HW410 Stress: Critical Issues in Management and

Prevention

Stress Management and

Prevention Program
Resource Guide

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Stress Management and Prevention
Program Resource Guide

By

Maria Long

HW410: Stress: Critical Issues in Management and Prevention

March 24, 2020

Table of Contents
UNI T 1 THE N ATURE OF ST RES S

Information to Remember .................................................................................................5

Assignment ...........................................................................................................................6
Journal ...................................................................................................................................6

UNI T 2 THE PH YSIO LOG Y OF S TRESS

Information to Remember .................................................................................................8

Assignment ...........................................................................................................................8
Journal ...................................................................................................................................9

UNI T 3 PS YCHOLOG Y OF ST RESS

Information to Remember .............................................................................................. 11

Assignment ........................................................................................................................ 11
Journal ................................................................................................................................ 12

UNI T 4 PE RSON ALIT Y T RAITS AN D THE HUM AN SPI RITU ALIT Y

Information to Remember .............................................................................................. 13

Assignment ........................................................................................................................ 13
Journal ................................................................................................................................ 14

UNI T 5 DEALIN G WITH ST RESS : COPI NG STRATEG IES

Information to Remember .............................................................................................. 16

Journal ................................................................................................................................ 16

UNI T 6 RELAXAT ION TE CHIQU ES 1: BRE ATHIN G,

ME DIT ATION , AND MENT AL IMAG ERY

Information to Remember .............................................................................................. 18

Assignment ........................................................................................................................ 18
Journal ................................................................................................................................ 19

UNI T 7 NUT RIT ION AND ST RESS

Information to Remember .............................................................................................. 21

Journal ................................................................................................................................ 21
UNI T 8 PH YSI CAL E XERCIS E AN D ACTI VIT Y

Information to Remember .............................................................................................. 23

Assignment ........................................................................................................................ 23
Journal ................................................................................................................................ 24

UNI T 9 APP LYING ST RESS : CRI TICAL I SSUES FOR

M ANAG EMENT AND PRE VENT ION TO YOUR P RO FESSION AL

LI FE

Information to Remember .............................................................................................. 25

ADDIT IONAL IN FORMAT ION

REFEREN CES
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 Unit

Unit 1: The Nature of Stress

Information to Remember:
General Adaption Syndrome: General adaptation syndrome is our body’s reaction to stress
through three specific stages (Legg, 2017). The first stage is alarm reaction where our brain
responds to a danger with two stress hormones, which are adrenaline and cortisol (Legg,
2017). Our body is put on high alert to the danger in order to be able to quickly react
(Seaward, 2018). The second stage of general adaptation syndrome is the stage of resistance
(Seaward, 2018). During this stage our body changes from reacting to attempting to calm
itself (Seaward, 2018). There is still an active threat, however, the body tries to achieve a
balanced state (Seaward, 2018). Due to the existing threat, balance back to homeostasis
cannot occur and the body continues to react to the danger (Seaward, 2018). Our organs are
working harder than usual and our metabolic rate remains elevated (Seaward, 2018). If this
persists, we are led to the third state of general adaptation syndrome, which is exhaustion
(Seaward, 2018). During the stage of exhaustion our organs can fail to work properly due
to metabolic strain and this can result in death (Seaward, 2018). Less severe versions of
exhaustion include depression, anxiety and lack of energy (Legg, 2018). General adaptation
syndrome can sometimes go undetected until there is irreversible damage done to the body
(Seaward, 2018).
Stress: Lack of emotional control or inner peace are considered definitions of stress (Seaward, 2018).
Stress can derive from a good or bad event and our body will not know the difference (Seaward,
2018). Our bodies respond to stress physiologically with arousal and this can create wear and tear
on the body (Seaward, 2018).
Wellness Paradigm: A wellness paradigm contemplates four categories of wellness, which include
physical, metal, spiritual and emotional well-being (Seaward, 2018). By recognizing the
importance of each area and working on areas that need development, an individual can find a
balance which helps them achieve the best overall quality of life (Seaward, 2018). Much like
understanding the universe, understanding the significance of our personal wellness paradigm
elevates us into understanding the importance of the bigger picture as it relates to personal wellness
(Seaward, 2018).

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Assignment:
In this assignment, I constructed a personal mandala, which represents the emphasis I place on different
components of the wellness paradigm. A personal mandala is a way to express components of an
individual’s wellness paradigm (Seaward, 2018). A wellness paradigm contemplates four categories of
wellness, which include physical, metal, spiritual and emotional well-being (Seaward, 2018). My physical
health made up 30%, spiritual well-being made up 20%, mental well-being made up 30% and emotional
well-being made up 20% of my mandala.

Journal:
Formal Practice: Mindfully Eating a Raisin (Stahl & Goldstein, 2010).
At the beginning of most mindfulness-based stress reduction programs, we introduce this practice, which
involves eating a raisin mindfully, to demystify the concept of meditation. (If you don’t have a raisin, any
food will do.) As you do this practice, put aside all distractions, turn off the phone, and focus direct, clear
awareness on each aspect and each moment of the experience. You can practice by listening to Mindfully
Eating a Raisin (directions found under course resources) or by reading the following text, taking some
time with each instruction. This should be a minimum of two full pages.
Place a few raisins in your hand. If you don’t have raisins, any food will do. Imagine that you have just
come to Earth from a distant planet without such food. Now, with this food in hand, you can begin to
explore it with all of your senses. Focus on one of the objects as if you’ve never seen anything like it before.
Focus on seeing this object. Scan it, exploring every part of it, as if you’ve never seen such a thing before.
Turn it around with your fingers and notice what color it is. Notice the folds and where the surface reflects
light or becomes darker. Next, explore the texture, feeling any softness, hardness, coarseness, or
smoothness. While you’re doing this, if thoughts arise such as “Why am I doing this weird exercise?” “How
will this ever help me?” or “I hate these objects,” then just see if you can acknowledge these thoughts, let
them be, and then bring your awareness back to the object. Take the object beneath your nose and carefully
notice the smell of it. Bring the object to one ear, squeeze it, roll it around, and hear if there is any sound
coming from it. Begin to slowly take the object to your mouth, noticing how the arm knows exactly where
to go and perhaps becoming aware of your mouth watering. Gently place the object in your mouth, on
your tongue, without biting it. Simply explore the sensations of this object in your mouth. When you’re
ready, intentionally bite down on the object, maybe noticing how it automatically goes to one side of the
mouth versus the other. Also notice the tastes it releases. Slowly chew this object. Be aware of the saliva in
your mouth and how the object changes in consistency as you chew. When you feel ready to swallow,
consciously notice the intention to swallow, then see if you can notice the sensations of swallowing the
raisin, sensing it moving down to your throat and into your esophagus on its way to your stomach. Take a
moment to congratulate yourself for taking this time to experience mindful eating.
Mindful Eating Journal: What did you notice with the raisin (or whatever food) in terms of sight, touch,
sound, smell, and taste? Was anything surprising? Did any thoughts or memories pop up while doing this
practice? Take a few moments to write down your reflections.
I chose to complete this exercise with a chocolate covered espresso bean. The small, clear bag of espresso
beans was long and tubular. I opened the bag carefully from the top and poured a small amount into my
hand. Setting the handful down onto my desk I noticed how each bean was unique in shape in size.
Although each bean was the same product, there was a uniqueness about each bean. I look several moments
to select the bean I wanted to consume. After looking at smaller more round beans, and slightly larger flat

