STRESS MANAGEMENT

An Introductory Guide for Eckerd Students

Eckerd College Counseling Services

Table of Contents
Introduction....3
Stress Assessments...............................................4
Deep Breathing.11
Meditation Mantras....13
Mandala Coloring 15
Journaling..16
Progressive Muscle Relaxation..19
Mental Imagery21
Thought Stopping...25
References.26

It is completely normal for college students to

experience stress. Common college stressors include increased
academic pressures, roommate conflicts, homesickness, long
distance relationships, and financial constraints.
While not all stress is considered bad, health professionals
increasingly link stress to disease and poor health. Stress is a
leading risk factor for the number one cause of death, heart
disease and is associated with many other health problems
including mental illness, cancer, and even the common cold.
More importantly, stress is directly associated with quality of life.
Therefore, everyone should learn to recognize the stressors in
their life and practice stress management techniques.
This guide provides basic instruction for a variety of different
stress management techniques. If you find one activity
particularly helpful, let a counselor know and he/she will provide
you with more complete instruction.
Take time for yourself, read through this manual, and have an
open mind! You might just discover relaxation and a healthier
happier YOU!

Eckerd College Counseling Services

STRESS SELF ASSESSMENTS

Weber University

One of the first steps in stress management is understanding the current level of stress
you are experiencing and what parts of your life are contributing to your stress. In this
section you will find many different stress assessment instruments to assist you.

Perceived Stress Scale

For each question choose from the following alternatives:
0 - never
1 - almost never
2 - sometimes
3 - fairly often
4 - very often
____ 1. In the last month, how often have you been upset because of something that
happened unexpectedly?
_____ 2. In the last month, how often have you felt that you were unable to control the
important things in your life?
_____ 3. In the last month, how often have you felt nervous and stressed?

_____ 4. In the last month, how often have you felt confident about your ability to handl
your personal problems?
_____ 5. In the last month, how often have you felt that things were going your way?

_____ 6. In the last month, how often have you found that you could not cope with all th
things that you had to do?
_____ 7. In the last month, how often have you been able to control irritations in your
life?
_____ 8. In the last month, how often have you felt that you were on top of things?
_____ 9. In the last month, how often have you been angered because of things that

happened that were outside of your control?

_____ 10. In the last month, how often have you felt difficulties were piling up so high
that you could not overcome them?
Figuring your PSS (perceived stress scale) score:
You can determine your PSS score by following these directions:
First, reverse your scores for questions 4, 5, 7, & 8. On these 4 questions, change the
scores like this: 0 = 4, 1 = 3, 2 = 2, 3 = 1, 4 = 0.
Now add up your scores for each item to get a total. My total score is ______.

Individual scores on the PSS can range from 0 to 40 with higher scores indicating highe
perceived stress.
Scores ranging from 0-13 would be considered low stress.
Scores ranging from 14-26 would be considered moderate stress.
Scores ranging from 27-40 would be considered high perceived stress.

The Perceived Stress Scale is interesting and important because your perception of wha
is happening in your life is most important. Consider the idea that two students, John
and Dan, could have the exact same events and experiences in their lives for the past

month. Depending on their perception, John's total score could put him in the low stres
category and Dan's total score could put him in the high stress category. Consider the
words of Ralph Waldo Emerson, Nothing can bring you peace but yourself.

The Inventory of College Students' Recent Life Experiences

The ICSRLE was designed to identify individual exposure to sources of stress or hassles
and allow for an identification of the extent to which those stressors are experienced
over the past month. The ICSRLE was developed uniquely for college students. As you

know, the sources of stress in a university environment can be unique and different fro
other settings.
Please indicate for each experience how much it has been a part of your life over the
past month. Mark your answers according to the following guide:
Intensity of Experience over the Past Month
0 = not at all part of my life
1 = only slightly part of my life
2 = distinctly part of my life
3 = very much part of my life
____1. Conflicts with boyfriend's/girlfriend's/spouse's family
____2. Being let down or disappointed by friends
____3. Conflict with professor(s)
____4. Social rejection
____5. Too many things to do at once
____6. Being taken for granted

