Coping Strategy: Stress Management
SMART Goal #1:
By the end of services, the client will be able to identify at least 3 coping strategies to address depression and anxiety.
Objectives:
- Learn what coping strategies are
- Discuss when and how to use coping strategies
Agenda: 50 minutes with a 10-minute break
- Regroup and get settled in ~ 5 minutes
- Discuss stress and symptoms ~ 15 minutes
- Techniques for reducing stress ~ 5 minutes
- Activity #1 ~ 10 minutes
- Activity #2 ~ 10 minutes
- Closing, questions, and comments ~ 5 minutes
Lesson Plan:
Stress and Symptoms
Ask participants if they know what stress is and how it can impact a person.
“Stress is any type of change that causes physical, emotional, or psychological strain. It is your body’s response to anything that requires attention (Marks 2021).”
Stress can present itself through:
- Acute symptoms – Temporary feeling of pressure
- Chronic symptoms – A long period of time enduring pressure
Acute symptoms can include (ask participants first if they can think of any):
- Headaches
- Nausea
- Disrupted sleep
- Cold sweats
- Chest pains
- Sweating
- Lack of motivation
- Depression
- Irritability
Chronic symptoms can include (ask participants first if they can think of any):
- Skin and hair problems
- Weakened immune system
- Poor habits
- Anxiety disorders
- Memory impairment
Techniques for Reducing Stress
These also work as a coping mechanism.
- Being active – going for a run, walk, to the gym
- Listening to music
- Journaling your thoughts and feelings every day
- Avoiding unhealthy habits
- Connecting with friends and family
- Taking time for yourself
- Guided imagery
- In a quiet room, shut your eyes and think of a peaceful place or scenario, through this, the mind and body will relax and lead to a calm state.
- Ask participants to shut their eyes for a moment and complete the activity.
- Last, hold a discussion about how they felt before and after and see if there was a difference.
Activity #1
Anchor Breathing
The purpose of this activity is to reconnect with yourself through your happy place.
7 Steps:
(Anchor breathing 2021)
- Imagine being on a boat, feeling relaxed, and safe.
- With the boat is an anchor, which holds the boat, keeping you where you want to be.
- Our bodies also have anchors, which help us focus. Our anchors include our stomach, nose, mouth, chest, and lungs.
- Put your hands on your chest and breathe in.
- Breathe out slowly.
- Notice how your ribs rise and fall.
- If your mind starts to wander, bring it back to your anchor point.
- Repeat this process until you feel calm.
When everybody returns, discuss as a group how it made everyone feel and if they feel it would be beneficial in the future.
Activity #2
Stress Exploration
Give each participant a piece of paper and pen or pencil.
The purpose of this activity is to practice being more aware of yourselves and your surroundings.
Instruct the participants to write down the following:
- Notice 5 things you can see.
- Notice 4 things you can feel.
- Notice 3 things you can hear.
- Notice 2 things you can smell.
- Notice 1 thing you can taste.
When everyone is complete, discuss the activity and what they found through their senses.
Closing, questions, and comments
Have everyone go around the room and share:
- What do you feel you can take away from this session?
- Does anyone have any remaining thoughts or comments they would like to share before the session ends?
Materials: paper, pens, pencils
Citations:
Anchor breathing. (2021). Retrieved April 23, 2023, from https://iskzoo.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Anchor-Breathing.pdf
Marks, H. (2021, August 19). Stress symptoms: Physical effects of stress on the body. Stress Symptoms. Retrieved April 23, 2023, from https://www.webmd.com/balance/stress-management/stress-symptoms-effects_of-stress-on-the-body