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beans, I decided to choose the largest, most flat bean to consume. During the exercise I noticed how
smooth and glossy the object was. I wondered how the manufacturer was able to accomplish this and how
many additives must be in the object. It also reminded me briefly of the Chicago Gate sculpture, which is
also known as the Chicago Bean. While thinking about this, I remembered that my husband really would
like tickets to a Chicago Bear’s game next season and that I should really start to save some money for that.
I tried to let that thought go because it provoked a bit of anxiety. The bean’s light brown appearance
reminded me how much I love milk chocolate. As I picked up the object between my thumb and first
finger, I noticed how waxy and smooth the object was. Slowing raising the object to my lips I noticed how
light and small the object was. Once I put the object in my mouth, I noticed that I must have been excited
about eating the object because my mouth was watering. I also noticed that it smelled like coffee which
reminded me of my early morning routine of drinking coffee and watching the news. I was also reminded
of when I used to work at a Starbucks as a teenager and this brought back memories of having less
responsibility, being very young and free. Starbucks is also where I met my husband and I started to think
about the times he would pick me up from work and we would drive down to the beach and collect shells.
On the center of my tongue the waxy chocolate coating began to melt away. I wondered to myself; How
long would this have taken if I had tried this with an M&M? There was a smooth waxy layer, which took a
bit longer to melt in my mouth than the pure milk chocolate layer to follow. Rolling the object around on
my tongue, the texture went from smooth and sweet to rugged with trances of the milk chocolate stuck
between the ridges of the espresso bean. After most of the sweet chocolate taste had melted away the
remaining expresso bean, outside of its chocolate coating, shifted to the left side of my mouth, where I
crunched down on the bean with my molars. The crunch was satisfying and crisp. I had wished I crunched
the object earlier because the taste that followed was strong and lacked appeal. At this point, a pungent
coffee taste dispersed, and the dry roasted fragments of the bean filled the left side of my mouth and my
tongue. I swallowed these fragments which were small and not uncomfortable to swallow, yet not very
pleasant. The aftertaste was also unpleasant and bitter. It reminded me of the first time I tried to drink
coffee black. This was a very interesting exercise. This showed me that I am an overthinker and I should
practice exercises like this more often to try center myself and reduce the clutter in my thoughts.

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 Unit

Unit 2: The Physiology of Stress

Information to Remember:
Mindfulness: Mindfulness is the practice of being in the moment and fully present (Stahl &
Goldstein, 2010). The benefits of mindfulness can positively influence each of the major
components of the wellness paradigm. Mindfulness can influence our spiritual, emotional,
psychological and physical health (Stahl & Goldstein, 2010).
Neuroplasticity: Neuroplasticity is our brain’s ability to reorganize itself (Shiel, n.d.). This occurs
through undamaged axons, which can grow new nerve endings to connect with other undamaged
nerves (Shiel, n.d.). This action establishes new neural pathways (Shiel, n.d.).
Neuroscience: Neuroscience is the scientific study of the elements of the nervous system, which
includes the its structure and function as well at the study of this system on a cellular and
molecular level (Mandal, n.d.). Some of the areas studied within neuroscience are brain disease
diagnosis, cognitive function, which includes psychological function, neuronal development and
function and neural circuit formation which looks at emotional response, memory and other
similar functions (Mandal, n.d.). Neuroscience is important to the brain because it helps us to
better understand the anatomy, capabilities and limitations of the brain (Mandal, n.d.). It has also
allowed us to explore the benefits of mental training, such as meditation (Shield, n.d.).

Assignment:
Within this assignment, neuroscience and neuroplasticity will be described as well as the importance of
each to the brain. Additionally, five diseases that occur when the nervous system is affected by stress will
be identified and described. Also, one disease that occurs when the immune system is affected by stress
will also be identified and described. Neuroscience is the scientific study of the elements of the nervous
system, which includes the its structure and function as well as the study of this system on a cellular and
molecular level (Mandal, n.d.). Neuroplasticity is important to the brain because it is the brain’s way of
recovering function after it is damaged (Shiel, n.d.). Damage can be caused by extreme stress, such as
PTSD (Seaward, 2018). This can only occur if the brain is stimulated by activity (Shiel, n.d.).
Neuroplasticity is our brain’s ability to reorganize itself (Shiel, n.d.). This occurs through undamaged
axons, which can grow new nerve endings to connect with other undamaged nerves (Shiel, n.d.). Five
diseases that occur when the nervous system is affected by stress are coronary heart disease, irritable
bowel syndrome, migraine headaches, tension headaches, and bronchial asthma (Seaward, 2018). The
immune system is very important to our health because it protects us from harmful bacteria, viruses and

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parasites (Brian, n.d.). The lymphatic system, thymus, Spleen, white blood cells and even bone marrow
are participants in our immune system (Brian, n.d.). When the immune system is affected by stress, this
can cause immune dysregulation (Seaward, 2018).

