About Stress Management Training

Everyone has stress in their lives. Whether it stems from positive events, such as getting married or buying a home, or from a challenging situation, such as illness or job loss, it is important to have the right tools to manage it. Stress from any source can place a strain on the body and contribute to disease. However it is not the feelings of stress that create the problem itself. Stress becomes a problem when you reach a point where you feel that you are unable to cope. Stress management training is available to individuals looking for everyday techniques to help. There are also programs for those who are looking to become trained to teach others.

Significance

• Constantly feeling stressed can have negative effects on the body. When the mind receives signals that we are stressed and need to react, such as avoiding a car accident, or in times where you are worrying about something, a set of reactions takes place in the body. Chemicals are released that cause the heart rate to increase, the muscles to tighten, sweat gland activity increases, blood flow is diverted away from the organs and redirected to the heart and brain and the activity of the immune and digestive systems is decreased. All of this prepares the body for fight or flight to help you survive the situation. When the mind receives signals that the danger is over, other chemicals are released to bring the body back to a normal state. Problems occur when we feel stressed on a regular basis. If you are in a constant state of worry, the brain and body never fully calm down. Since the fight or flight syndrome causes reactions, such as a rise in blood pressure and a decrease in the activity of the immune system, problems can occur if it goes on for a long period of time. This is why taking a stress management training class can help. It will teach techniques to help calm the body and mind and reduce the effects that stress has on the body.

Types

• Stress management training encompass a wide variety of techniques. Some common techniques include basic meditation practices (the Relaxation Response) where you simply focus on your breath or a simple word. Other techniques include guided imagery or visualization exercises, Autogenic Training, mindfulness meditation as well as others. All of these techniques aim to help calm the activity in the mind, which in turn will send signals to your body that it is OK to relax. It is good to experiment with different techniques to see which feels right for you. You may have natural tendency to use one technique over the other, or you may find that certain techniques work best in specific situations. There is no magic fix. It takes some training and practice to become comfortable with stress management techniques. Taking time for regular exercise and enjoyable hobbies as well as eating a healthy diet and getting adequate sleep are also an important components in a stress management training program. The stronger and healthier your body is, the more resilient it is to the effects of stress.

Features

• There are several layers to an effective stress management training program. You must learn to identify the causes of your stress and learn appropriate ways to deal with these situations. A large part of this process is becoming aware of what parts of your situation are within your control to change and which parts are not. You are always in control of your own thoughts and actions. Part of your stress management training is to learn to identify negative thoughts and behaviors. You may find that many of the things you are worrying about, are events that have not actually happened, but rather your attempt to predict what you think will happen. Keeping the mind focused on the present is a good step to start to counteract this. For those parts of your life that are not within your control, you need to find healthy ways to cope. This may mean examining your reactions to the stressful event. While you may not be able to fully control your situation or other people's behavior, you can make a conscious decision to react and respond in a different way. Learning to change your behavior may take the help of a trained professional who can help you to examine your thought behaviors and then learn more effective coping skills.

Time Frame

• Stress management training takes time and practice. While you can take a day or weekend course to learn the actual techniques, it takes some time to integrate the practices into your life. If you are learning a meditation or relaxation technique, remember that it is a skill. Like any skill you need to work at it to become more proficient. You would not expect to play tennis after just one lesson, and you can not expect to master mediation or change lifelong behaviors after one stress management class. It will take some trial and error and dedication on your part to stay on track with your program. If you are finding it challenging, try joining a class, support group or gather a group of your friends or coworkers who have the same goal. If finances are tight, check your local library for books and tapes that you can use to develop a program. For more in-depth training, check into local colleges and hospitals as they often offer courses in stress management and various techniques.

Considerations

• If you are looking to become trained to teach stress management classes, there are several options. Most professionals that teach stress management classes have a degree in counseling, psychology or social work, and have the skills to guide clients through making changes. Some professionals have degrees in business management and can teach effective communication and time management skills. There are also medical professionals, such as Dr. Andrew Weil, Dr. Bernie Siegel, and Deepak Chopra, who offer stress management training programs for those dealing with chronic illness. In a more general setting many yoga teachers, Tai Chi teachers and other members of the lay community can guide you through learning simple techniques. The first step is to try the techniques yourself to see what seems like a good fit. Most techniques, such as yoga, Tai Chi, guided imagery and mindfulness mediation, have national organizations where you can receive more information and attend workshops and classes. The websites listed below can provide a place to start.