This document outlines the contents of a stress management and prevention resource guide containing 9 units. The units cover topics like the nature and physiology of stress, the psychology of stress, personality traits, and strategies for coping with stress. Key learning points describe how stress is the body's response to threats and affects people physically and mentally. Chronic stress can result from unresolved anger or depression and lead to illness. While stressors come in many forms, social support and developing a positive mindset can help with coping. The document provides exercises, tools, and journal writing prompts for each unit to help learn about and manage stress.

1. HW410 Stress: Critical Issues in Management and Prevention
Gabriel J. Wigington
Kaplan University
May 16, 2013
HW410-S01
“Stress Management and Prevention
Program Resource Guide”

2. Table of Contents:
Unit 1: The Nature of Stress
Information to Remember
Resources: Exercises: Exercises
Tools: Journal Writing: Journal Writing
Unit 2: The Physiology of Stress
Information to Remember
Resources: Exercises: Exercises
Tools: Journal Writing: Journal Writing
Unit 3: Psychology of Stress
Information to Remember
Resources: Exercises: Exercises
Tools: Journal Writing: Journal Writing
Unit 4: Personality Traits and the Human Spirituality
Information to Remember
Resources: Exercises: Exercises
Tools: Journal Writing: Journal Writing
Unit 5: Dealing with Stress: Coping Strategies
Information to Remember:
Resources: Exercises: Exercises
Tools: Journal Writing: Journal Writing

3. Unit 6: Relaxation Techniques: Meditation, Breathing, and Visual Imagery
Information to Remember
Resources: Exercises: Exercise
Tools: Journal Writing: Journal Writing
Unit 7: Nutrition and Stress
Information to Remember
Resources: Exercises: Exercises
Tools: Journal Writing: Journal Writing
Unit 8: Physical Exercise and Activity
Information to Remember
Resources: Exercises: Exercises
Tools: Journal Writing: Journal Writing
Unit 9: Applying Stress: Critical Management/Prevention to your Professional Life
Information To Remember
Resources: Exercises: Exercises
Tools: Journal Writing: Journal Writing
Resources: Exercises: Exercises
Tools: Journal Writing: Journal Writing
Additional Information
“End of Stress Management Guide”

5. Unit 1: The Nature of Stress
Information to Remember:
Key Learning Point#1: Stress is an inability to cope with life’s problems- (Seaward, Selye
Managing Stress p.5,6, 2006) point out that stress is a person’s perceived or imagined threat.
The human body creates a hormonal response that is different based upon whether the stressor is
a positive or negative one. Newer medicinal studies have revealed that stress affects not only our
physical body but the entire person as a whole. The key is how a person perceives a situation or
event may be entirely different from someone else’s perception of the same event. This is why
effective coping skills are valuable.
Key Learning Point#2:
Job Stress results in chronic illness and increased economic costs- Stress Facts. (n.d.) Stress
Facts: Costs of Job Stress. Retrieved July 18, 2008 from
http://faculty.css.edu/dswenson/web/Stress/stressfacts.html
This study shows job stress from absenteeism, employee turnover, medical, legal, and
insurance fees, and lack of productivity are just a few areas that are estimated to cost the
American workforce industry about $300 billion annually! To give a ballpark idea, chronic
job related stress cost $50-$80 billion per year which is about $750 per person. A large
percentage of this is due to elevated depression and anxiety levels from being overworked
without sufficient recovery time or positive life events. 60%080% of all accidents are stress
related and healthcare is affected greatly by these statistics which I believe perpetuates
greater economic problems.
Key Learning Point#3:
Stressors are the sources that cause stress and can come in many types- Types of stressors
include environmental, financial, social, psychological, physiological, and interpersonal.
Depending on the type, a person may have a different need in order to cope with and
recover from. Sunlight, gravitational pull, and electromagnetic fields are examples of
environmental stressors which can throw off our circadian rhythms that are very important
to our sleep cycle. Psycho-intrapersonal stressors involve thoughts, beliefs, attitudes, and
values that we use to identify or defend our ego. These stressors affect unique parts of our
personality and make it imperative to intercept a stressor in the mind before it results in an
increase in stress hormones being released in the physical body. Social influence can
include financial insecurity, relocation effects, violation of human rights, and low
socioeconomic class.
Resources:
Exercise: Exercise1.1-Are You Stressed? I included this specific exercise because it helped
me to assess where I am currently at in terms of stressors in my life. It’s imperative to
identify where you are currently in order to make progress through improving how we cope
with this areas of stress. This is a basic guide to give an idea of and connect with what
frustrates you the most.
Exercise 1.3-Self Assessment: Poor Sleep Habits Questionnaire-I like this exercise because
sleep deprivation is one of the major chronic issues that causes unnecessary stress to pile