____7. Financial conflicts with family members

____8. Having your trust betrayed by a friend
____9. Separation from people you care about
____10. Having your contributions overlooked
____11. Struggling to meet your own academic standards
____12. Being taken advantage of
____13. Not enough leisure time
____14. Struggling to meet the academic standards of others
____15. A lot of responsibilities
____16. Dissatisfaction with school
____17. Decisions about intimate relationship(s)
____18. Not enough time to meet your obligations
____19. Dissatisfaction with your mathematical ability
____20. Important decisions about your future career
____21. Financial burdens
____22. Dissatisfaction with your reading ability
____23. Important decisions about your education
____24. Loneliness
____25. Lower grades than you hoped for
____26. Conflict with teaching assistant(s)
____27. Not enough time for sleep
____28. Conflicts with your family

____29. Heavy demands from extracurricular activities

____30. Finding courses too demanding
____31. Conflicts with friends
____32. Hard effort to get ahead
____33. Poor health of a friend
____34. Disliking your studies
____35. Getting ripped off or cheated in the purchase of services
____36. Social conflicts over smoking
____37. Difficulties with transportation
____38. Disliking fellow student(s)
____39. Conflicts with boyfriend/girlfriend/spouse
____40. Dissatisfaction with your ability at written expression
____41. Interruptions of your school work
____42. Social isolation
____43. Long waits to get service (e.g., at banks, stores, etc.)
____44. Being ignored
____45. Dissatisfaction with your physical appearance
____46. Finding course(s) uninteresting
____47. Gossip concerning someone you care about
____48. Failing to get expected job
____49. Dissatisfaction with your athletic skills
Scoring the ICSRLE

Add your total points: ________

Your score on the ICSRLE can range from 0 to 147. Higher scores indicate higher levels
of exposure to hassles. Focus on two key outcomes from your results. First, you can

determine your current level of stress by adding your score for each hassle and getting
total. Second, you can discover which of the hassles play a greater part in your life.

Higher scored items that you rated with a 3 indicate those stressors are more of an issu
for you.
Tombstone Test
How do you want to be remembered? Do you want to be remembered for being a

workaholic? Do you want to be remembered as the one who always won the argument?
Do you want to be remembered for making more money than your neighbor? Do you
want to be the one who never forgave someone who wronged you? Or, do you want to

be remembered as a good parent, spouse, and friend? Do you want to be remembered

as someone who was whole and balanced in body, mind, and spirit? Do you want to be
remembered for the service you provided to those who needed help?

Take a few minutes right now to write down how you want to be remembered. What do
want others to say and think about you when your life is over? Make a list of the
qualities and characteristics you want to be remembered for. Are you living your life in
way that demonstrates the qualities and characteristics you value?
The choices you make every single day determine to a large extent the stress you

experience. Your daily work, which at times can feel like drudgery, can actually become
a significant stress managing mechanism when you view your work as part of your
contribution to bigger priorities. Thinking about today, this minute, the task at hand in
positive manner can bring peace and contentment. There is a story about two people
laying bricks. A man passing by asks, What are you doing? The first worker answers,

Laying bricks. The other worker answers, Building a cathedral.

Assess what is most important in your life. When your choices are guided by the values
and goals that are most important to you, your life can be full and active, yet not
stressful. Decide how you want to be remembered - and then live your life so that
happens.

