have in our lives not thinking that would could actually do something about the stressors.

References
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

Unit 2: The Physiology of Stress

Information to Remember:
Key Learning Point: The human body is a complex physical structure made up of nine separate
systems. All the physiological systems are connected (its really ONE system); what happens to
one aspect affects the others. (Seaward, 2015) This means if there is a problem in one system
eventually, the others systems will become affected. (Seaward, 2015)
Key Learning Point: Neuroscience studies the nervous system, which identifies the physiological
responses within the body as related to stress. When you experiences stress, the body produces
hormones such as cortisol and neurotransmitters such as epinephrine and norepinephrine. (Stahl
& Goldstein, 2010) The Epigenetic Theory, which studies the molecular mechanism in which the
environment controls the gene activity of DNA, explains the physiological effects of stress on
the human body shortening the life of our immune cells. (Seaward, 2015)
Key Learning Point: Mindfulness is recognizing our behaviors, thinking patterns, and how these
patterns play a role in our psychological and physical health. One needs to be open to
mindfulness, observe their own unwelcome behaviors such as; shame, guilt, fears, along with
other various negative behaviors. (Stahl & Goldstein, 2010)

Self-Assessment Exercise:
In the unit two self-assessment exercise one learns neuroscience, the study of the nervous system,
contributed to the physiological changes within our bodies and inhibits the immune system, thus
permitting disease to destroy our overall health (Seaward, 2015).

Journal Writing:
Unit Two Journal Writing Assignment
How is stress or anxiety about work affecting your life?
Since I am currently retired, from a 23+ year career of budgeting and accounting, I view
attending school as my full-time job, along with taking care of the home and helping out my daughter
and granddaughter from time to time. I analyze and stress about my schoolwork and the projects that
need to be completed within a one-week timeline. Tuesdays are the end of my school week and I
often feel anxious and my body physically responds to the stress (fight or flight) due to various tasks
that may still need to be completed for each class. Reading assignments must be done by Friday,
main discussion posting done by Friday or Saturday, work on getting the various assignments, term
papers, and conversations done by Tuesday evening. In addition, I need to make dinners, clean house,
take care of various services, help my daughter whenever her husband is out town, and address the
Mother-in-Law, who live with us. Therefore, as you can see my, stress and anxieties come from
various areas along with my need to do well in school and ensure I affectively manage all the logistics
involved with maintaining a home and taking care of loved ones.

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

Stress and anxiety is in the back of my mind every day when I review the events that are
taking place within the world. Just today, I heard on the television news report about how many
Transportation Authority (TSA) badges have been stolen from airports across North America along
with many pilots uniform. How is this not affecting my thoughts pertaining to the risks of flying?
The loss of control and the immoral actions of others without thoughts of any consequences creates a
great deal of stress, anxiety, and despair. How these actions affect our economy, my retirement
portfolio, and my daughter and granddaughters lives as they move forward through life give me a
great deal of underlining stress.
How is stress or anxiety about food and eating habits affecting your life?
I try to prepare, cook, and eat healthy; however the more I learn the more I see that we really
should avoid all processed foods. As I evaluate my own diet, I am finding that items that I thought
were healthy end up being empty calories and I must be mindful of how many empty calories I chose
to indulge within a given day. Therefore, I will continue to research various food and continue to
change and improve my eating habits making the stress and anxiety over food or eating habits very
reasonable.
How is stress or anxiety about sleep and sleeplessness affecting your life?
Sleeplessness does create some stress and anxiety due to changes within life, stress within the
home, underlining stress of the world, and stress for completing school assignments and writing
papers it is a wonder that I get much sleep at all.
How is stress or anxiety about exercise or lack of physical activity affecting your life?
I keep physically active most days within the home and I spend a couple of days a week with a
personal trainer to improve my exercise routine, however, I allow others to interfere with my

scheduled workouts and then I feel guilty for not getting it done. Yes, I do feel stress about not
having enough physical exercise for my own health.
In conclusion, stress and anxiety does have somewhat of a grip on my mind and my life. I
allow others to influence me within my own home, outside influences pertaining to college, and
current events worldwide, along with striving to achieve perfection in completing school work, and
guilt for not adhering to personal time scheduled for my own health and wellness. By allowing others
to interfere with my inner thoughts is robing me of my joy, happiness, and having philological effect
on my overall health and wellness. Control and balance is necessary and needs to be found!

10

References
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.