6. up in the lives of most people I have come into contact with. I deal with poor sleep myself
so it was very helpful to take notice of what small details could be coming in between
greater quality sleep and my ability to function optimally every day. Without proper sleep
habits we do not improve memory, recover from exercise, or stay youthful while shedding
body fat and building lean muscle tissue.
Tools:
Journal writing: 1.5 Personal Stress Inventory-This exercise helped me to have increased
awareness of the specifics in my daily life that may be holding me back from living better as
a result of unnecessary suffering. Creating a top ten list of stressors and what type they
are is a good practice to maintain throughout life. Whatever we don’t acknowledge, we
can’t benefit from.
1.2 My Health Philosophy- This journal was one of my favorites because I believe most
people do not take time to analyze what their core values are and go through the daily
motions of life without realizing that they are living by default if not on purpose. In other
words, we need to cognitively connect regularly with what we value most and what we
desire our life to look like. If we do not, then we may allow someone or something else to
dictate this for us. It can be a therapeutic activity as well to write out your thoughts and
feelings on paper in a journal format so we can express in a healthy way things that may be
difficult to say.
Unit 2: Physiology of Stress:
Key Learning Point#1:
Psychophysiology refers to the mind-body connection that has a chain of command series of
neural and hormonal events in response to sensory information perceived as a major threat.
The brain is where it begins as our command center. This prepares the body for the fight or
light response in order to survive. The nervous system and the peripheral nerves are
constantly sending messages back and forth in communication. It’s important that we pay
attention and listen to these messages our body gives us so we can adapt properly to
stressors in order to prevent chronic problems.
Key Learning Point#2:
The endocrine system consists of many hormonal glands that control many operations
inside our body daily. These control our ability to increase muscle mass and decrease body
fat. The adrenal glands have a medulla and a cortex. The medulla releases epinephrine
and Norepinephrine. The cortex releases the hormone cortisol which is a corticosteroid that
prepares the body for fight or flight and also breaks down muscle tissue and can stimulate
fat storage. These glucocorticoids are at the root of how stress impacts our mind and body
in negative ways that leads to numerous chronic conditions.
Key Learning Point#3:
Neuroplasticity refers to the brain’s ability to generate new connections to various brain
cells and promote new cell growth. Relaxation techniques like mindful meditation and visual
imagery can help to improve neuroplasticity. Research has proven that we have unlimited
potential to grow mentally through our brain unlike our physical body! Brain research also
shows that a region in the brain called the Amygdala is where fear-based memories occur