Symptoms of Stress Inventory

Using the table below, assess the frequency that you experience these common
symptoms of stress.
Frequency of symptoms

Symptoms

Almost
all day,
every
day

Once
or
twice
daily

Every
night
or day

2-3
times
per
week

Once a Once a Neve

week
month r

Headaches
Tense
muscles,
sore neck
and back
Fatigue
Anxiety,
worry,
phobias
Difficulty
falling
asleep

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Irritability
Insomnia
Bouts of
anger/hostili
ty
Boredom,
depression
Eating too
much or too
little
Diarrhea,
cramps,
gas,
constipation
Restlessnes
s, itching,
tics

Deep Breathing Exercises

*Excerpt from The Relaxation & Stress Reduction Workbook

Breath Counting
1. Sit or lie in a comfortable position with your arms and legs
uncrossed and your spine strait.
2. Breathe in deeply into your abdomen. Let yourself pause before
you exhale.
3. As you exhale, count one to yourself. As you continue to inhale
and exhale, count each exhalation: Two. . . Three. . . Four.
4. Continue counting your exhalations in sets of four for five to ten
minutes.
5. Notice your breathing gradually slowing, your body relaxing, and
your mind calming as you practice this breathing meditation.

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The Relaxing Sigh

During the day you probably catch yourself signing or yawning. This is
generally a sign that you are not getting enough oxygen. Sighing and
yawning are your bodys way of remedying the situation. A sigh is
often accompanied by a sense that things are not quite as they should
be, and a feeling of tension. Since a sigh actually does release a bit of
this tension, you can practice sighing at will as a means of relaxing.
1. Sit or stand up strait
2. Sigh deeply, letting out a sound of deep release as the air rushes
out of your lungs.
3. Dont think about inhalingjust let the air come in naturally.
4. Take eight to twelve of these relaxing sighs and let yourself
experience the feeling of relaxation. Repeat whenever you feel
the need for it.

Letting Go of Tension
1. Sit comfortably in a chair with your feet on the floor.
2. Breath in deeply into your abdomen and say to yourself, Breath
in Relaxation. Let yourself pause before you exhale.
3. Breath out from your abdomen and say to yourself, Breath out
tension. Pause before you inhale.
4. Use each inhalation as a moment to become aware of any
tension in your body.
5. Use each exhalation as an opportunity to let go of tension.
6. You may find it helpful to use your imagination to picture of feel
the relaxation entering and the tension leaving your body.

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MEDITATION MANTRAS
*Excerpt from Focalpointyoga.com

Mantra Meditation is the technique of using SOUND to open the heart

and mind. This is the Meditation Technique of Devotion, a deeply
spiritual and sacred practice for many meditators, but you do not need
to be "a religious" person to experience the gifts Mantra Meditation has
to offer. Mantras (sounds) can be whatever you choose - they do not
need to be Sanskrit Mantras (Sanskrit is an Ancient Language of India,
used frequently in Yoga). A Mantra is a sound repeated over and over
until it integrates into your consciousness - frees the mind from its
constant DOING, and elevates you to an altered state of awareness. In
this state, you can connect with your soul at its most profound level,
achieving a state of universal consciousness.
You can use whatever sounds you like. During an inhalation you may
say "I am" and during your exhalation "at peace." You may say simply
"I am". Mantra is often taught using Sanskrit phrases.
Commonly used Mantras in Sanskrit
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OM - the sound of the Universe (vibration of all living things)

Sat Nam - Truth
So Ham - Life/Death, light/shadow, inhalation/exhalation - the yin and
yang - the integration of opposites (this is a beautiful and powerful
mantra, honoring both the light and the shadow)
Om Namah Shivaya - the phoenix rising, creation born of change,
TRANSFORMATION
Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya - I surrender to/join with the
divine will
Aham Brahmasmi - I am the creative force
Tat Tuan Asmi - I am that I am
Shanti, Shanti, Shanti - Peace, peace, peace
Some common Mantras in English
I am
I surrender to Your will (God, Goddess, Universe, What IS)
Love
Peace to all
I am open to What IS
ALL IS WELL
HOW-TO
Mantras may be said silently to yourself, with your own inner
voice, whispered, or out loud. [Saying Mantras out loud is akin
to the technique of CHANTING.] Find the method that
resonates with you.
1. If you are using a 1-syllable Mantra (such as OM), begin by
concentrating on the rhythm of your breath. As you inhale, say
to yourself OM. As you exhale, count. Inhale OM, Exhale 1
(one), Inhale OM, Exhale 2, and so forth until you count up to the
number 10 and then start over again. Sometimes, you will go up
to the number 12, or 13 or higher. If you notice this, just go back
to the number one on the next exhalation. The idea is that the
mind should go to the number 10 and be willing to start over
again. There is no destination here - this Meditation technique is
about THE PROCESS - clearing the mind of all thought but the
Mantra.
2. For longer Mantras such as the Mantra So Hum use the following
technique:

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a. Begin with deep, relaxed breathing - calming the mind and

body. Begin to be absorbed with the rhythm of the breath deeply connected to the rhythm.
b. On the Inhalation, mentally repeat So
c. On the Exhalation, mentally repeat HUM
d. Begin to flow with the rhythm of silent sound and breath.
Observe the sound integrating into your consciousness.
Visualize the inhalation as life force energy moving into
your body and down your spine, and the exhalation as
energy flowing up the spine.
e. Enjoy the practice of this mantra technique, without the
need to achieve anything. Enjoy the process. In time, your
breath and Mantra will become ONE. Soon, you will notice
your whole being beginning to respond to the vibrations of
the sound of the mantra. This is called Japa

Mandala Coloring

*Taken from www.mandalaproject.org

The word "mandala" is from the classical Indian language of Sanskrit.
Loosely translated to mean "circle, a mandala is far more than a
simple shape. It represents wholeness, and can be seen as a model for
the organizational structure of life itself--a cosmic diagram that
reminds us of our relation to the infinite, the world that extends both
beyond and within our bodies and minds.
Describing both material and non-material realities, the mandala
appears in all aspects of life: the celestial circles we call earth, sun,
and moon, as well as conceptual circles of friends, family, and
community.
STAGES OF MANDALA DRAWING FOR STRESS RELIEF
By Brent Belchamber (www.colortherapy.com)
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Stage 1 Discern the Inner Dialogue

Begin Mandala coloring. Notice that, while coloring, your inner dialogue
may try to sneak or steal some of your attention from time-to-time.
Recognize that coloring doesnt need inner dialogue and that you can
color without it. Return to Mandala coloring. Your Inner dialogue may
forcefully try to manipulate you into paying attention to it and you may
succumb, but return to your Mandala coloring.
Stage 2 Suspend the Inner Dialogue
After one or several Mandala coloring sessions, you will have noticed
small periods of suspended inner dialogue growing. Continue to
practice stage 1 and watch your moments of suspended inner dialogue
become longer and more frequent throughout your coloring sessions.
Stage 3 Manage the Inner Dialogue
As you color and progress through the stages of attaining longer
durations of suspended inner dialogue, you will likely access feelings of
greater awareness and find an attendant phenomena like
synchronicity, grace, psychic and/or telepathic sensitivity in your life
and on the rise. So now that you know a little more, begin to manage
the inner dialogue to be better suited to your highest needs and
interests! Continue to gradually suspend the inner dialogue more and
more often throughout your day and night.

Journaling

Elizabeth Scott, www.about.com

Sometimes the best way to relax is to get the thoughts, questions, and
inner dialogue that may be causing stress onto paper.
HOW TO JOURNAL
1. Set Aside Time One of the most difficult aspects of journaling is
not the journaling itself, but finding time to write. Its important
to block off about twenty minutes each day to write. Many
people prefer to write in the morning as a way to start their day,
or before bed, as a way to reflect upon and process the days
events. However, if your lunch break or some other time is the
only window you have, take the time whenever you can get it!

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2. Begin Writing Dont think about what to say; just begin writing,
and the words should come. If you really need some help getting
started, here are some topics to begin the process:
o Your dreams
o Your possible purpose in life
o Your childhood memories and surrounding feelings
o Where youd like to be in two years
o The best and worst days of your life
o If you could have three wishes
o What was important to you five years ago, and whats
important to you now
o What are you grateful for?