11

3
Unit

Unit 3: Psychology of Stress

Information to Remember:
Key Learning Point: Humans have a range of emotions, which affect our health and wellness, from
good healthy emotions to unhealthy emotions. Healthy emotions pertains to the ability to
experience and express these emotions freely. Unhealthy emotions linger longer than they should
and often relate to negative feelings such as anger and fear (Seaward, 2015).
Key Learning Point: The mind is conscious energy allowing us to process thoughts, recall, and
communicate to others along with experiencing intuition and perception. The brain is an organ
within the human body, which releases neurochemical compound within the organ (Seaward,
2015).
Key Learning Point: Human spirituality is something very personal and yet has been discussed and
argued over for eons. We know spirituality is not religion but is it a unique sense of something
much greater then oneself. For me it is looking inward to find that connection to a higher power
(Seaward, 2015).

Self-Assessment Exercise:
The unit three self-assessment exercise was to develop awareness of stress-prone and stress-resistant
personalities and identify obstacles or roadblocks we encounter on our path to spirituality. Tibetan

12

culture has taught us to by addressing the four noble trues pertaining to the mind (the self, the ego, the
higher self, and the higher ego), will permit higher self-awareness, leading to a greater inner peace.
(Seaward, 2015).

Journal Writing:
Unit Three Journal Writing Assignment
After listening to the short breathing relaxation exercise, I found that the guided technique is
similar to some of the CDs that I use for meditation, which help relax me. For this exercise, I sat in a
chair with my eyes closed and focused on my breathing. As I was breathing in and out through my
nose, I noticed the sound of the heating system and the sound of seagulls outside my room but then
refocused on my breathing, feeling the air pull in through the nose and back out through the nose.
Then I realized I felt stress within my jaw muscle on the right side of my face. I stretched the muscle
and refocused on my breathing but it was not long before my mind began to drift and I noticed that
my middle finger on my right hand felt sore at the second joint. Again, I mentally refocused on the
breathing in and out. Once I had completed the exercise of breathing, I felt very aware of my physical
body, each part that felt sore, and my emotional state. The physical soreness I contribute to my
workout earlier along with participating in a yoga class. I also realized that I am feeling a bit stressed
emotionally for I am currently with my husband on a business trip and I want to enjoy myself but also
need to ensure all of my work done on timely bases.
Meditation can be difficult at times. Some days are easier than other days, however as long as
we catch ourselves when the mind starts to wonder and bring our focus back to the meditation
practice, then we are making progress. It is the practice of mindfulness, being able to relax the mind
or to slow the mind enough, which allows us to connect with the body. As I practiced this breathing

13

exercise, I realized I needed to simply acknowledge my thoughts and then allow them to be swept
away before I could connect to the body and enjoy the meditative state. In other words, mindful
breathing is the anchor to the present moment and foundation to meditation practices. (Stahl &
Goldstein, 2010)

14

References
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.

15

4
Unit

Unit 4: Personality Traits and the Human

Spirituality
Information to Remember:
Key Learning Point: Self-esteem develops through our thoughts, feelings, actions, and even our
memories. Our self-esteem is extremely venerable and how we perceive ourselves wither
positive or negative. Only by disarming the negativity will self-esteem grow (Seaward, 2015).
Key Learning Point:

We acquired our personal values as we grow both consciously and

unconsciously. They are our beliefs, what we see as good, bad, love, honesty, and justice.
Values help to develop our personalities of who we will become. As we mature, our values
system also changes, but it continues to account for the way we think and behave (Seaward,
2015).
Key Learning Point: There are different types of personalities and each type handle stress in their
own way. You have the Type As with a hostile trait, Type D which are often depressed and a
trait to continuously worry. Along with those who are co-dependent, Helpless, resiliency,
sensation seekers, and the survivor personality (Seaward, 2015).

16

Self-Assessment Exercise:
The unit four self-assessment exercise was to develop a self-awareness of behaviors and values to use
in managing stress on an individual basis. In evaluating and interpreting our self-esteem, behaviors
and personality characteristics, only then can we use the six stages of change to help modify our
negative behaviors. (Seaward, 2015).