7. and that the damage done through emotional stress may be irreversible in the brain. Fear
may be the #1 culprit to living a low stress quality life. (Seaward ch.2 Managing Stress
Ebook)
Resources:
Exercise 2.2: Immediate, Intermediate, and Prolonged Stress Effects
I received great value from doing this exercise because there are different durations of
stressors that we perceive ranging from seconds, minutes-to hours, and days at a time
depending on their nature. Connecting with how we respond or react mentally, physically,
and emotionally to these items can help to reverse the process and perpetuate more
eustress (positive) in our lives.
Tools:
Journal Writing 2.1 Stress Physiology Review- Knowing a bit about which hormones affects
what metabolic processes in our body is a very valuable thing to know about whether
involved in a health and wellness profession or not. These things affect our daily lives in a
great way and can greatly improve our human existence and our interrelationship with
others as well. Melatonin is the antioxidant that affects our sleep cycle and serotonin
affects mood in the brain. There are certain foods that can activate serotonin like turkey
and raw nuts which are also loaded with magnesium. The tryptophan amino acid in these
foods has a sleep inducing effect which may improve sleep quality. Our body naturally
begins a beautiful array of events as night time approaches near involving the secretion of
melatonin that prepares our body for sleep.
Unit 3: Psychology of Stress
Key learning Point#1
Fight or Flight: Emotions anger and fear are associated with fight/flight response.
Anger can include envy, impatience, frustration, jealousy, or rage! Fear can also come in many
colors such as doubt, embarrassment, paranoia, and insecurity. These are the two main emotions
associated with the fight or flight response and are a major contributor to chronic stress which I
believe to be the main culprit of disease and bodily problems in our modern world. Since
chronic stressors are at the root of the “Health Crisis” in America, I would say that those who
can help guide people in dealing with emotions like anger and fear in a better way would become
highly valuable in the marketplace as a professional. I find it very interesting that the average
American gets angry about 20 times per day!
Key Learning Point#2:
Depression is about unresolved anger.
Depression medications have become rampant and way too common in American society. These
pills I believe do not heal or reverse the condition of depression and simply keep the patient

8. addicted to drugs without real relief from their symptoms. A depressed state is much more than
brain chemistry. It involves a depressed state of mind through constantly focusing our thought
life on the bad things that happened in our past which can cause a person to dread the upcoming
future. The main feature of depression is a loss of pleasure. A person suffering from depression
could benefit from opening up to a close friend or psychologist who could actively listen to their
problem and provide a healing environment through self-discovery. I believe feeling unloved is
one of the main issues here. Depression is also very common following major catastrophic life
altering events like divorce or financial bankruptcy.
Key Learning Point#3:
Spiritual Hunger: High stress levels in a person’s life tend to cause one to seek out spirituality
and search for answers to deeper issues within. Many people have shown to become
disappointed with traditional religious practices because they are not finding answers to their
questions about spirituality. I believe the answers people are looking for we can find in God’s
Word, the Bible, and will provide the joy, peace, confidence, courage, and love people need to
live a great life. As more problems are perpetuated it becomes more clear who is connected to
spiritual growth and who is not. I have visibly noticed how I am a completely different person
during times when I have daily fed my mind with the thoughts and ways of God! Despite that
textbooks will say there are many paths to enlightenment, I believe there is only 1 way to live an
elevated life free from worry, fear, and strife. It’s our job to understand God’s plan so we can
follow the pattern He has setup, and receive His promises for our life.
Resources: Exercise 5.4 Anger: The Fight Response is one that I picked to include in my stress
management assessment because it really helped me to evaluate and be aware of personality
types and how I deal with anger typically. Some people punish themselves and others erupt like
a volcano spewing ash all over everyone in sight! It’s important to become aware of how we
tend to deal with these emotions so that we can learn skillfully how to better process the
thoughts, emotions, and behave better in the future.
Tools: Journal Writing: 4.1 The Psychology of Your Stress I included because it can improve
awareness of attitude and behavior that we show in response to stressors. Whether we get
defensive or repress the emotions and not properly deal with them in a mature manner is vital to
our overall health and wellbeing. Carl Jung sheds light on how important dreams are to
revealing some stress in our lives. I never thought much about dreams honestly before this
activity. This is a very valuable tool.
Unit 4: Personality Traits and the Human Spirituality
Key Learning Point#1: Biology of Anxiety
The amygdala is the area of the brain that is activated when fear is present which gains sensory
information before it reaches the cortex. I find it fascinating how this brain area will respond