3. Write About Thoughts and Feelings As you write, dont just

vent negative emotions or catalog events; write about your
feelings, but also your thoughts surrounding emotional events.
(Research shows much greater benefits from journaling when
participants write about emotional issues from a mental and
emotional framework.) Relive events emotionally, and try to
construct solutions and find the lesson. Using both aspects of
yourself helps you process the event and find solutions to
problems.

4. Keep Your Journal Private If youre worried that someone else

may read your journal, youre much more likely to self-censor,
and you wont achieve the same benefits from writing. To prevent
the worry and maximize journaling effectiveness, you can either
get a book that locks or keep your book in a locked or very
hidden place. If using a computer, you can password-protect your
journal so youll feel safe when you write.

Tips:
1. Try to write each day.
2. Writing for at least 20 minutes is ideal, but if you only have 5
minutes, write for 5.
3. If you skip a day or 3, just keep writing when you can.
4. Dont worry about neatness or even grammar. Just getting your
thoughts and feelings on paper is more important than
perfection.
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5. Try not to self-censor; let go of shoulds, and just write what

comes.

Journaling Exercise: Gratitude Journal

What are you thankful for? Include simple moments that you may
have experienced today (hearing the laughter of children, seeing a
pretty flower, tasting a delicious cookie etc.)
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________

Did someone or something make you laugh today?

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________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________

Is there someone special in your life who has made you a better
person? How?
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________

What opportunities do feel you lucky you have had?

________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________

Progressive Muscle Relaxation

George Boeree
Sit in a comfortable chair--reclining arm chairs are ideal. Bed is okay
too. Get as comfortable as possible--no tight clothes, no shoes, don't
cross your legs. Take a deep breath; let it out slowly. Again. What you'll
be doing is alternately tensing and relaxing specific groups of muscles.
After tension, a muscle will be more relaxed than prior to the tensing.
Concentrate on the feel of the muscles, specifically the contrast
between tension and relaxation. In time, you will recognize tension in
any specific muscle and be able to reduce that tension.
Don't tense muscles other than the specific group at each step. Don't
hold your breath, grit your teeth, or squint! Breathe slowly and evenly
and think only about the tension-relaxation contrast. Each tensing is
for 10 seconds; each relaxing is for 10 or 15 seconds. Count "1,000
2,000..." until you have a feel for the time span. Note that each step is

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really two steps--one cycle of tension-relaxation for each set of

opposing muscles.
Do the entire sequence once a day if you can, until you feel you are
able to control your muscle tensions. Be careful: If you have problems
with pulled muscles, broken bones, or any medical contraindication for
physical activities, consult your doctor first.
1. Hands. The fists are tensed; relaxed. The fingers are extended;
relaxed.
2. Biceps and triceps. The biceps are tensed (make a muscle--but
shake your hands to make sure not tensing them into a fist); relaxed
(drop your arm to the chair--really drop them). The triceps are tensed
(try to bend your arms the wrong way); relaxed (drop them).
3. Shoulders. Pull them back (careful with this one); relax them. Push
the shoulders forward (hunch); relax.
4. Neck (lateral). With the shoulders straight and relaxed, the head is
turned slowly to the right, as far as you can; relax. Turn to the left;
relax.
5. Neck (forward). Dig your chin into your chest; relax. (bringing the
head back is not recommended--you could break your neck).
6. Mouth. The mouth is opened as far as possible; relaxed. The lips are
brought together or pursed as tightly as possible; relaxed.
7. Tongue (extended and retracted). With mouth open, extend the
tongue as far as possible; relax (let it sit in the bottom of your mouth).
Bring it back in your throat as far as possible; relax.
8. Tongue (roof and floor). Dig your tongue into the roof of your
mouth; relax. Dig it into the bottom of your mouth; relax.
9. Eyes. Open them as wide as possible (furrow your brow); relax.
Close your eyes tightly (squint); relax. Make sure you completely relax
the eyes, forehead, and nose after each of the tensing--this is actually
tough.
10. Breathing. Take as deep a breath as possible--and then take a
little more; let it out and breathe normally for 15 seconds. Let all the
breath in your lungs out--and then a little more; inhale and breathe
normally for 15 seconds.