Journal
Complete the Journal Assignment entitled, Explore: How is stress or anxiety affecting your life? Directions
are found in Chapter Two of the Mindfulness workbook (Stahl & Goldstein, 2010). Upon completion of
this Assignment, you will take the first step toward greater well-being and become aware of how stress is
impacting your life. This should be a minimum of two full pages.
How is stress or anxiety about people affecting your life?
Stress and anxiety about people affect my life quite a bit and it is something I am constantly managing. My
family dynamic is complex in that several of our family member are not getting along to the point that they
do not speak. I am very diplomatic, which is very draining and makes my relationships with family members
feel more like a chess game than a genuine relationship. Often, I must seek outside advice because I cannot
see clearly in situations that pull on my heart strings. Outside of family matters I feel that I am overly
concerned about the way I am perceived by others as a parent, coach and neighbor. I am overly conscious
about whether people like me. In the past, this made me feel as though I needed to constantly evaluate
myself for change. I have learned to let this go because these efforts take me about from my organic self.
How is stress or anxiety about work affecting your life?
Stress and anxiety about work affects my life. I have a very demanding career, which means that time
management is extremely important. Also, I have rules in place so that work does not mix with my home
life. These rules are focused on when I am allowed to log into my work computer or check my work cell
phone. However, it still happens. There is so much work for me that I could let it take my nights and
weekends, but I do not do this. I have learned that there will always be more work regardless, so I keep
work within the confines of 9-5 as much as possible and remind myself I work to live. I do not live to work.
How is stress or anxiety about the world affecting your life?
This is a big one. I pay a lot of attention to what is going on in the world. I also have a career in cyber
security, which means I cannot really detach from world events. When I look at the world, the hate in it,
the disrespect for our environment and how divided we are becoming, I become overwhelmed. This can
bring my optimism down. Having small children contributes to my feelings about this because I want them
to be left with a world where they can see the good and contribute to the good. So much of what our
children see, especially in the media, is violence and divide. I tap into spirituality to help myself and my
children understand the bigger picture. I read a quote once from someone whom I cannot recall that
basically said that in any tragic situation you should always look for the helpers. There is a silver lining, and
good everywhere we look, even in the dimmest of situations. This outlook helps me manage my stress and
anxiety about the world and its state.
How is stress or anxiety about food and eating habits affecting your life?
Stress or anxiety about food is something that used to affect my life quite a bit. I would measure my self-
worth based on my nutrition and weight. I would become upset if I gained even a half pound on the scale
and then use food to sooth my soul. Through maturity and working on being mindful of correlations
between food and feelings I was able to untangle the two from each other. Sometimes, I indulge in a food
a bit when I am down. However, I brush it off. The scale does not bother me. When I am being a really

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big jerk to myself, I look in the mirror and think about that fact that this amazing body had given me
children, mobility and I am alive! Also, I remind myself that our society is set up to make us feel inadequate,
this way we can look for perfection through products, make-up, exercise equipment, and cosmetic
procedures. Then, once we are disgusted with the way we don’t align with societies visions of perfection,
we can eat our feelings. I remind myself that this is not how we should treat ourselves or food.
How is stress or anxiety about sleep and sleeplessness affecting your life?
Sleep and sleeplessness are not something that causes me any anxiety or stress. Thank goodness! I am a
really good sleeper and regardless of my stress level I can detach and sleep. I always envision I am falling
asleep on a warm beach and then before I know it, I am out like a light. If I am ever restless, I know that I
need to engage in more physical activity the next day and that always seems to promote better sleep for me.
How is stress or anxiety about exercise or lack of physical activity affecting your life?
Stress or anxiety about exercise or lack of physical activity used to affect my life a lot. I really thought that
health and wellness could only be measured by the way I looked. This, by the way, was my outlook in my
early to mid-20’s. Though maturity, education and time, I discovered this is not how we measure wellness.
There are many other critical components to being well and looking well. I try to model good exercise
habits for my children. We go for walks, runs and use the gym. However, I am not fanatical about it, nor
do I have a rigid exercise routine.
Summary
In summary, the top contributors to my stress and anxiety are my views on the world, the way that people
perceive me, and work. I do not see these contributors going away any time soon. However, I understand
that my stress and anxiety about each of these contributors can be managed.

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 Unit

Unit 3: Psychology of Stress

Information to Remember:
Anger: Anger, which is also referred to as the rage reflex, is a survival emotion based on our instinct
to protect ourselves (Seaward, 2018). For humans, this can result in revenge or delayed
aggression. Anger can manifest in different ways such as frustration, which can turn into
aggression and withdrawal (Seaward, 2018). Anger is expressed in many ways and can be
brought on by our need to defend against a physical, emotional or psychological threat (Seaward,
2018).
Fear: Fear comes in many forms and is derived from vulnerability and shame (Seaward, 2018).
Whether we fear being rejected, being isolated, dying or living in uncertainty, fear can exist in our
lives in many ways (Seaward, 2018). It is important to be able to cope with and management
feelings of fear because they can stifle our joy and extinguish personal authenticity (Seaward,
2018).
High Tech Communication: During high-tech communication, such as texting, important
communication aspects can be lost in translation (Seaward, 2018). We are unable to pick up on
tone or emotions and we can sometimes come across and rude or insensitive while rushing a
texting message (Seaward, 2018). Picking up the phone and speaking about a conflict or complex
issue allows us to hear tone and understand the demeanor of the person we are speaking with.

Assignment:
This assignment addressed the many considerations necessary to understand, cope with and manage stress
and anger. Through the exploration of Tibetan culture, we can better understand the relationship between the
mind and stress. In this culture, it is believed that letting go of desire, attaching to our higher self and balance
will generate peace and resolve conflicts within (Seaward, 2018). Collectively, the views espoused by theorists
was evaluated for commonalities in order to help us understand the greater theme of what causes stress. The
views espoused by theorists as it relates to understanding stress and the mind hold commonality in that they
all address the coping mechanisms our mind puts into place to handle our safety needs (Seaward, 2018).
Whether this be an immediate threat or event that causes a defensive action, theorists have outlined ways to
cope and evolve from stress (Seaward, 2018). One other way to cope with, manage or resolve fear would be
through systematic desensitization (Seaward, 2018). This is where a person is repetitively exposed to the
stressor generating their fear until the individual is able to endure and overcome the fear (Seaward, 2018).

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Exploring ways to cope with, manage or resolve fear can help us deal with stress. It is important to be able to
cope with and management feelings of fear because they can stifle our joy and extinguish personal
authenticity (Seaward, 2018). A way to resolve fear, depending on its severity, would be through a
psychoanalytical approach (Seaward, 2018). This could involve many types of therapy intended to uncover
the root cause of the fear, whether it has been caused by a traumatizing event or suppression of traumatizing
memories (Seaward, 2018). Additionally, understanding how communication styles influence the way we are
understood, and how misunderstandings causes stress can help us to focus on communication skills that will
improve our style of interaction and their outcomes was discussed. Everyone has their own communication
styles and utilizing communication techniques we can more on being more affective communicators.