9. with anxiety as an autonomic response to sensory stimuli before we have a conscious awareness
of what happened. Glucocorticoid levels affect this process by activating the sympathetic
nervous system through the corticotrophin releasing hormone.
Key Learning Point#2: Primates show how perception impacts stress response. Sapolsky
compares two different baboons that lived totally different. One would see others he
encountered as a threat and would see life as 1 big stressor while the other would walk away
from confrontation and enjoyed a life with more friends and a youthful old age.
Key Learning Point#3: Hostility is a greater cause of cardiovascular disease than most doctors
realize! Hostile behavior plays a large impact on the stress response, psychological, and
emotional health of an individual. Type “A” personality traits like time urgency, rapid speech,
manipulative control, and ultra-competitiveness tend to lead to a hostile aggression that promotes
chronic problems as a result of higher stress levels in the blood. These people often times are
leaders in business and struggle to deal with others who can’t keep up with their frantic pace of
life. I find this important because in western medicine physicians seem to neglect this emotional
aspect of heart disease which I believe to be a greater area to address especially with the modern
hurried way of living.
Resources: Exercise 7.8 Distractions of the Human Path-I picked this exercise because I believe
distractions can veer any person off the proper track to get them to their destiny in life. There are
so many distractions ranging from movies, television, cellphones, media gadgets, gossiping
about others, arguing over small things, internet websites, facebook, and many others. When we
are distracted constantly, we don’t keep laser focus that is necessary to achieve our goals daily in
a timely fashion. This also can increase stress. Anything can become a distraction after being an
attraction at first. We must be aware of when it’s time to cut things out of our life. A leadership-
ology I really like is “When you let the wrong things go, you let the wrong things grow.” We
need to regularly think about if the activities we are putting our time into daily are producing the
results we desire.
Tools: Journal Writing 6.1 Under the Gun: Stress and Personality I picked to put into this stress
guide because I think it’s more valuable and therapeutic to write out how we feel and get our
thoughts on paper in order to release that energy bottled up inside of us. It has helped me in the
past when I have done this since my personality type is one that keeps things to myself most of
the time as a result of thinking other people don’t care or would not understand. It helps to
notice the inner resources we can use to improve in handling the stressor.
Unit 5: Dealing with Stress: Coping Strategies
Key Learning Point#1: Humor is healing-Humor means fluid or to go with the flow. Sigmund
Freud created the relief/release theory. He believed that humor is a natural instinctive response
that releases sexual tension in humans. Laughter can strengthen our immune system, release

10. stress, improve oxygen-rich air uptake, and also act as a painkiller! I found this to be vital when
dealing with a chronic condition.
Key Learning Point#2: Creating a Positive Mindset: Behavioral Medicine shows that the mindset
and emotions we choose play a huge role in our capacity to heal the body from illness and injury.
Low self-esteem produces tension while being able to let go of past events through an optimistic
view is very healthy in the short and long-term. Reframing our thought patterns is an awesome
way to help anyone cope with stressors to produce a healthier physical response.
Key Learning Point#3: Social Support not only decreases stress/anxiety levels, but is a necessity
to achieving anything great in life. As a fitness enthusiast I have noticed over the years that all
major fitness programs involve some form of social support to help keep people on the right
track. Along our journey in life there will no doubt be moments of frustration and the option to
give up on our goals. Through social support anything is possible because it provides a boost
when other people believe in you and are rooting for you to win. It’s also a positive benefit
when someone who has already been in your shoes can share how they overcame the obstacle
you find yourself currently in.
Resources: Exercise 9.1 Value Assessment and Clarification: I choose this exercise because
until we know what our values are we will not be able to attract the right people into our life and
be the right kind of person who will be the best we can possibly be. I believe getting clear on our
core values is critical to living with purpose and being content during stressful times also.
Unit 6: Relaxation Techniques: Meditation, Breathing, and Mental Imagery
Key Learning Point#1: Health benefits of Calmness-Since our muscles are the most frequently
targeted organ in the body, muscle tension is thought to be the #1 symptom of stress. A busy
24/7 lifestyle will lead to an overactive stress response with too much sympathetic nervous
activity going on and not enough parasympathetic. Excessive wear and tear results from a lack
of homeostatic balance. This is why the ability to remain calm in the mind is paramount for an
enjoyable life.
Key Learning Point#2: Diaphragmatic Breathing is a great therapeutic technique because it
calms the body, can release chronic stress and tension, and can decrease oxygen demand on the
lungs/heart. Breathing exercises like this will bring us back to a greater state of awareness and
distract from the stressors we have been focused on.
Key Learning Point#3: Meditation is increased concentration leading to increased awareness.
Because of the constant state of media bombardment in American society, it is a valuable
relaxation technique to learn meditation. I personally find mindful meditation to work the best
because it trains our mind to live in the present and enjoy each moment while cutting out racing

