Stress Management

I have been thinking quite a bit lately about Stress Management and gathered some resources from our faculty to post on the main library page. Several new books related to this topic have also come to my attention.  In particular, I REALLY like See Your Way to Mindfulness by David Schiller. It is simplified, yet powerful, filled with images and quotes that encourage contemplation and evoke a sense of peacefulness. Schiller provides numerous exercises to encourage greater mindfulness and awareness of the world around us.

Soon to be released is Breathe by Belisa Vranich, a clinical psychologist with expertise in breathing and a long list of media appearances related to that topic.  Vranich builds on her studies to develop a 14 day program which she suggests following to improve breathing and overall health. While not necessarily advocating her approach, I know that the focus on breathing as a calming mechanism is a critical one for our counselors in Social Work and KW teachers based on the resources they shared.  If interested, look for Breathe and also review the several videos dealing with breathing which are available in our online resources.

And, finally, I previewed Helping Your Anxious Teen by Sheila Achar Josephs which is clearly aimed at helping parents become more effective coaches for their teens. Josephs founded Princeton Cognitive Therapy and writes about developing resilience. While agreeing that there are times when professional help is warranted, Josephs points out that "anxiety is a normal, adaptive human response." She describes some flashpoints (e.g., changing schools) that could trigger anxiety and offers short activities (checklists, journaling) to help parents guide their teens. Of course, there are many more books and resources related to the important subject of managing stress or anxiety; please send us your recommendations – thank you.