Journal:
Unit Three Journal Writing Assignment
Complete the Journal Assignment entitled: Five-Minute Mindful Breathing and Bringing the Eight
Attitudes of Mindfulness into Your Life. Directions are found in Chapter Three of the Mindfulness
workbook. Upon completion of this Assignment, you will begin to understand the importance of
making them a part of your daily life. See what changes occur in relationships with yourself and others
around you. This should be a minimum of one full page.
Take some time to write about whatever you came up for you mentally, emotionally, and physically
when doing this practice for the first time.
Summary
During this exercise, I utilized an empty office at work. I found a comfortable chair, which I sat
upright in and did not lean back into the chair. I acknowledged that I was taking a few moments to be
still and invest in the practice of meditation. As I brought awareness to my breath it took me a few
moments to let go of my judgement about how tight my chest felt, which is mostly likely due to stress
at work. I let this thought pass and focused on my breathing. My breathing was most prominently felt
in my chest and then my belly. Once I focused only on maintaining my breath, I began to feel much
more present in the moment.
My breathing felt much like the waves of the seas as the instructions to this exercise suggested. I
focused on remaining present and embracing the still and quiet. Reminding myself that this is the only
thing I am doing right now helped keep my mind from wandering. As thoughts crept into my mind, I
acknowledged them and then let them pass by. I envisioned these thoughts as little balloons floating by
and I would not grab onto the string of any balloon, I would focus on my breath.
At different points of the exercise, my mind was wondering how long I had been meditating
and I had to refocus again. This brought to light how focused I am on time management. I had set a
timer to let me know when the five minutes were over since I prefer to meditate with my eyes closed.
When the timer alarm sounded, I was very happy with myself for meditating.
Emotionally, meditation felt like an act of love and appreciation of myself. Some of the
frustration I was experiencing at work, prior to meditating, melted away. Mentally, I felt refreshed and
ready to reengage in the workday with a renewed approach. It felt as though I had mentally closed all
of the extra tasks and ‘windows’ that were open, almost like a computer. Physically, for the remainder
of the workday felt much more energetic and productive than usual. This made me aware that I can
meditate at work every day if I would like, it only takes a few minutes, and has great benefits.
Meditation is portable and free. I can do this in any environment I can focus in.

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 Unit

Unit 4: Personality Traits and the Human

Spirituality
Information to Remember:
Co-dependency and addiction: This is a type of behavior where a person is trying to implement a fix
to get self-validation (Seaward, 2015). The high from this fix is extremely short term, which means
that the person engaging in this behavior will repeat it over and over (Seaward, 2018). Some
examples of this type of behavior would be to constantly check social media or voicemails
(Seaward, 2018).
Self-Esteem: Self-esteem is the way we value, respect and love ourselves (Seaward, 2018).
Contributing factors to our self-esteem are self-acceptance, personal integrity, purposeful living,
self-responsibility and self-assertiveness (Seaward, 2018). Our self-esteem can be thought of as
our consciousness’ immune system (Seaward, 2018).
Spiritual Hunger: This is an expression used to describe the way a person might long for something
more than what religion can provide (Seaward, 2018). This emptiness can also be described by a
term called spiritual bankruptcy (Seaward, 2020). This is where we fill emptiness with material
things instead of spirituality (Seaward, 2020).

Assignment:
In this assignment self-esteem was described and its role in promoting and resolving stress was described.
The affect that stresses poses on relationships, values and meaningful purpose in life was explained. My
perspective on the differences between values, attitudes and beliefs was explained. Also, one lifestyle
activity was taken through Prochaska’s Stages of Change Model. Self-esteem is the way we value, respect
and love ourselves (Seaward, 2018). Contributing factors to our self-esteem are self-acceptance, personal
integrity, purposeful living, self-responsibility and self-assertiveness (Seaward, 2018). Self-esteem plays a
role in stress management because a healthy self-esteem can prevent stress, as we tend to recognize the
strength of our internal resources and capabilities when we have a higher self-esteem (Seaward, 2018).
Relationships, values, and meaningful purpose in life are thought to work together in creating a
heightened state of consciousness (Seaward, 2018). Stress can create a poor relationship with ourselves,
which in turn creates poor relationships with others. Stress can erode our interconnectedness because of

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fear or anger and disrupt inner and outer harmony (Seaward, 2018). Values evolve throughout our lives
and require continual evaluation and alignment (Seaward, 2018). When we are in disharmony with our
values this can create stress and the need to discover our core, individual values (Seaward, 2018). Stress
can also affect our purpose in life. An example would be stress caused by self-doubt or low self-esteem.
With a low self-respect and pride we cannot connect with long term goals or purpose (Seaward, 2018).
Values are our core principles that guide our life and are generally consistent throughout our lives
(Lumen, n.d.). Our attitudes are comprised of our likes and dislikes (Lumen, n.d.). Our attitudes are
derived from our values and beliefs (Lumen, n.d.). Beliefs are presumptions we hold true based on past
experiences (Kumar, 2018). Physical activity was brought through the Prochaska’s Stages of Change
Model to demonstration how a person can move through the stages with efforts to implement physical
activity as a lifestyle habit.

Journal:
Unit Four Journal Writing Assignment
Complete the Journal Assignment entitled: Explore: Identifying Emotions in the Body. Directions are
found in Chapter five of the Mindfulness workbook. Upon completion of this Assignment, practice taking
a moment to mindfully tune in to your body and discover any physical sensations associated with strong
emotions. This should be a minimum of three full pages.
FEAR: apprehension, anxiety, distress, edginess, jumpiness, nervousness, panic, tenseness, uneasiness,
worry, fright, feeling overwhelmed.
During the body scan I recognized anxiety and tenseness. The anxiety could be felt in my heart and my
breathing. My lungs felt tight and my heartrate seemed more elevated than usual. By the end of the body
scan, these sensations seemed to improve because of the meditative nature of this exercise. My jaw was
also very tense. I did not notice this until the body scan instructed me to focus on my jaw. Once aware, I
relaxed my jaw. Another area that felt tense was my forehead. I had to consciously let it relax because it
was very tense and scrunched together from looking at my computer screen for a good portion of the day.
CONFUSION: bewildered, uncertain, puzzled, mystified, perplexed, chaotic, foggy, or unaware.
Toward the beginning of the body scan I felt chaotic and foggy. I had not slept very well the night before,
the workday had been very consuming and pulled me, mentally, in many directions. Although I did not get
a good sleep the night before, I usually tend to become foggy at work from staring at a computer screen all
day. My body felt somewhat numb. Most days when I return home, I feel so blank and completely used
up. I have to jump in the shower or exercise to snap out of it. My mind felt cluttered. However, the body
scan forced me to focus on the present and only focus on one instruction at a time. I feel that this brought
me out of confusion and back to the present.
ANGER: aggravation, agitation, annoyance, destructiveness, disgust, envy, frustration, irritation,
grouchiness, grumpiness, rage.
Toward the beginning of the body scan I felt very grouchy. This is most likely due to the poor quality of
sleep I had the night before and the redundancy of work tasks. I noticed that my grumpiness was apparent
in my posture. I performed the exercise sitting up because I was tired and did not want to dose off. My
grouchiness seemed to reflect itself in the way I was hunched over a bit. I found that by correcting my
posture that I felt less grouchy.