Journal Writing:
Unit Four Journal Writing Assignment
As I sit, wondering how am I going to write three full pages for this exercise of journal writing
and thus developing a great deal of tension and anxiety within my shoulders and my neck. As per the
instructions, I am using this exercise as a springboard to develop a broader emotional vocabulary
pertaining to both comfortable and uncomfortable awareness of my own emotions. I have highlighted
(bold) the emotional vocabulary words I have experienced during several meditation exercises, which
were included in this workbook, and noted where in the body I have experienced these emotions. I
found these meditation exercises very relaxing and helpful in being mindful, however, I am still
feeling a bit confused on how to identify emotions to the related pains and/or aches within the body.
(Stahl & Goldstein, 2010)
FEAR: apprehension, anxiety, distress, edginess, jumpiness, nervousness, panic, tenseness,
uneasiness, worry, fright, feeling overwhelmed.
Looking for the mental formation of emotions rising and falling within the mind and body is
not as easy as I thought. After reading chapter five in our workbook, I now believe that I do repress
most of my emotions. I have thought about my upbringing and can see different stages where I was

17

taught to keep a stiff upper lip and suppress, repress, avoid, or deny our pain and other feelings
(Stahl & Goldstein, 2010). As I used these meditations, I realize I do feel most of these emotions
pertaining to fear, anxiety, distress, tenseness, uneasiness, worry, and feeling overwhelmed. Physical
experiences to these emotions are mostly in my neck, shoulders, and down though my back muscles.
From time to time, during emotional panic, I experience discomfort in my stomach and during times
of nervousness and jumpiness, I usually fidget with my hands and feet.
CONFUSION: bewildered, uncertain, puzzled, mystified, perplexed, chaotic, foggy, or unaware.
When I am confused, I stop and breathe in deeply, which calms my body and clears the mind,
this allows me to refocus my thoughts. Uncertainty has often caused the feeling of strain in the
jawline for as I purse my lips I feel the muscles tense under the skin. As for mystified, I feel
physically light, almost neutral. Being perplexed gives me a physical feeling of tingles up and down
my core.
ANGER: aggravation, agitation, annoyance, destructiveness, disgust, envy, frustration, irritation,
grouchiness, grumpiness, rage.
As I look at the emotional vocabulary pertaining to anger, I have to say I experience every one
of these. The stronger emotions such as anger, destructiveness, and rage makes me physically
strained and tense throughout my whole body, I feel the blood pressure rise, the heart beating faster,
and the heavy breathing. When I think of aggravation, agitation, annoyance, frustration, and
irritation, I experience a physical energy pulsing in my arms and legs along with noticing an increase
in heavy breathing. I try to acknowledge to others and myself when I am feeling an emotion of envy.
I experience this in my chest and heart as a kind of jealously.

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

loneliness, misery, unhappiness, rejection.
When I think about the emotions of sadness, grief, and anguish, I sense these emotions
beginning in my chest and heart down into my stomach, reaching deep within my soul.
Disappointment, alienation, loneliness, and rejection, these emotions physically stretches across my
shoulders, almost as if I am carrying them on the shoulders.
SHAME: guilt, embarrassment, humiliation, invalidation, regret, remorse, mortification.
I sense the emotions of shame and guilt as a heaviness within my heart, like someone sitting
on my chest. The emotion of embarrassment causes me to physical become flushed in the face and I
feel my blood pressure rising. Regret will at times causes a physical tightening in the chest, deep
down into my soul to the point of discomfort, where other times I just kind of feel a tightening in my
chest but nothing more.
LOVE: affection, arousal, attraction, caring, compassion, desire, fondness, infatuation, kindness,
liking, longing, warmth, sympathy, sentimentality.
I experience a kind of physical lightness and tingling in my stomach when it came to the
emotion of Love. Compassion and kindness is another emotion that I experience in my chest and
heart, sometimes to the point of crying. The physical emotion of sympathy ranges from a light tingle
in the shoulders down to where I feel the full weight of whatever sympathetic situation I am in, which
can cause me to relive a similar type of situation I had personally experienced in my past, to the point
where I feel it in my stomach.
JOY: amusement, bliss, contentment, eagerness, elation, enjoyment, enthusiasm, excitement,

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exhilaration, hope, optimism, pleasure, satisfaction.

