FAMILIES AND SELF IN STRESS

AND CRISIS

AGENDA Warm Up- On Stress Test Sheets Stress and Stress Management Stress Test Activity De-Stress Activity Wrap Up/Reflections/Exit

WARM UP: Describe your most STRESSFUL

experience. Who was involved? How did you feel during this situation

DEFINE-STRESS The body’s response to the events in

your life

Cause physical, emotional, and mental tension

BODY’S REACTION TO STRESS Rise in blood pressure Increased heart rate Clammy hands Stomach ache Anxiety Frustration

If stress in extreme and constant, it can lead to high blood pressure, heart attack, or stomach ulcers

DEFINE: STRESS MANAGEMENT Learning to manage stress can control

the negative impact it may have on your life

You can learn strategies to help you cope with the demands of life

Stress management can be used in various places

STRESS TEST House of Cards Activity

Must contain 5 cardsMust be completed in the time allowed It must remain standing for 10 seconds!

HOW TO GET RID OF STRESS 1) Remove the source of the stress

2) Remove yourself from the situation

3) Change your response to the stress

4) Manage the stress by focusing on one part at a time

DE-STRESSING Time for some YOGA!

REACTIONS/RESPONSES How can this activity be used in your

own family? What are some examples of activities

that you and your family can do to help cope with stressful situations?

TWO WAYS TO CAUSE STRESS Normative stressors

Crises Events

Normative stressorNormal event that requires some response ‘Not that big of a deal’ stressCan be positive or negative

What are some examples

Crises stressorsEvents that create major changes in your

life and behavior

What are some examples?

HOW TO HANDLE STRESS You are in control of you!

A positive mental attitude will help you handle stress in a healthy way.

A negative attitude may lead to increased anger or anxiety.

HOW TO IDENTIFY STRESS3 STEPS Define the feelings you are having

Excited, worried, angry, afraid

Try to identify the event that caused your stressful feelings why do you feel this way

Identify what you can do to manage the stressful situation

HOW TO GET RID OF STRESS 1) Remove the source of the stress

2) Remove yourself from the situation

3) Change your response to the stress

4) Manage the stress by focusing on one part at a time

STRESS AND FAMILY Crisis – extreme event that causes a

change to the family

4 EVENTS THAT CAN CAUSE A CRISIS Devastating events that cause a loss

Stressful event that widely impact members

Sudden important events

Events requiring major adjustments

PILE-UP EFFECT Sometimes many small stressors can

build up to produce a crisis

Example: a bad test grade, fight with friend, argument with parent, and peer pressure can all add up.

All of the stressors combined can lead to a crisis for someone.

FAMILY IN CRISIS A family many times will become

unbalanced in crisis situations

The family is not functioning smoothly and needs to readjust

GRIEVING PROCESS When people experience a loss, they go

through this process

There are 5 steps

5 STAGES OF GRIEVING 1-Denial-"this can't be happening to

me“

2-Anger-"why me?“

3-Bargaining

4-Depression-overwhelming feelings of hopelessness, frustration, bitterness

5-AcceptanceRealization that the person is gone (in

death) that it is not their fault, they didn't leave you on purpose. (even in cases of suicide, often the deceased person, was not in their right frame of mind)