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SADNESS: alienation, anguish, despair, disappointment, gloom, grief, hopelessness, insecurity, loneliness,
misery, unhappiness, rejection.
During the body scan, I was in an office at work. I felt loneliness because for the last two weeks all of my
coworkers on my team have been traveling and the office has been very quiet. I really appreciate
relationships and human interaction. This is a part of what makes me happy at work. I could feel this in my
face, specifically, my mouth. I felt as though I had been frowning for an undetermined amount of time and
needed to consciously try to smile. I also felt alienated because of the difficulty I have been experiencing in
my marriage lately. I feel as though I have grown apart from my spouse because we have evolved into very
different people and I have having a lot of trouble sharing the same space as him. I feel alienated in that I
do not have a best friend to confide in, joke with or have deep intellectual conversations with. I could feel
this while scanning my body. My body felt somewhat empty. It is hard to describe. This sadness inside of
me, feeling anchored and bound to a life of loneliness. I do not often regard these feelings because there
are so many great things going on and life is very busy. But at my core, I know I feel this way and during
the body scan it really surfaced.
SHAME: guilt, embarrassment, humiliation, invalidation, regret, remorse, mortification.
Playing off of the feelings of loneliness, feelings of regret surfaced while I was thinking during the exercise.
I am tired of being lonely and this brings feelings of regret and remorse for myself and also my children if
I cannot course correct my marriage. This was felt as exhaustion in my body.
LOVE: affection, arousal, attraction, caring, compassion, desire, fondness, infatuation, kindness, liking,
longing, warmth, sympathy, sentimentality.
During the body scan I felt a sense of love when we were asked to scan our pelvic region. I am reminded
of the two children that my body allowed me to carry. I also felt as though I was doing something very
loving and kind for my body by engaging in the exercise in general. This made my body feel more at rest
and at peace as the body scan progressed. I felt more centered and in the moment.
JOY: amusement, bliss, contentment, eagerness, elation, enjoyment, enthusiasm, excitement, exhilaration,
hope, optimism, pleasure, satisfaction.
During the body scan I felt enjoyment because I had taken a moment for myself. Focusing on my breath
allowed me to be mindful of the air entering my lungs. This reminded me to be grateful for life and all the
blessings in it, such as my children, family, home, job, education and opportunities to help in my
community.
Summary
In summary, I believe I need to complete this exercise daily. It felt somewhat overwhelming to have
experienced so many emotions in one exercise. This tells me that I am not taking enough time for myself.
I feel as though I am always in a state of doing and rarely in a state of being. This exercise created a lot of
awareness around where I hold tension in my body. Overall, it made me feel centered and allowed me a
moment to appreciate the vessel, which allows me to physically exist from day to day. I feel that these body
scans can help me to reflect, identify feelings I need to drill down into, and work on those feelings. I also
believe that this connected me with my body. When I work in front of a computer all day I do not feel as
though I am in my body at times. Sometimes, if I let work take over, I forget to get out of my seat for
hours, which is really bad for my health. I am looking forward to using this as a tool to create awareness
with myself around how I am feeling physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually.

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 Unit

Unit 5: Dealing with Stress: Coping Strategies

Information to Remember:
Assertive Behavior: Assertive behavior can help us to be clear about expectations and emotions
(Seaward, 2015). Some ways assertive behavior can be accomplished is through being direct and
asking for what we want (Seaward, 2015). Another way we can engage in assertive behavior
would be to own our opinions, make mistakes without embarrassment, and to take time to express
our feelings (Seaward, 2018).
Foundation of Time Management Skills: This type of skillset can help with our ability to navigate
distractions, both from our environment and within (Seaward, 2018). Some of the internal
distraction that influence us are fear and anxiety (Seaward, 2018). Some of the environmental
distractions we face might be social media or texting (Seaward, 2018). We can overcome external
distractions by providing a unclutter environment without additional and unnecessary technology
around us (Seaward, 2018).
Reframing: This is a type of cognitive restructuring and a coping technique (Seaward, 2018). This
coping technique requires replacing negative thoughts with positive thoughts and affirmations
(Seaward, 2018). This can help with perceptions of stressors by shift our perceptions of what is
threatening or not (Seaward, 2018).

Journal:
Unit Five Journal Writing Assignment

Choose from either formal practice: Walking Meditation or Mindful Self-Inquiry for Stress and Anxiety. Directions are
found on either pages 58 through 60 or 119 through 121 of the Mindfulness workbook. Upon completion of either
practice, take a moment to reflect on whatever came up for you mentally, emotionally, and physically. This should be a
minimum of two full pages.

Take some time to write about whatever came up for you mentally, emotionally and physically when
doing this practice for the first time.

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 I chose to participate in Walking Meditation for this week’s journal assignment. I utilized the hall outside of my
office, which is long, quiet and carpeted. I switched from my high heeled shoes into the sneakers I keep in my gym bag so
that I could get the most out of this exercise. The long stretch of hallway accommodated this exercise nicely. The slow
conscious steps helped me to center myself and be present.

Mentally, I felt that this meditation allowed me to clear headed. Bringing complete awareness to
each step and the process of each step demanded my complete focus. This allowed me to let go of all of
the other mental processes happening at that time and pay complete attention to one thing. I felt that
after the exercise the benefit of mental clarity was long lasting. I was more productive for the remaining
workday because I let go of anything that way straining me mentally prior to the exercise and focused
on the task at hand.

Emotionally, I felt the frustrations of the day leave me. Centering my attention on the present
helped provide a break from thoughts about people in my life that are draining me emotionally and
some of the obstacles at work that emotionally charge me. This small break helped me to reset my mind
frame for the day. Sometimes, I feel that I need to worry or I tend to ruminate about events in my life
that I wish had gone differently. I almost feel as though I am required to worry in order to revolve an
issue. I know this is not true. However, it is an anxious habit. The break this exercise gave me from this
behavior reminded me that I do not need to worry or obsess about these things in order to resolve
them. Taking each mindful step was a reminder to appreciate what my body can do and the present
moment. I was reminded of when I broke my leg very badly at age 13. The damage to my femur,
muscles, tendons and femoral nerve were so severe that they almost had to amputate my leg. Many
times, while I walk, run or exercise, I remind myself about how thankful I am that I have my leg. This
Walking Meditation was no exception.

Physically, it felt so good to be upright and moving. The majority of my day is spent at a desk,
hunched over. My back felt great when I stood up straight. Walking from ball to heal provided a
reminder about how the human anatomy is so interesting and that there is so much that goes into our
ability to walk. I focused on my knees and hips. Then I focused on the way that my arms moved from
side to side while walking. Walking with mindfulness reminded me to be grateful for what my body is
capable of. This certainly tied into the way I feel emotionally about my physical capabilities.

