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Nancy Barrios

Knott-Silva

KIN 43

February 16, 2024

Stress Management

Melinda is a freshman in college who has a 3.0 grade point average. She is a good

student, but has doubts in herself. She studies a lot, but feels anxiety whenever she needs to take

tests. She doesn’t believe that her studying will make a difference in her test results. At the end

of the semester, Melinda needs to do well on her chemistry exam in order to keep her

scholarship. Because of this, she feels a lot of pressure and anxiety and has a panic attack while

attempting to study. Melinda feels that she needs help because the exam is a couple days away.

I can relate to Melinda when it comes to testing and anxiety. When I was younger, I

didn’t know how to manage my anxiety and also had many panic attacks. Now that I am older

and learned a lot more, I have them under control. I would definitely recommend that Melinda

practice breathing techniques and meditation to help alleviate a prevent panic attacks. I do also

understand the feeling of anxiety when testing. There have been times when I have felt

completely confident in my abilities and still feel absolutely blank when I look at the actual test

or exam.

To combat these feelings, I would recommend that Melinda set aside specific amounts of

time for studying, but also incorporate wellness techniques for herself. I would personally

recommend hiking and getting outside as a way to unwind. In a the Stress Management for

College Students Study by the Journal of Creativity in Mental Health, participants were asked to
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share information about their stress levels. One experimental group was given stress

management techniques that included hiking and walking, yoga, and equine assisted activities.

The control received no additional stress relief training or instruction. When the students were

retested, the experiment group showed drastically lower stress levels than the control group, who

had no stress management training. In this experiment, there was no significant difference

between the drop in stress levels of those choosing yoga, hiking and walks, or equine assisted

activities. All three groups showed similar amounts of decrease in stress. (Morgan, B.).

I would tell Melinda to make time for studying, but also to take time out for herself so

that she can relax and unwind. I would also tell Melinda to speak to herself kindly so that she can

increase her self-confidence. A technique that I use with both myself and my children is to say

positive things about ourselves, out loud. I would tell Melinda to remind herself that she works

hard, that she is capable, and that she is smart. I would also ask Melinda about how she studies

and the environment that she studies in. I would recommend a quiet environment with

comfortable lighting, with a little bit of background music, like binaural. Binaural music with no

words would provide some background noise and help with focus on the things that she is

studying. I would also make sure that Melinda is eating a healthy, balanced diet, and that she is

drinking enough water and staying hydrated. Another thing that I would recommend to Melinda

would be that she be in touch with the people that she considers her inner circle, so that she can

feel supported.

Overall, I would want to be sure that Melinda is living and maintaining a healthy,

balanced life. I would make sure that both Melinda, myself, and the people in my life, are aware

and working towards overall wellness. Health is about more than just our grades, it encompasses

all six parts of our lives that come together to fulfill us. We need to be sure to take care of our
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social, physical, intellectual, spiritual, environmental, and emotional wellness. All of those things

come in different forms for all of us. Nature may encompass both our environmental and our

spiritual wellness. Listening to the earth, and listening to our bodies and minds, will lead us to a

path of health and wellness.

Works Cited:

Morgan, Barbara M. “Stress Management for College Students: An Experiential Multi-

Modal Approach.” Journal of creativity in mental health 12.3 (2017): 276–288. Web.