11. random thoughts that do not produce a positive result. It is easy to allow many different thoughts
to go on at the same time, but we do have the power of conscious thought and can choose to still
and slow our mind down which will produce less anxiety and overwhelmed feelings.
Resources: Exercise 18.3 was one I find valuable because since we have a certain areas of our
brain that are more dominant it is good to intentionally practice developing certain skills and
traits to balance out both hemispheres in our brain. I am very strong in analytical skills and
mathematics, but desire to get stronger in the area of emotionality, imagination, and humor.
Tools: I included journal writing 20.1 I have a Vision: The Art of Visualization because it was
one of my favorite of all the journal activities I have participated in. It helps me tremendously
to visualize a beautiful artistic picture or a vision of nature when am in need of relaxation in my
mind and creating a positive emotional place. I think we all have moments in our day when our
mind and body is exhausted and we just need a break. At any time we can visualize a place of
beauty and elegance where we would rather be right now. This has the potential to provide a
positive stress response physically and allow for an enjoyable experience that we have created in
our own mind as if we were really there living it! How awesome is that?
Unit 7: Nutrition and Stress
Key Learning Point#1:
Great Nutrition has the ability to heal and reverse chronic disease. I have experience this
firsthand which is why I can say this statement with confidence. Regardless of what textbooks
and internet websites tell us in scholarly form, at the end of the day we must try out different
regimens of eating and see how our unique body responds and deals with it. If the body tells us
that a certain food is not wanted we will receive signals or messages to become aware of. Many
people I personally know have experienced food sensitivities in their gut which prevents optima l
body fat loss and can prevent a strong immune system since about 80% lies in our digestive tract.
Probiotics are one way to help reverse these symptoms by restoring the gut flora (bacteria) in this
area.
Key Learning Point#2: Specific foods trigger different hormonal responses. A huge part of
becoming a nutrition expert is learning about hormones. They affect most of the metabolic
processes that go on daily inside our body. Foods like coffee and chocolate can result in sleep
deprivation while sugar itself it actually toxic to our brain and can decrease our memory and
mental function.
Key learning Point#3: Minerals like Magnesium, calcium, zinc, potassium, and iron are
important for our overall health and wellness. Without proper mineral intake and absorption
stress can increase along with an increased risk of sickness through a weaker immune system. T
cells may become compromised which help to kill off viruses and other pathogens. I personally

12. consume hemp on a daily basis which is loaded with iron, magnesium, and zinc! It is a complete
protein which gives me all of the essential amino acids needed for preventing muscle breakdown.
Resources: I used Journal Writing 27.3 The Rainbow Diet because it’s eye opening to learn how
different colors of food can impact various regions of the body which can heal in different ways.
These different foods are full of power and life since they have color in them. I love purple
foods like blueberries and Okinawan potatoes because the anthocyanins present provide a high
level of nutrients in them.
Self-Assessment journal activity 27.2 was a great exercise because becoming aware of our eating
patterns and the cognitive thinking associated with it is the first step to making behavior change
in this area of health. If I’m guiding a client in nutritional coaching, the first thing I would
address is the psychological connection to eating certain foods and their “why” behind their food
choices!
Unit 8: Physical Exercise and Activity:
Key Learning Point#1: Therapeutic health related benefits of exercise are numerous and can be
life changing. Decreased heart rate/blood pressure, improved sleep, concentration, lower
triglyceride levels, better HDL/LDL cholesterol ratio, increased bone density and muscle tone
are all benefits from exercise.
Key Learning Point#2: The Parasympathetic Rebound Effect is what separates exercise from
other stressors. Yes, exercise does increase stress on the body, but provides numerous positive
stressors in the process that radically can improve our health status. The more muscle we
possess and the less body fat we have, the healthier we become across the board when discussing
clinical blood levels in our body that would prevent disease.
Key Learning Point#3: Types of exercise such as Pilates and Yoga have been shown through
scientific research to decrease pain in the body and help people cope with chronic pain. I used to
do yoga during a time when I was experiencing major chronic pain. I plan on incorporating yoga
practice into my life because it helps to improve sleep which is something I need to take
seriously. I do recommend it highly as it strengthens our core musculature, can make our limbs
flexible, and reduce body fat effectively.
Resources: Journal 28.4 My Body’s Rhythms: I included this activity because our biological
rhythms are an area that may not receive the necessary focus in the modern western world of
medicine. These rhythms are a big contributor to our sleep quality among many other things that
go on inside of us every day. This internal clock runs 24 hours a day and is affected by things
like gravitational pull, earth’s rotation, sunlight, computers, and changes in temperature.
Exercise 28.2: My Body, My Physique was very beneficial to me because it helps increase
awareness to how we feel about ourselves. Body image is at the root of many of the choices we