In summary, engaging in this exercise had centering effects during the meditation and after.
This exercise resulted in outcomes similar to a body scan because it was an inner body experience
instead of an outer body experience. I felt the sense of gratitude, focus and the ability to wash away the
mental and physical clutter. What I like the most about this type of meditation is that I can incorporate
this into my daily routine at work. We have an onsite gym and I always thought I needed to commit to
utilizing the gym in order to be active and clear my head. A few days each work week I pack my gym
bag and shower supplies so that I can spend my lunch our working out. It takes me a lot of time to
change, get to the gym, shower and dress again. This tends to make me feel very rushed and causes
more stress. I think that I could use Walking Meditation to achieve the emotional and mental benefits I
experienced from going to the gym because they overlap with the outcomes of the Walking Meditation.
I know that there is a huge physical benefit to rigorous exercise in the gym. However, it is great to
know that in a pinch I can use Walking Meditation to relieve mental and emotional stress.

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 Unit

Unit 6: Relaxation Techniques 1: Breathing,

Meditation, and Mental Imagery
Information to Remember:
Diaphragmic Breathing: This is a type of meditation, which elicits the relaxation response and can
be done almost anywhere (Seaward, 2019). Diaphragmic breathing can help to voluntarily regulate
involuntary functions controlled by the autonomic nervous system ANS (Jewel, n.d.). Diaphragmic
breathing can be accomplished in three steps (Seaward, 2018). These steps are to assume a
comfortable position, concentration and visualize (Seaward, 2018).
Meditation: This practice helps to relax the mind and untangle ourselves from patterns of worry and
stimulus from our environment (Seaward, 2018). During meditation we concentrate and focus on
the present and become more aware. This awareness can focus can help to promote inner peace and
pulls the conscious mind away from stressors and stimuli (Seaward, 2018).
Mental Imagery: Mental imagery is a form of conscious daydreaming, where we can utilize
thoughts of peaceful scenery to defuse stress (Seaward, 2018). Taking our five senses away from
a stress response, we are able to disconnect and then approach a situation with a more effective
outlook (Seaward, 2018). This can help participants return to homeostasis from a place of stress
(Seaward, 2018).

Assignment:
In this assignment, diaphragmic breathing was discussed and information was provided on why it is
thought to be an effective relaxation technique. Diaphragmatic breathing is different than the typical
breath because it is a deep, conscious breath, which expands the abdomen and chest (Seaward, 2018).
Diaphragmatic breathing is thought to be an effective relaxation technique because it can relief pain and
restore our energy (Seaward, 2018). Three steps, which are important to engage this technique were
provided. The three steps important to engaging diaphragmic breathing are to assume a comfortable
position, concentration and visualize (Seaward, 2018). Additionally, the effects that meditation have on the
mind and body were discussed. The effects of meditation on the mind and the body are expansive.
Scientific studies have been able to conclude that meditation effects immune health, chronic pain, mood
and sleep (Seaward, 2018). Scientists have been able to gauge the influence of meditation on the body by

18
utilizing metrics such as blood pressure, heart rate and oxygen consumption to determine that all of these
have been decreased by meditation (Seaward, 2018). Three ways that imagery and visualization can be
useful for relaxation were also provided. One way that imagery and visualization can be used for
relaxation would be through guided mental imagery, where an individual can visualize a series of tranquil
natural scenes (Seaward, 2018). Another way that imagery and visualization can be used for relaxation
would be through systematic desensitization (Seaward, 2018). This is an exercise where we build up a
tolerance to something we fear by imagining, in gradual steps, facing that fear (Seaward, 2018). Another
way that imagery and visualization can be used for relaxation would be to help heal from illness or disease
with internal body images (Seaward, 2018). This is where we visualize our body healing (Seaward, 2018). A
specific part of the body can be visualized (Seaward, 2018).

Journal:
Unit Six Journal Writing Assignment
Complete the Journal Assignment entitled: Explore: Is Your Body-Mind Happy? Directions are found on
pages 151 through 153 of the Mindfulness workbook. Upon completion of this Assignment, practice
identifying unkind messages you send to yourself and turn it around with positive affirmations. This should
be a minimum of two full pages.
Mindful of how you interact with yourself?
I do the best to interact with myself with as much self-respect as possible. I have understood for most of
my life that the way we speak to ourselves has a great impact on our self-esteem. An interesting way I was
taught this as a child was to recognize my inner coach and my inner critic. When I talk to myself, am I
encouraging myself or discouraging myself? These actions can impact days, weeks, months or more if they
go unnoticed. So, it is important for me to check in with myself. Am I being harsh on myself? Am I
encouraging myself? Am I being realistic? I can give myself constructive criticism and coach myself into
improvement or better future outcomes. Or I can critique myself and suffocate my self-confidence with
self-inflicted insults. I am very mindful that the way I interact with myself it extremely important and is the
most important relationship I have. When I am harsh on myself and must course correct this can make me
feel very physically drained. Mentally, it makes me feels like I am managing a war at times.
Seeds of suffering?
Although I try to recognize when I am interacting with myself in an unhealthy way and turn it around, it
still happens. I can send myself unkind messages about how I feel about my physical appearance,
intelligence level and ability to parent. I am extremely harsh on myself at times. There are times where I am
very caught up in my appearance. I feel unsatisfied with my body or the way I am aging. I tend to turn it
around by remembering how wonderful it is to be healthy and alive. I remind myself that some of the
changes to my body were brought on by pregnancy and child rearing. I am so lucky to have stretch marks
from nursing and being pregnant because I was able to experience bringing life into this world. Sometimes
I am very unhappy that it took me so long to finish my undergraduate work and because of that, I have
stunted myself from completing my graduate level work. Then, I remind myself that I am very fortunate
to have the opportunity to complete this level of education in addition to working full time and raising
children. I am very harsh on myself as a parent. I wonder if I am not involved enough or too involved. Do
I teach my children enough? Are they happy? Then I hear their laughs and giggles and see their smiles and
feel much better. If I stopped doing this, I would be so much happier and more fulfilled with life. I would
have far less anxiety and would be able to grow more as a person.

19
Day-to-day life feelings of resentment?
Feelings of resentment arise in my daily life when someone is not pulling their weight. When my spouse
does not help around the house or with the children, I feel very frustrated and resentful. I think that if I
were to approach this with a beginner’s mind, I would be less judgmental and a better communicator.
Instead of taking on all the tasks and resenting my partner, I would communicate with him about how we
can work as a team. I would see it as my responsibility to let him know what I expect from him and what
I consider teamwork. We could discuss the problem and work together to resolve it. It could be possible
that he is facing the challenge of not know where he can be of the most help or where to fit in because I
am taking on everything. He might feel as though he does not know where to begin. He is a sensitive
person who wants to make sure his actions make a difference, and this is a positive attribute.
Reflection on writing?
In reflection, it is amazing how much control I have over my own happiness. If I stay in tune with my
interactions with myself, I can improve my self-esteem. A lot of my inner turmoil is brought on by myself
by the way I talk to myself and the harsh standards I create for myself. I can control this through positive
self-talk. Also, if I approach frustrating people and situations with a beginner’s mind I can let go of
resentment and take a fresh approach to interacting with that person. This activity made me feel as though
I have power over my mindset.

