Stress is Optional: Live in Balance Even During Instability Devin Vicknair, PhD, LPC, ICAADC

What are your biggest sources of stress? How do you usually cope with stress? Have you ever felt like this?!

Juggle Game

Guidelines for the game Say the persons name Underhand toss it Cannot be tossed to the person on your left nor right Everyone gets it once Time stops when all objects are returned to beginner

Guidelines for the game Say the persons name Underhand toss it Cannot be tossed to the person on your left nor right Everyone gets it once Time stops when all objects are returned to beginner *must be in motion until all objects are returned to the beginner *cannot be held more than 2 seconds *can go to the person on the left or right *cannot go in the same order as the other items

Social Readjustment Rating Scale (SRRS) Chance of Serious Illness in the next 2 Years 30% 50% 80% POINTS Matheny & Cupp (1983), Journal of Human Stress, June,

Robert Sapolsky-Stanford University 5 Factors that contribute to stress related illness: Lack predictive information- Duration 2. Lack sense of control- On/Off Switch 3. Social isolation- Alone 4. Sense of situation worsening- Progressive 5. Lack outlets- Displacement

Your brain and body are connected Your thoughts become things

Phases of the Stress 1 st Phase: Trigger Perceptions that result in stress 2 nd Phase: Escalation Physiological reaction 3 rd Phase: Crisis Fight or Flight....Freeze 4 th Phase: De-escalation/Recovery Physiological reaction decreases 5 th Phase: Depression/Exhaustion Body overcompensates

What is stress doing to you?

Changing your perception, changes everything! Using Cognitive Mapping & Cognitive Reframing. Understand and replace Self Defeating Beliefs.

How do you spend your time?

Covey-Time Mgmt matrix

The Relaxation Response Steps to Elicit the Relaxation Response in Dr. Herbert Benson's book 1. Sit quietly in a comfortable position. 2. Close your eyes. 3. Deeply relax all your muscles, beginning at your feet and progressing up to your face. Keep them relaxed. 4. Breathe through your nose. Become aware of your breathing. As you breathe out, say the word, "one"*, silently to yourself. For example, breathe in... out, "one",- in.. out,"one", etc. Breathe easily and naturally. 5. Continue for 10 to 20 minutes. You may open your eyes to check the time, but do not use an alarm. When you finish, sit quietly for several minutes, at first with your eyes closed and later with your eyes opened. Do not stand up for a few minutes. 6. Do not worry about whether you are successful in achieving a deep level of relaxation. Maintain a passive attitude and permit relaxation to occur at its own pace. When distracting thoughts occur, try to ignore them by not dwelling upon them and return to repeating "one.” With practice, the response should come with little effort. Practice the technique once or twice daily, but not within two hours after any meal, since the digestive processes seem to interfere with the elicitation of the Relaxation Response. * or any soothing, mellifluous sound, preferably with no meaning. or association, to avoid stimulation of unnecessary thoughts. Daily Calendar How to Bring Forth the Relaxation Response Scientific Research Herbert Benson, M.D. Harvard Medical School The crimson book that is a national best seller Oxygen consumption decreases during meditation indicating a low demand for oxygen during deep rest. First published study on meditation by Dr. Benson: in 1971, "A wakeful hypometabolic physiologic state" Boston.com article on how to meditate Return.

4 Factors for Living in Balance A gift from the Native American Indians- Medicine Wheel Physical Body Psychological Thoughts & Emotions Social Environment & Relationships Spiritual Soul

Physical-Body

Psychological-Thoughts & Emotions

Social-Environment & Relationships

Spiritual-Soul

Track your progress

If everything you try fails to relieve stress...

Devin Vicknair, PhD, LPC, ICAADC