Enjoyment and excitement are emotions that cause a good tingling feeling all over the body
along with a sense of lightness in my step. Where the emotions of hope and optimism is a sensation
that I believe is in the chest, heart, and stomach, which at times does reach down into my soul.
In conclusion, this was a very difficult journal assignment, which created a lot of tension and
stress within my shoulder and neck muscles. This assignment has definitely broadened my awareness
regarding my emotional vocabulary of both comfortable and uncomfortable emotions. There are still
many barriers that I need to address in order to identify emotions correctly, as they relate to my own
physical responses along with the aches and pains within the body. These classes go so fast and
sometimes I wish I had more time for these type of projects. However, we move forward and as Stahl
& Goldstein wrote, As you learn to let go of the past and not to cling to a specific vision of the
future, youll be able to see things as they are in the moment, with a growing sense of freedom and the
possibility of new options (Stahl & Goldstein, 2010).

20

References
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.

21

5
Unit

Unit 5: Dealing with Stress: Coping Strategies

Information to Remember:
Key Learning Point: There are many models pertaining to reframing, cognitive therapy, or behavior
changes. Prochaskas model Stages of Change is a method used to change various negative
lifestyle activities. This model of change differs from others behavior change methods because
Prochasks accommodates to the loss of willpower, which allow a relapse of the old habit. The
Stages of Change consist of precontemplation, contemplative, determination, action,
maintenance and relapse (Seaward, 2015).
Key Learning Point: Martin Seligman, Ph.D., optimism and the Art of Being Happy uses positive
psychology. This theory focuses on three aspects positive emotions such as love, happiness, and
trust, positive personality traits such as strengths and values, and positive institutions such as
families and equality (Seaward, 2015).
Key Learning Point: - Human boundaries represent the ownership of the ideas, perceptions, values,
and beliefs that constitute ones identity or ego (Seaward, 2015). Our self-esteem contributes to
the way we deal with our day-to-day stress. In establishing healthy boundaries one should use I
statements, such as I feel or I think, which strengthens a persons self-esteem (Seaward,
2015).

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Journal Writing:
Unit Five Journal Writing Assignment
For unit five Journal Writing Assignment the practice was Mindful Self-Inquiry for Stress and
Anxiety, listed on pages 119 through 121 of our Mindfulness workbook. This practice combines
mindful breathing, the body scan, and mindfulness of thoughts with a new practice: mindful selfinquiry (Stahl & Goldstein, 2010). The Mindful Self-Inquiry exercise investigate ones own nature
pertaining to the physical sensation, thoughts, and emotions that may contribute to stress and anxiety.
(Stahl & Goldstein, 2010)
In reflection of this practice, I experienced quite a few mental, emotional, and physical
sensations while doing this practice for the first time. I laid on a BioMat, which radiates inferred heat
deep within the body, during this practice. As I thanked myself for allowing this time in the
beginning, I acknowledge the present moment and started to focus my attention on my breathing.
Thinking to myself, breathe in and breathe out several times. Somewhere around the seventh or ninth
breath, I started to sense my physical body and how I needed to release the muscle, my body was very
tense. I started to feel slight pain and discomfort in my left upper arm, ache in my lower back.
Realizing I had a lot of tension in my shoulders, I suddenly felt mental anguish and began to worry. I
began to refocus on my breathing once again but it did not take long for my mind to drift back to
thinking of how my shoulders where bothering me. Next, the practice involved the body scan and as I
scanned my body both mentally and physically, I had a great deal of shifting between the emotions
and the physical sensations. I began my scan at my toes and as I progressed to my ankles, I felt an
ache deep in the left ankle and then I sensed the feeling of anger, and I have no idea why. As I
worked up the body, I felt slight discomforts and aches in several joints, almost as if they spoke to me

23

as I heard myself thinking, That is from the processed bread you ate 2 days ago, darn gluten. You
know better than to eat those types of breads. Then, I told myself to relax and not be so harsh on
myself, acknowledge, and refocus. The practice moved up the body to the hips, then my mind
wondered over to a strange thought of how I could have a meditation group here at the house, than
over to dinner, and then I refocused back on to my breathing, in and out. It is ok, realize, breathe in,
and breathe out. As the body scan continued up, again noticing the tightness in my shoulders, slight
pain in the left middle finger joints. Moving up the throat and neck, there was a great deal of tension
and it felt like the emotion pertaining to worry and anxiousness about getting my work done on time.
I then proceeded through my jaw and face, which felt stressed within the muscles. As the scan talked
its way up to the sinuses and the eye sockets, I felt a sharp pain and a strong emotion of anger along
with a mental flash of white light. Now, this was very odd. I felt that I needed to collect my emotions
for I was drifting back to a painful time in my life and I needed to catch my breath. Many years ago,
when I was a young woman I was in an automobile accident. I now wonder if I possibly have some
unresolved anger pertaining to the accident and events that followed months later.
In conclusion, this practice, which combines the mindful breathing, the body scan, and
mindful self-inquiry, was very interesting but emotionally difficult. It seems we store many emotions
deep within our bodies in the form of aches and pains. In addition, I found it difficult to transfer my
thoughts and emotions to the paper in this particular exercise.