20

11. Back. With shoulders resting on the back of the chair, push your
body forward so that your back is arched; relax. Be very careful with
this one, or don't do it at all.
12. Butt. Tense the butt tightly and raise pelvis slightly off chair; relax.
Dig buttocks into chair; relax.
13. Thighs. Extend legs and raise them about 6" off the floor or the
foot rest--but don't tense the stomach' relax. Dig your feet (heels) into
the floor or foot rest; relax.
14. Stomach. Pull in the stomach as far as possible; relax completely.
Push out the stomach or tense it as if you were preparing for a punch
in the gut; relax.
15. Calves and feet. Point the toes (without raising the legs); relax.
Point the feet up as far as possible (beware of cramps-if you get them
or feel them coming on, shake them loose); relax.
16. Toes. With legs relaxed, dig your toes into the floor; relax. Bend
the toes up as far as possible; relax.
Now just relax for a while. As your days of practice progress, you may
wish to skip the steps that do not appear to be a problem for you. After
you've become an expert on your tension areas (after a few weeks),
you can concern yourself only with those. These exercises will not
eliminate tension, but when it arises, you will know it immediately, and
you will be able to "tense-relax" it away or even simply wish it away.

Mental Imagery

American Institute of Preventive Medicine

www.wellnesscheckpoint.com

Experience not only the sights, but the

sounds, the smells, the tastes and the
touches.

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The Sea

Introduction

By developing soothing pictures in the mind, the

body can experience physical relaxation. Relaxation
is more complete when all five senses are involved in
picturing the scene. To practice this exercise, allow
for 10 minutes of uninterrupted time in a quiet place.
Begin by becoming very familiar with this script until
mental pictures are formed.

Sit back into the chair, making yourself

as comfortable as possible.
Close your eyes and become very much
aware of how your body presently feels,
noting which parts of your body are
feeling tense and those that are more
relaxed.
Now take a few deep breaths, taking the
air in through your nose, holding it
momentarily, and then slowly letting the
air out your mouth. With each exhale
finding yourself relaxing more and more
deeply, more and more completely.
Taking the air in and letting the air out.
Allowing yourself to relaxrelaxrelax.

You are experiencing not only the sights, but the

sounds, the smells, the tastes, and the touches.
Begin

You are walking along the ocean beach it is

mid-Julyit is very, very warm outsideits
late in the day.
The sun has not yet begun to set, but it is
getting low on the horizon. The sun is a
golden blazing yellow.
The sky a brilliant blue.
The sand a dazzling, glistening white in
the sunlight.
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Feel the cool, wet, firm, hard-packed

sand beneath your feet.
Smell the salt in the air.
You can taste the salt as you lick your
lips.
Hear the beating of the waves.the
rhythmic lapping to and fro., back and
forth of the water against the shore. Far
off in the distance, you can hear the cries
of sea gulls. Watching as they glide
through the sky.swooping down into
the sea and then flying off once again.

As you walk further along the shore, you

suddenly come to a sand dune a mound of
pure white sand. Sitting down, you gaze out at
the sea, staring very intently at the rhythmic,
methodical motion of the waves as they roll
into shore breaking against the coast rising
slowly upward along the beach leaving an aura
of white foam and then slowly retreating back
out to the sea. Only to be replaced by another
wave that crashes against the shore works
its way up the beachand slowly retreats back
out to the sea.
With each motion of the wave as it glides in
and as it glides out, finding yourself feeling
more and more relaxed, more and more calm
more and more sereneAnd the waves are
gliding inthe waves are gliding outThe
waves are gliding inand the waves are
gliding outThe waves are gliding inand the
saves are gliding out feeling more and more
relaxedmore and more calmwith each
rhythmic, methodical motion of the waves.
Feeling very soothed by their rhythmic lapping
to and fro. The waves are gliding inthe
waves are gliding out
Now staring off into the distance, the sun is
beginning to make its way down into the
horizon. The sun is starting to sink into the sea
and you feel more and more relaxed as you
see its movement going downdowndown
The sky is turning brilliant colors of red
23