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 Unit

Unit 7: Nutrition and Stress

Information to Remember:
Bioavailability: This is our body’s availability to absorb nutrients (Seaward, 2018). Bioavailability
should be considered before starting a nutrition supplement regimen. This is because some nutrients
can block the absorption of others when ingested (Seaward, 2018). A certified nutritionist can help
shed light on how to take supplements according to our bioavailability (Seaward, 2018).
Mindful Lying Yoga: This type of yoga can be utilized to practice meditation (Stahl, 2019). Mindful
lying yoga is comprised of a multitude of different yoga poses, which are completed simultaneously
(Stahl, 2019). Corpse pose, supine full body stretch, spine twist, supine full body stretch, leg stretch,
single knee to chest, pelvic rock and tilt, bridge pose with arm stretch, bridge post, rocking back
and forth, leg side stretch, prone leg stretch, modified cobra, full cobra, cow pose and cat pose,
child’s pose, bird dog pose, supine full body stretch, and pose of openness are the poses involved
in this yoga exercise (Stahl, 2019).
Stressed lifestyle and nutrition: A stressed lifestyle can result in poor eating patterns and habits
(Seaward, 2018). This can result in nutrition deficiency, which can further the physical impacts
on stress on the body (Seaward, 2018). In addition, a stressed lifestyle in combination with poor
nutrition can impact immune health (Seaward, 2018).

Journal:
Unit Seven Journal Writing Assignment
Choose from either formal practice: Sitting Meditation or Mindful Lying Yoga. Directions are found on
either pages 87 through 89 or 91 through 107 of the Mindfulness workbook. Upon completion of either
practice, describe your formal practice and take a moment to reflect on whatever came up for you mentally,
emotionally, and physically and explain. This should be a minimum of two full pages.
I chose to complete the formal practice of Sitting Meditation. I took a moment to recognize myself for
engaging in meditation, which is an act of love. I focused on the energy I was holding onto at that moment
in time. I was at work during he exercise so I felt tense and stressed. After acknowledging this, I let it be
without any deeper thought. I started to concentrate only on my breath. I focused only on the breath
coming in through my nose and filling my belly and then exhaled through my nose. Physically, this made

21
me aware, only of my breathing. Emotionally, I am happy to turn off the tension from work and focus on
something else. Mentally, I felt a little spaced out from looking at a computer all morning. I felt fried.
While shifting my attention to my body and any areas of tension, I felt tight and the area between my
shoulder blades felt like it was burning. Perhaps, this was from poor posture at my desk or holding tension
is this area. My forehead also felt tight. Physically, I knew I needed to let go of this tension. I relaxed my
face and adjusted my posture. Emotionally, I felt worried that I carry this much tension in my body, without
realizing it. Mentally, these adjustments made me feel instantaneously less stressed.
Next, I brought awareness to sound. The room was very quiet aside from a clock that I could hear ticking,
and my breath. The clock was someone hypnotic and not annoying. Physically, I felt I was in a good
environment to relax in. Emotionally, I felt peaceful from the overall quiet environment. Mentally, this
helped me to revolve mental tension from being on the phone most of the morning.
Next, I turned to my mind to observe thoughts and emotions. I feel negative and anxious today. I feel torn
and pulled in many directions. Although my mind wanted to understand why I feel this way, I let these
feelings exist and float by. More granular thoughts came to mind. Worries about work, and personal life as
it relates to COVID-19. I asked myself to stay in the present moment so that I could untangle from these
worries and thoughts. I asked myself to only focus on the present. Physically, I felt my body relax after a
few minutes. Emotionally, I felt as though weight had been lifted off of me. It felt as though I was allowed
to stop worrying. Mentally, it felt as though I was given permission to stop overthinking and be present.
After asking myself to become present, I attempted choiceless awareness by tuning into each present
moment. The clock started to change from hypnotic to a nuisance because I started to wonder how long I
had been away from my desk in meditation. I had to let this go. I was able to center myself and concentrate
on my breathing once again. Flurries of thought entered my mind, they all seemed to be affirmations of
why I am feeling anxious and negative. I had to work to let these flurries of thought go, over and over. My
breathing continuing to support my ability to stay present and I stayed in this realm of focus for many
minutes allowing thoughts to pass by like clouds. Placing all of my focus back on my breath for several
more minutes, I opened by eyes.
After the exercise I felt as though most of the physical tension had left my body. The breathing had opened
up my chest and abdomen and the span of good posture relieved the pain in my upper back from hunching
over my computer most of the day. Emotionally, I feel content This is because the meditation brought me
away from some of my current worries. Mentally, I felt that I was able to gain clarity during the exercise.
The ability to focus on the present reminded me about what I do and do not have control over. Choiceless
awareness allowed prominent thoughts and feelings to come forward in my mind. This helped me to
recognize what is making me feel so negative and then ask myself again whether or not I have any control
over what I am being negative about and let it go if I cannot control it. This was a very help meditation for
me.

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 Unit

Unit 8: Physical Exercise and Activity

Information to Remember:
Aerobic Exercise: Aerobic exercise achieved by kickboxing can promote better heart health and
lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels. These improvements in health can increase
productivity and result in a lower likelihood of chronic illness (Seaward, 2018). The physical
stress that aerobic exercise places on our body results in the cleansing of toxins and promotes our
body’s ability to recover from stress (Seaward, 2018).
Cortisol: This is a stress hormone which helps us with fight or flight response (Seaward, 2018).
Chronic stress can increase cortisol (Seaward, 2018). Emotional stress can cause a chronic increase
in cortisol, which can result in a comprised immune system and lead to chronic disease (Seaward,
2018). Aerobic exercise is a good way to reduce the prominence of cortisol in the body and manage
weight, which can increase with elevated cortisol levels in the body (Seaward, 2018).
Yoga: This mind-body exercise promotes mental and physical discipline (Mayo Clinic, n.d.). Yoga can
help to reduce stress through relaxation and meditation (Mayo Clinic, n.d.). There are several types
of yoga available, which all share the common routine of physical poses, breathing and meditation
(Mayo Clinic, n.d.).

