Coping with stress

On April 14, 2015 FLO& MHN presented an excellent session on 

Coping with the Stress of Change

If you missed the session but would like a workbook please write us at FLOaskUT@state.gov


If you would like more information on resiliency please visit Beth Payne’s blog Fostering Resiliencehttp://wordpress.state.gov/fosteringresilience/

Handout D. from MHN's Coping with Stress of Change Workbook

                               Active Relaxation Techniques.

Progressive Relaxation

This technique is often most useful when you tape the instructions beforehand. You can tape these instructions, reading them slowly and leaving a short pause after each one.

• Lie on your back, close your eyes.

• Feel your feet. Sense their weight. Consciously relax them and sink into the bed. Start with your toes and progress to your ankles.

• Feel your knees. Sense their weight. Consciously relax them and feel them sink into the bed.

• Feel you upper legs and thighs. Fell their weight. Consciously relax them and feel them sink into the bed.

• Feel your abdomen and chest. Sense your breathing. Consciously will them to relax. Deepen your breathing slightly and feel your abdomen and chest sink into the bed.

• Feel your buttocks. Sense their weight. Consciously relax them and feel them sink into the bed.

• Feel your hands. Sense their weight. Consciously relax them and feel them sink into the bed.

• Feel your upper arms. Sense their weight. Consciously relax them and feel them sink into the bed.

• Feel your shoulders. Sense their weight. Consciously relax them and feel them sink into the bed.

• Feel your neck. Sense its weight. Consciously relax it and feel it sink into the bed.

• Feel your head and skull. Sense its weight. Consciously relax it and feel it sink into the bed.

• Feel your mouth and jaw. Consciously relax them. Pay particular attention to your jaw muscles and unclench them if you need to. Feel your mouth and jaw relax and sink into the bed.

• Feel your eyes. Sense if there is tension in your eyes. Sense if you are forcibly closing your eyelids. Consciously relax your eyelids and feel the tension slide off the eyes.

• Feel your face and cheeks. Consciously relax them and feel the tension slide off into the bed.

• Mentally scan your body. If you find any place that is still tense, then consciously relax that place and let it sink into the bed.