orangeyellowgreenblueand purpleas
the sun sets, sinking downdowndowninto
the sea. Feeling very relaxed and soothed.
Watching the sun as it sinks downdown
downdowndown...The beating of the
waves, the smell and taste of the sea, the salt,
the cries of distant gulls, the warmth against
your body, all leaves you feeling very soothed,
very calm, very serene.
RelaxRelaxRelax.
At conclusion
Slowly open your eyes and ease back into
your activities.

If the beach scene does not seem relaxing,

choose another scene like a forest or a
peaceful sunrise. A Personal Mental Imagery
can even be a place of fantasy. Then take an
imaginary visit there and relax in the process.
Imagine this peaceful situation using the
following 9 steps:
9 Steps

1. Find yourself a comfortable sitting or

reclining position.
2. Gently close your eyes.
3. Notice nothing but your own gentle
breathing pattern.
4. Begin to think about your favorite
relaxation. Picture where you are and
what you do when your mind and body
are so very, very relaxed. Pause to create
and capture the image of your quiet
place.
5. Pretend that you are really there in your
special relaxing environment. Picture all
the colorsHear the soundsSmell the
aromasTasteTouch your surroundings
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6.
7.
8.
9.

as if you are really thereEnjoyRelax

Feel the calm and peaceAllow yourself
to feel goodLet your whole body relax
and enjoy the moment.
Pause for 5 to 10 minutes and become
filled with relaxation.
Allow the relaxation to re-energize your
body and mind.
As you feel comfortable, slowly open your
eyes, feeling totally refreshed.

Escape to your special place anytime you

wish to relax, if even for a moment.

THOUGHT STOPPING
WebMD www.webmd.com

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Thought-stopping to relieve stress

Thought-stopping is a process of concentrating on an unwanted
thought and then suddenly stopping and clearing your mind. When you
practice this process repeatedly on an unwanted thought, over time
the unwanted thought occurs less often. Eventually the thought may
not occur at all or will be easy to dismiss immediately.
1. Identify your most stressful thoughts, those that
interfere with other activities. You wish you could stop having
these thoughts, but they keep occurring.
2. Imagine the thought. Close your eyes. Imagine a situation
in which you might have this stressful thought. Then allow
yourself to think and even concentrate on the thought.
3. Interrupt the thought. Startling yourself is a good way to
interrupt the thought. Try one of these two techniques.
o Set a timer or alarm clock for 3 minutes. Then start
thinking as explained in step 2. When the timer or
alarm goes off, shout "Stop!" You may accompany the
shout with an action, such as raising your hand or
standing up. This is your cue to stop thinking about
anything, empty your mind, and try to keep it empty
for about 30 seconds. If the upsetting thought comes
back during that time, shout "Stop!" again.
o Instead of using a timer, you may tape-record yourself
loudly shouting "Stop!" at intervals of 3 minutes, 2
minutes, and 1 minute. Proceed in the same way as
with the timer. Hearing your own voice commanding
you to stop helps strengthen your commitment to
getting rid of the unwanted thought.
4. After practicing steps 1 through 3 on a thought until the
thought goes away on command, try the process again. This
time interrupt the thought with the word "Stop!" in a normal
voice.
5. Finally, after your normal voice interrupts the thought
effectively, try whispering the word "Stop." Eventually you
can just imagine hearing "Stop" inside your mind. At this
point, you can interrupt the thought whenever and wherever
it occurs.
Whenever the unwanted thought occurs, interrupt it as soon as you
recognize it.
References

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Davis, Martha et al. The Relaxation & Stress Reduction Workbook.
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