Assignment:
The assignment was to create a workplace wellness program and outline the rationale, programs, capital
outlay, benefits, timelines, personnel, and budget. A pitch was created to communicate the philosophy,
strategy and approach to executing the program. The program created was an optional, renewable, onsite
wellness program that offered several wellness options to the staff. Meditation conference rooms were
offered, where an employee could schedule time to meditate in a peaceful area of the office. This was
intended to create a place to practice mindfulness and focus in order to promote workplace productivity.
Lunchtime yoga was offered at a price subsidized by the employer in an effort to provide centering,
relaxing physical activity. Afterhours kickboxing classes were offered at a price subsidized by the
employer with the intent to provide aerobic, stress reducing physical activity. Two workplace champions
would be utilized to circulate wellness information and weekly meditation instruction. The program’s goal
was to provide activities that would promote workplace productivity, reduce stress and increase overall
wellness.

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Journal:
Unit Eight Journal Writing Assignment
Complete the Journal Assignment entitled: Explore: Creating Connection. Directions are found on pages
161 through 163 of the Mindfulness workbook. Upon completion of this Assignment, practice developing
these qualities in building stronger and healthier relationships.
This should be a minimum of one full page.
OPENNESS: Being able to see this person with a beginner’s mind is very refreshing because I have built
a life with and spent most of the last 12 years with this person. Looking at him with no judgment or
prejudice about what he is saying and doing makes me feel love toward him instead of animosity.
EMPATHY: Putting myself in his shoes helps to provide perspective on why he is acting or feeling the
way that he is. This week, he had to close his barbershop because of the COVID-19 pandemic. I know he
is scared to lose his business and not be able to provide his income to our household. I get the feeling that
I need to be calm and supportive and not show how much this situation is causing me stress. This makes
me feel as though I can be more giving of myself and not selfish about my own emotions.
COMPASSION: Imagining him as my own child, I feel that there is a lot of unresolved pain inside of him
from his childhood and career trials and failures. In terms of compassion, I can be there as an ear and
shoulder to lean on. Not always trying to solve his problems but really just listening and acknowledging any
emotional or mental pain expressed. This makes me feel as though I can be more supportive and
understanding.
LOVING-KINDNESS: I often regard him with loving-kindness, which started after I had children.
Looking at my own children, I hope that one day, if they marry, their spouse will treat them with the same
love I have for them. This makes me think of my husband with loving-kindness. Treating him as my own
child in terms of love, forgiveness and wanting the best outcomes for him. This makes me feel peaceful.
SYMPATHETIC JOY: I imagine feeling joy toward his successes and what makes him happy.
Understanding that we have differences in what make us happy, I still find joy in seeing him happy or
watching him succeed. This makes me feel at peace with who he is, and it makes me feel supportive.
EQUANIMITY: Seeing a stranger as someone’s spouse, son or daughter helps me to feel the
interconnectedness of all of us. We should be more loving and mindful toward others. This makes me feel
less lonely in the world.
Summary
I feel as though this exercise gave me a new perspective on how I interact with others. I can improve
interactions with new people and improve existing relationships with these interpersonal mindfulness
qualities. Our current world lacks so much mindfulness when it comes to relationships. By approaching
interactions with mindfulness, we can create a more kind world.

24
 Unit

Unit 9: Applying Stress: Critical Issues for

Management and Prevention to your
Professional Life
Information to Remember:
Forgiveness: Holding a grudge, while many people believe establishes control over a bad situation,
actually generates self-victimization and toxic thoughts (Seaward, 2018). These toxic thoughts
create an environment of stress in the body. Forgiveness is a coping mechanism, which can help
change our outlook toward someone we hold a grudge against (Seaward, 2018). By evaluating
our self-worth instead of allowing ourselves to be the victim we can heal and forgive in order to
move forward and not allow the situation we felt violated by to control us (Seaward, 2018).
Forgiveness is considered an effective coping mechanism because it allows us to let go of these
toxic thoughts, heal and find inner peace (Seaward, 2018).
Hobbies and stress reduction: Hobbies can be a coping strategy for stress by creating a temporary,
healthy escape (Seaward, 2018). A hobby can help to remove the conscious mind from a problem
and engage consciousness in an activity instead of attention to what is causing stress (Seaward,
2018). Additionally, hobbies can provide pleasure and activate creativity, which can increase self-
esteem (Seaward, 2018).
Mindfulness and wellbeing: Mindfulness is vital to optimal physical emotional and mental wellbeing
(Stahl, 2019). Mindful connection is a part of this and signified our interconnects with each other
and how important relationships are to our wellbeing, which can improve mental and emotional
health (Stahl, 2019). Mindfulness can be practices through exercise and is a great stress reliever
(Stahl, 2019). It is a misconception that we need to practice something slowly in order for it to be
mindful (Stahl, 2019). As long as we are aware of our physical activity and appreciate our body’s
ability to move, we are practicing mindfulness (Stahl, 2019).

25
Additional Information
Brain, M. (n.d.). How Your Immune System Works. Retrieved from:
https://health.howstuffworks.com/human-body/systems/immune/immune-system.htm

Demystifying Medicine. (2018). Acute vs. chronic stress: Signs it’s time to seek professional help
[VIDEO]. Retrieved from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0zw4-q7xaYU&feature=emb_title

Hilton, L., Hempel, S., Ewing, B. A., Apaydin, E., Xenakis, L., Newberry, S., … Maglione, M.
A. (2017). Mindfulness Meditation for Chronic Pain: Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.
Annals of behavioral medicine : a publication of the Society of Behavioral Medicine, 51(2), 199–
213. doi:10.1007/s12160-016-9844-2.

National Institute of Mental Health (NIH). (2019). Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. Retrieved
from: https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/post-traumatic-stress-disorder-ptsd/index.shtml

Seaward, B. (2018). Managing stress: Principles and strategies for health and well-being (9th ed.).
Boston, MA: Jones and Bartlett Publishers.

TEDx Talks. (2013). How Your Unconscious Mind Rules Your Behaviour: Leonard Mlodinow at
TEDxReset 2013 [Video]. Retrieved from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vcJm-
y7UnLY&feature=emb_title

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 References

Jewel, T. (n.d.). What Is Diaphragmatic Breathing? Retrieved from:

https://www.healthline.com/health/diaphragmatic-breathing.

Legg, T. (2017). What to know about general adaptation syndrome. Retrieved from:

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/320172.php

Mandala, A. (n.d.). What is Neuroscience. Retrieved from: https://www.news-medical.net/life-

sciences/What-is-Neuroscience.aspx

Mayo Clinic. (n.d.). Yoga: Fight stress and find serenity. Retrieved from:

https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/stress-management/in-depth/yoga/art-

20044733/.

Seaward, B. (2018). Managing stress: Principles and strategies for health and well-being (9th ed.).

Boston, MA: Jones and Bartlett Publishers.

Sheil, W. (n.d.). MedicineNet. Medical Definition of Neuroplasticity. Retrieved from:

https://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=40362.

Stahl, B. & Goldstein, E. (2019). A mindfulness-based stress reduction workbook (2nd ed.). Oakland,

CA: New Harbinger Publications, Inc.

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