This document provides information on stress management. It discusses how prolonged stress can lead to burnout and impact our physical, mental, and emotional well-being. Negative self-talk is identified as being destructive because our body doesn't know the difference between thinking and reality. Common automatic negative thoughts are outlined. The document emphasizes improving stress hardiness through balancing activities in life, focusing on physical health with exercise and relaxation techniques, and changing negative perceptions of stressors.

1. Stress Management 101
Workshop Facilitator:
Jennifer Alfonso, MBA, MSW, LCSW-C
www.angermanagement.org

2. Toda y We Focus On:
Our Cha lle nge
 S truggle to find a he a lthy ba la nce
 Be twe e n the de ma nds of the work a nd,
 The ne e d to pa y a tte ntion to our own phys ica l
a nd e motiona l we ll-be ing

3. The price we pa y
 Ge t s ick more e a s ily, a nd s ta y s ick longe r
 Fe e l tire d, dra ine d, a nd worn out
 S ta rt to fe e l a nxious , cynica l or hope le s s
 Re la tions hips s uffe r
 In the e nd, e nd up hurting ours e lve s a nd thos e
a round the m

4. What Makes You Stressed?

5. Burnout
 A proce s s , not a n e ve nt
 A type of cumula tive s tre s s re a ction tha t occurs
a fte r prolonge d e xpos ure to occupa tiona l
s tre s s ors
 P rolonge d e xpos ure to e motiona lly de ma nding
s itua tions with ina de qua te s upport gra dua lly
de ple te s a n individua l’s own na tura l re s ource s
for de a ling with s tre s s a nd s tra in

6. S tre s s che mica ls
 Trigge r phys ica l re a ctions tha t la s t for da ys , we e ks , or
s ome time s months
 Als o a ffe ct bra in che mis try a nd impa ct the wa y we think
a nd fe e l
 Ove r time , a s bodie s , e motions a nd minds a re a ffe cte d
by s tre s s , ha s implica tions for s piritua l s e lve s too

7. Main signs of stress
 Body
 Action
 Thought
 Emotional

8. For pe rs ona l re fle ction
Che ck out P os s ible S tre s s Indica tors
 Ha ve you notice d a ny of the s e ge ne ra l s igns of
s tre s s la te ly?
 Whe n you a re unde r pre s s ure , which of the s e s igns
of s tre s s te nd to a ppe a r firs t?

9. Stress= Stressor + PERCEPTION…
Why Negative Self-Talk Can Be So Destructive
1. Remember, our body doesn’t know the
difference from thinking about something and
reality.
2. We are always talking to ourselves. Much of
that is negative. If we say something to
ourselves often enough, we tend to believe it.
3. We tend not to stop and question our
thoughts, so our thinking becomes automatic.

10. AUTOMATIC NEGATIVE THOUGHTS
ANT 1: Always/never thinking
ANT 2: Focusing on the negative
ANT 3: Fortune-telling
ANT 4: Mind Reading
ANT 5: Thinking with your feelings

11. ANT 6: Guilt beating
(should, must, ought, have to)
ANT 7: Labeling
ANT 8: Personalizing
ANT 9: Blaming
(The most poisonous red ant.)
ANT 10: Vengeance

12. Prevention and Recovery:
Improving PERCEPTIONS
Stay focused on the bigger picture:
 Learn to look at your stressors, situations or
challenges in a different way.
 Ask yourself: “Are these catastrophes or speed
bumps?”

13. Improve STRESS HARDINESS
Examine Balance in Your Life
Balancing Work, Play, Family/Friends, Exercise,
Spiritual/Altruism, Time for Self, Romance/Adventure

14. SOLUTION - PICTURE OF HOW
YOU BALANCE TIME

Write down main activities for each
day/week

Add up hour(s) spent “for others”

Add up hour(s) spent “for me”

DECIDE:

What’s most important?

Do I want to make change(s)

15. Improve STRESS HARDINESS
Work on the Physical
 Re gula r e xe rcis e
 S le e p
 He a lthy e a ting
 Drinking e nough wa te r
 Humour a nd la ughte r

16. Physical-Relaxation Techniques
 Slow, deep breathing will restore normal
heart beat
 Practice controlled breathing - you can do
this anywhere!
 Try progressive relaxation, visualization, or
meditation

17. P hys ica l
 Limit your cons umption of a lcohol/ca ffe ine
 P ila te s or Yoga
 Ma s s a ge , whirlpool, s a una
 Re pe titive a ctivitie s (s uch a s cros s -s titching, wa lking,
quilting, dra wing a nd cooking)

18. Further Reading
 Arden, J. (2002). Surviving Job Stress: How to Overcome
Workday Pressures. New Jersey: Career Press.
 Braiker. Disease to Please
 Carlson, R. (1998) Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff Workbook. New
York: Hyperion.
 Rosenberg, M. Non-Violent Communication
 Sapolsky, R. (1998). Why Zebras Don’t Get Ulcers: An updated
guide to stress, stress-related diseases, and coping. New
York: Freeman & Company.
 Seligman, M. (1990) Learned Optimism: How to Change Your
Mind and Your Life. New York: Simon & Schuster
 Smith. When I Say No I Feel Guilty