Youth in Transitions is a strength-based system of care in Missouri that uses wraparound services to help children with serious emotional disorders. The document provides 4 strategies for managing stress: 1) Avoid unnecessary stress by limiting responsibilities and controlling your environment. 2) Alter situations by communicating feelings and finding compromise. 3) Accept things you can't change by focusing on controllables. 4) Adapt to stressors by changing your perspective, standards, and focusing on positives. Managing stress is about taking charge of your life.

1. Youth in Transitions
MARCH 31, 2008 VOLUME 2, NUMBER 4
What is Youth in Transitions?
Youth in Transitions is a strength-based System of
Care which uses a Wraparound philosophy to serve
System of Care children and youth living with serious emotional
Approach disorders (SED) that are in the care of the State of
Any agency or Missouri.
organization that is
currently working with Stress Management for Caretakers
the family becomes part
of the System of Care Anyone in the world of mental health is a caretaker. You may be a parent, a social
team. The family leads worker, a DJO, a foster parent, a case manager, etc., but everyone who works to make
life better for those around us is a caretaker in one way or another. This month we
this team to work
are taking time to help reduce the stress in the lives of those who are the world’s
together to meet the caretakers. Remember to take a moment for yourself. ENJOY!
goals of the family by
providing In our frenetic, fast-paced world, many people deal with frequent or even constant
individualized, strength- stress. The overextended working mother, the hard-charging “Type A” personality,
based services in a the self-critical perfectionist, the chronic worrier: they’re always wound up, always
coordinated effort. stretched to the breaking point, always rushing around in a frenzy or juggling too
many demands.
Operating on daily red alert comes at the high price of your health, vitality, and peace
of mind. But while it may seem that there’s nothing you can do about your stress
level—the bills aren’t going to stop coming, there will never be more hours in the day
for all your errands, your career will always be demanding—you have a lot more
control than you might think. In fact, the simple realization that you’re in control of
The Wraparound your life is the foundation of stress management.
Philosophy
An individualized Managing stress is all about taking charge: taking charge of your thoughts, your
emotions, your schedule, your environment, and the way you deal with problems.
planning process for
The ultimate goal is a balanced life, with time for work, relationships, relaxation, and
children with high needs fun—and the resilience to hold up under pressure and meet challenges head on.
and their families that
wraps needed services Stress management strategy #1: Avoid unnecessary Stress
around them, resulting
in a unique set of
Not all stress can be avoided, and it’s not healthy to avoid a situation that needs to be
community services and addressed. You may be surprised, however, by the number of stressors in your life
natural supports for the that you can eliminate.
purpose of achieving
positive outcomes. • Learn how to say “no” – Know your limits and stick to them. Whether in
your personal or professional life, refuse to accept added responsibilities
when you’re close to reaching them.
• Take control of your environment – If the evening news makes you
anxious, turn the TV off. If traffic’s got you tense, take a longer but less-
traveled route
• Pare down your to-do list – Analyze your schedule, responsibilities, and
daily tasks. If you’ve got too much on your plate, distinguish between the
“shoulds” and the “musts.” Drop tasks that aren’t truly necessary to the
bottom of the list or eliminate them entirely.

2. It is our goal to
Stress management strategy #2: Alter the situation
partner with families
and youth living with If you can’t avoid a stressful situation, try to alter it. Figure out what you can do to
serious emotional change things so the problem is avoided in the future. Often, this involves changing
disorders to help the way you communicate and operate in your daily life.
youth improve
• Express your feelings instead of bottling them up. If something or
themselves, succeed
someone is bothering you, communicate your concerns in an open and
in school, and respectful way. If you don’t voice your feelings, resentment will build and
become productive the situation will likely remain the same.
members of the • Be willing to compromise. When you ask someone to change their behavior,
community through be willing to do the same. If you both are willing to bend at least a little,
you’ll have a good chance of finding a happy middle ground.
interagency • Be more assertive. Don’t take a backseat in your own life. Deal with
collaboration in a problems head on, doing your best to anticipate and prevent them.
system of care that
allows families to be Stress management strategy #3: Accept the things you can’t
responsible for change
leading the treatment
team and wraps Some sources of stress are unavoidable. In such cases, the best way to cope with
stress is to accept things as they are. Acceptance may be difficult, but in the long run,
individualized it’s easier than railing against a situation you can’t change.
services around the
entire family. • Don’t try to control the uncontrollable. Many things in life are beyond our
control— particularly the behavior of other people. Rather than stressing out
over them, focus on the things you can control such as the way you choose to
react to problems.
• Look for the upside. As the saying goes, “What doesn’t kill us makes us
stronger.” When facing major challenges, try to look at them as opportunities
for personal growth. If your own poor choices contributed to a stressful
situation, reflect on them and learn from your mistakes.
• Learn to forgive. Accept the fact that we live in an imperfect world and that
people make mistakes. Let go of anger and resentments. Free yourself from
negative energy by forgiving and moving on.
Youth in Transitions
5400 Arsenal Street Stress management strategy #4: Adapt to the stressor
#A-126
St. Louis, MO 63139
If you can’t change the stressor, change yourself. You can adapt to stressful situations
Phone and regain your sense of control by changing your expectations and attitude.
314.877.0348
• Reframe problems. Try to view stressful situations from a more positive
Fax
314.877.6602 perspective. Rather than fuming about a traffic jam, look at it as an
opportunity to pause and regroup, listen to your favorite radio station, or
Michelle Smart MSW, enjoy some alone time.
LCSW – Project • Look at the big picture. Take perspective of the stressful situation. Ask
Director yourself how important it will be in the long run. Will it matter in a month?
Michelle.Smart@dmh.mo.gov
A year? Is it really worth getting upset over? If the answer is no, focus your
Annie Schulte – Social time and energy elsewhere.
Marketer • Adjust your standards. Perfectionism is a major source of avoidable stress.
KissCr8tive@gmail.com
Stop setting yourself up for failure by demanding perfection. Set reasonable
We’re on the Web! standards for yourself and others, and learn to be okay with “good enough.”
www.stlouissoc.org • Focus on the positive. When stress is getting you down, take a moment to
reflect on all the things you appreciate in your life, including your own
positive qualities and gifts. This simple strategy can help you keep things in
perspective.
www.stlouissoc.org