Multi-disciplinary stress management

Hopefully you now have some level of understanding of how emotions can become stored in the body, how they can be released through massage, and how to deal with this when it happens. Unfortunately my attempt to video the mid-block tutorial wasn't successful (I think I need a tutorial on video camera use or something). In the mid-block tutorial we talked about these things, and clarified them. I've had a request to cover this again, and I'd be happy to run an elluminate or face-to-face tutorial at some stage over the next couple of weeks on this topic if it's required by more people.

Over the next two weeks the topic is multi-disciplinary stress management.

Judy Buckingham is going to talk with you about how counsellors and psychotherapists work with stress so that you can get a better idea about when it's a good idea to refer to a psychological health professional. Details to follow.

Week 14 - Emotional release pt. 2

Last week we had a look at how emotions may become lodged in the body, this week we'll consider what you should do if your client has an emotional release while you're working with them.

It's good to see there's been some work done on Feelings and their physical expression. Please continue to work on this. I have not been able to find any quality information on this, so what we're doing here is creating a resource which all of us can use in the future. It's good to realise that there is not a correct answer here. Different people are likely to experience emotions somewhat differently.

Hopefully you've completed the exercise in Box 6.2 from the second reading for last week, and you now have some level of self-awareness around how you are likely to cope with clients who present with different types of emotions. If you haven't please make this a priority for the week ahead.

Tasks for the week

Complete reading Emotional release from The psychology of the body, Greene & Goodrich-Dunn. I emailed you the files for this last week.

Mid-block tutorial - In the mid-block tutorial this week we'll talk about dealing with emotional release.

More reading - Sometime early this week I'll email you some reading material relating to the psycho-social management of stress. This is to give you an idea of some of the methods which counsellors and psychotherapists use, and will inform next week's work.

Week 13 - Emotional release pt. 1

Over the next two weeks in Stress management we'll be exploring emotional release. You'll find out how emotions become stored in the body, how these emotions can be released by massage and bodywork, and how to deal with an emotional release.

Tasks for this week

Please continue the email discussion around relaxation methods

I notice that no-one has yet contributed to the Google document- Feelings and their physical expression. Please take the time to notice how your body responds to emotions through this week and next week, and record your findings in this document.

You have two readings from the week. These will be emailed to you.

1. Emotional responses & Tissue memory from Outcome-based massage (2nd ed), Andrade & Clifford
   
2. Emotional release (p 1-7) from The psychology of the body, Greene & Goodrich-Dunn

After reading through these documents, please take some time to complete the exercise in the second reading which is in Box 6.2 - Exploring how you respond to client's emotions and behaviours. The purpose of this exercise is to prepare you for a client's emotional release.

Week 12 - Bodymind

This week in Stress management we'll be considering the body-mind concept.


Assessment
Remember that your clinical assessments are coming up this term. When scheduling assessment times, I've decided that letting you choose your own time is not going to work, so I've scheduled you all a time to sit this assessment. Please make sure that you have a look at the clinic schedule to see when you are on.

Also, your case study is coming up. Make sure that you're applying the stress management process in your work with clients so that you'll have enough clinical experiences to write about.


Tasks for the week

Continuing from our exploration of meditation, please

• Read this article on the place of meditation & sprituality in medicine.
• Watch this video - Jill Bolte, neuroscientist - My stroke of insight.
• Join in the discussion on the use of meditation and other relaxation techniques in massage practice

Read these articles on body-mind

• Mapping body into motion - Keith Grant
• Bodymaps part 1 & part 2

Real-world observation

• Over the next three weeks note how your body responds to different emotions, and record this here.
  

Week 8 - Hanna's reflexes & stretching

In this, the final week before the end of term, we're going to have another look at Hanna's neuromuscular reflexes, and consider the use of stretching and meditation in a stress management programme.

Tasks for the week

• Continue to use a stress log to record any stressful experiences and your reaction to them.
  
• I will send you an article on Monday which describes in some detail the three primary neuromuscular reflexes which have been described by Thomas Hanna. My email will relate his ideas to stress theory
• Read the resource on the use of stretching as a stress management modality.
• Design a stretching programme for one of your clients based on your assessment of them either this week or a past client.
• Have a look around on the web. Can you find any good high quality sources of video resources for stretching? Let the class know about them through the email group.
• If you haven't already done so, have a look at the meditation resource.

Stress management modalities

You should by now be a competent practitioner of breath retraining, and progressive muscle relaxation. If you haven't yet had a practice run of instructing someone else in these techniques, then get onto it as soon as possible.

It's recommended that you download and run through the meditation recording several times at least this week.

Lifestyle modification

This week we're going to have a look at Lifestyle modification in some depth.

Review of Case Study 1
Thanks to those who contributed to the case study exercise. A good level of understanding was shown by the parties involved. Have a look at my feedback on your work at the bottom of the document.

Tasks for the week

• Read through the page outlining Lifestyle modification
• Over the next week, keep a stress log (described on the Lifestyle modification page) to identify stressors in your life and your reaction to them.
  
• The assessment aspect of the stress management process has been updated to include assessment of the breathing pattern and rhythm. Make sure you review this process, taking note of the expansion.

Stress management exercises
You should be continuing to practice progressive muscle relaxation. If you've practiced it about 10 times by now, then you'll be ready to move on to instruction of clients.

The next stress management exercise which I want to introduce is meditation. I haven't quite recorded the meditation yet, but hope to get onto this sometime this week.

Assessment

• Case Study: You could start working with your clients anytime from now on really.

Developing a healthcare programme

We're now into looking at the treatment phase of developing a healthcare programme.

Have a look at the treatment phase of the stress management process. Later in the week we will apply it to a case study.

Also have a look at this partially completed resource - Stress management modalities. This will become a useful resource, so tag it for future reference.