24

References
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.

25

6
Unit

Unit 6: Relaxation Techniques 1: Breathing,

Meditation, and Mental Imagery
Information to Remember:
Key Learning Point: Meditation is a form of self-reflection, which some religions practice as a way
of purifying the soul. The Western practice of meditation searched for harmony and inner peace.
Initially meditation use was to calm the mind and with practice over time revealed insight within
the persons soul (Stahl & Goldstein, 2010).
Key Learning Point: There are two distinct branches of meditation, exclusive or restrictive
meditation, and inclusive or opening-up meditation. Both types of meditation practices cleans the
mind and work towards finding inner peace (Seaward, 2015).
Key Learning Point: There are many types of exclusive meditation, such as; mental repetition, visual
concentration, repeated sounds, physical repetition, and tactile repetition, which focuses solely on
one thought or one object. Physical repetitive is thought to shift the mind to an altered state of
consciousness or relaxed thinking mode (Seaward, 2015). Conscious diaphragmatic breathing is
one of the easiest form of physical repetition (Seaward, 2015)

26

Self-Assessment Exercise:
The unit six self-assessment exercise was to develop self-awareness coping strategies in managing
stress. In this practice, it was important to understand a technique called rational emotive behavior
therapy (REBT). This technique helps to defuse ones self-defeating perceptions of self-related
behaviors. We then focused on cognitive restructuring, which teaches the conscious and unconscious
mind to work together, so one may succeed in whichever method of behavioral change is to be
used.(Seaward, 2015).

27

References
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.

28

7
Unit

Unit 7: Nutrition and Stress

Information to Remember:
Key Learning Point: American diets consist of many foods that trigger physiological changes within
the body. These over processed foods contain various contaminants such as; high sugar, high
fat, bleached flour, genetically modified organisms (GMOs), hormones, antibiotics, and untold
amounts of petrochemical introduced by means of fertilizers, herbicides, fungicides, and
pesticides on and in our foods make healing more challenging (Seaward, 2015).
Key Learning Point: The ingestion of toxins from these over processed foods are stored within the
human body, known as bioaccumulation, and interferes with the balance of the human immune
system. The Domino effect, which consist of stress depleting nutrients from the body, poor
eating habits, hidden toxin contaminates, and increased sympathetic or physiological responses,
leads to consent immune imbalance (Seaward, 2015).
Key Learning Point: A process called genetic engineering or genetically modified organism GMOs
is a scientific process that alters the deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) of a plant or animal. This
process is done by the adding or removing of a particular gene and inserting a different gene and
rejoining both ends. This allows these foods to develop, larger and faster. Today, over 65 % of
the foods that in the general grocery store are GMOs (Seaward, 2015).

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Self-Assessment Exercise:
The unit seven self-assessment exercise we were to develop self-awareness of stress reactions using
either the Sitting Meditation or the Mindful Lying Yoga Meditation from the Mindfulness
workbook. I chose the Mindful Lying Yoga Meditation and found that I was very aware of my
body through the various poses and experience a few poses with emotional attachments (Stahl &
Goldstein, 2010)

30

8
Unit

Unit 8: Physical Exercise and Activity

Information to Remember:
Key Learning Point: Physical exercise creates the fight-or-flight stress response while in motion.
Physical exercise may create stress on the body, but it also utilized the stress hormones, which
release stress out of the body (Seaward, 2015).
Key Learning Point: There are two main categories for exercise, anaerobic and aerobic. Anaerobic
exercise is physical movement use of power done without oxygen, which relates to weightlifting.
Aerobic exercise consist of swimming, running, walking, or cardiovascular-endurances activities
(Seaward, 2015).
Key Learning Point:

The physiological effect of physical exercise should be consider as an

investment into your retirement. The short term effects of physical exercise provide benefits such
as better sleep decrease muscle tension and lower cholesterol just to name a few. The long-term
effects from physical exercise provide benefits such as improved body composition, stronger
bones, and decrease rate of ageing (Seaward, 2015).