13. make every day in regard to nutrition and activity choices. Marketing takes advantage of this
and makes it imperative for professionals do be able to assist clients in creating a healthier self-
image about their body. Only then can someone begin to make progress after choosing to see
themselves as worthy and valuable.
Unit 9: Applying stress to your Professional Life:
Key Learning Point#1: Tai Chi is what the Chinese call the subtle energy force that permeates
and surrounds us. A congestion of this energy can result in disease according to their beliefs.
Creating a balanced and harmonious inner life is the purpose of exercises meant to promote Tai
Chi.
Key Learning Point#2: Progressive Muscular Relaxation-a technique of muscular contractions
used to decrease muscle tension. It is meant to increase awareness and ability to lessen tension
through the release of stress. This can be a very effective technique used for those who
experience TMJD, insomnia, or desire to cease smoking!
Key Learning Point#3: Biofeedback is an effective way to maintain homeostasis. Clinical
biofeedback is used which involves machines like an EKG or EEG in order to improve a
person’s heart rate, muscle tension, and brain activity physiologically. This can be used to treat
Raynaud’s disease and those suffering from severe migraines as well.
No exercises/Journals for this unit.
Additional Resources: Drug-free ways to alleviate depression: Here are 5 simple things a
person can do to improve their depression. 1. Exercise can improve mood via norepinephrine
release. 2. Seek professional counseling or find a friend to express emotions to. 3. Keeping a
journal or diary can be an effective method for releasing the stress and improving symptoms. 4.
Eliminating sugars and processed carbohydrate foods can reverse energy levels, improve mood
and mental function. These foods can wreak havoc on blood glucose levels and insulin. 5. Eat
more oily fish like sardines, tuna, and halibut and also foods high in vitamin B6. Lentils, meat,
and poultry are examples of these foods. http://www.thehealthierlife.co.uk/natural-health-
articles/mental-health/mood-boosting-supplements-00914/ (primary source)
Strategies for coping with fear following traumatic event:
1. Validate the fear. 2. Share it with others. 3. Find ways to not be alone. 4. Share
responsibilities for tasks that seem daunting. 5. Strategize how to react during crisis. 6.
Create a safe environment. 7. Gain accurate information about the trauma. 8. Recognize

14. normal reactions to fear. 9. Realize what you don’t have control over. 10. Time passed
will decrease fear response.
http://www.counselingcenter.illinois.edu/?page_id=315 (primary source)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=565TRZfOg8M (secondary source)
Common link to mass murders in schools by children is the violence we’re exposed to
through Television/Media!!! I included this you tube video because violence in schools
has transformed safety and security in our nation and we no longer live in a safe world
where we can have confidence that weapons are not rampant everywhere we go.
Awareness is vital in order for change to happen for the betterment of people.

15. “References”
1. Managing Stress E-book by Seaward.
2. “Why Zebras Don’t Get Ulcers,” by Robert M. Sapolsky.
3. http://www.thehealthierlife.co.uk/natural-health-articles/mental-health/mood-
boosting-supplements-00914/ (primary source)
4. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=565TRZfOg8M (secondary source)
5. http://www.counselingcenter.illinois.edu/?page_id=315 (primary source)
6. http://faculty.css.edu/dswenson/web/Stress/stressfacts.html (primary source)