Self-Assessment Exercises:
The unit eight self-assessment exercise was a team project in which we were to work up a Health and
Wellness Management Proposal for a Corporation or Company with little to not capital start up. The

31

proposal I submitted suggested using one of the four conference rooms to allow fitness professionals
to come into the office during scheduled time to provide exercise classes such as yoga, meditation
and Zumba class (could be done at the end of the day). I also suggested seated massages. The health
professional would have a contracts, the corporation allots one workday hour, 3 days a week for those
employees that enlist to the program, and the employee pay for the classes (Seaward, 2015).

Journal Writing:
Unit Eight Journal Writing Assignment
For unit eight, Explore: Creating Connections, we were to look within ourselves and explore
how we create connections with other people. After reading chapter nine, we were to imagine a
person you care about sitting right in front of you (Stahl & Goldstein, 2010) and reread each one of
the six qualities, close our eyes and write about our inner thoughts and feeling for each quality.
When I review the OPENNESS and think of my husband sitting in front of me, I felt closedoff and a bit defensive. I realize it is due to our living situation, even though I realize caring for a
parent is the right thing to do it is another issue when the parent interferes with our relationship. Now
reading about the EMPATHY, actually identifying with anothers feelings-emotionally putting
yourself in someone elses shoes (Stahl & Goldstein, 2010) is something I often try to do for many
situations especially when I catch myself being judgmental. I do empathize with my husband
regarding many different situations, including our living arrangement with his mother. Where
COMPASSION incorporates both understanding and empathy, I felt that my patients have worn thin.
I felt that I have more compassion for others, more so then for myself these days. For the LOVINGKINDNESS, wishing another to be happy, healthy and safe is something I pray about every day for
my husband as he heads out the door, wither he is heading to the office or out of town for a few days,

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as well as for others. The SYMPATHETIC JOY of delighting in the successes and joys of others is
sometimes difficult. It truly depends on the situations at hand. As I think about my husband, I am
delighted that he enjoys conducting sea trials on various Coast Guard ships for he loves being out on
the ocean where he feels free of all anxieties. EQUANIMITY encompasses the nature of change. It
gives you more balance and composure in understanding the interconnectedness of all life (Stahl &
Goldstein, 2010). When I think of my husband and others, I know I am far from this kind of
enlightenment. I still pre-judge, even though I may catch myself from time to time, it is an issue that I
will work on for the rest of my life.
In conclusion each human interaction we experience on a daily bases deserves to have inherent
value. Everyone deserves, respect, considerations and loving kindness.

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References
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.

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9
Unit

Unit 9: Applying Stress: Critical Issues for

Management and Prevention to your
Professional Life
Information to Remember:
Key Learning Point: The social orchestration coping technique require one to step back, evaluate the
situation at hand, find other approaches that could resolve the stressor. There are two approaches
for this technique, change the factors within the environment, or change the environment all
together (Seaward, 2015).
Key Learning Point: Hobbies are a nice therapeutic release for stress. A pleasurable pursuit or
interest outside ones daily work responsibilities through which one begins to make order out of
chaos (e.g., botanical gardening). (Seaward, 2015) Hobbies allow us to mentally step away
from a situation at hand and consciously focus the mind elsewhere (Seaward, 2015).
Key Learning Point: Forgiveness is a coping technique used for anger-related issues. Holding
grudges or resentments provides an illusion of control, which creates toxic thoughts leading
toward defensiveness and stress (Seaward, 2015).

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Additional Information
Websites:
1. MyYogaWorks, online yoga classes, retrieved from
<https://www.myyogaworks.com/video?embed=tpbzhwczoP0WyK63u0tl9Ydlkr_XzStD>,
(04/27/2015) This website provides video yoga classes at a touch of a button for the duration
of time you allow. It can go from a short 5-minute session up to a full 90-minutes session at
the level you desire.
2. University California Los Angeles (UCLA) Mindful Awareness Research Center, retrieved
from <http://marc.ucla.edu/body.cfm?id=22>, (04/27/2015) This web site belongs to
University California Los Angeles, School of Medicine Health Department and offers an
introduction to guided meditation with practices from 3-minutes to 12-minutes.

36

References
MyYogaWorks, online yoga classes, retrieved from
<https://www.myyogaworks.com/video?embed=tpbzhwczoP0WyK63u0tl9Ydlkr_XzStD>,
(04/27/2015)
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.
UCLA Mindful Awareness Research Center, retrieved from < http://marc.ucla.edu/body.cfm?id=22>,
(04/27/2015)

37