Health 1110 - Stress Management

Spring 2007

3 Credit Hours

Instructor: Michael Olpin, PhD, CHES
Office: Wasatch Hall - Hours TBA
E-mail: molpin@weber.edu
Phone: 626-6485

Here are the steps to log into the online web space for this class
including viewing your scores for assignments during the semester:

1. Go to WSU Web site weber.edu (a new page will open so you can still see this syllabus).

2. Select "current students." Login to portal using your Wildcat user name and password.

3. Under "My Courses" "Click Here to:" see your online courses.

4. Select your desired course.

5. You may have to re-log into WebCT Vista.

6. You have now entered MyWebCT. Select this course amongst your many courses.

If you need help, contact the friendly technical help people at 626-7777

Class Time & Location
TBA

Required Materials
Stress Management for Life (2007). by Olpin & Hesson
Stress Relief DVD (accompanies the text)

Also Required
Students will need to be able to access the online webspace for this class. Your first assignment of the semester will include the opportunity of getting in there.

Course Description
This course exposes students to a holistic approach to stress management. It treats both cognitive (coping) skills and relaxation techniques with the intention of preventing and/or alleviating the physical symptoms of stress. 

Course Purpose
The purpose of this course is to teach students the basic principles, theories and relaxation techniques to effectively manage personal stress. Students will gain a greater understanding of the mind-body relationship, learn to employ a holistic approach to stress and adopt effective cognitive, coping and relaxation techniques. Ultimately, students will experience a more effective approach to optimal lifelong health. The learning activities of the course are both theoretical and experiential.

Rationale
More than 80% of all diseases and illnesses have a stress component. More than 90% of Americans deal with stress ineffectively. As health care costs continue to rise, more emphasis will be placed on each individual to accept the responsibility for his or her health. The application of effective strategies for stress reduction is a very important component of optimal health.

Course Objectives: The student will have the opportunity to:
Understand the holistic nature (mind-body-spirit) of stress management and comprehend the mind-body connection of the stress and disease process
Master the basic understanding of the physiological mechanisms responsible for the fight-or-flight response and subsequent manifestations of various symptoms of target organ dysfunctions.
Understand the importance of using effective coping skills to resolve stressful perceptions and gain a sense of wholeness and inner peace by using these skills.
Learn about and experience several relaxation techniques and learn to integrate these techniques into your daily living habits to help you control stress and tension.
Participate in all class discussions and relaxation techniques.

Throughout the course we will treat the following topic areas:
The nature of stress including the physiology of stress and how stress affects human conditions
Psychological aspects of stress
The two main emotions of stress: fear and anger
Coping strategies
Values, goals and life direction
Cognitive restructuring
Time Management
Exercise and Nutrition
Relaxation Techniques:

• powernap

• diaphragmatic breathing

• meditation

• yoga

• leisure & hobbies, 

• mental imagery

• music therapy

• massage therapy

• progressive muscle relaxation

• autogenic training

• mindfulness and childlikeness

Course Meetings
Due to the nature of the course, attendance is essential. The class will be conducted in a workshop format in which theoretical content will be combined with experiential learning. All students are expected to participate in all class activities. Please dress appropriately for various types of activities. Occasionally we will be lying on the floor or participating in activities that require you to move around. Please wear comfortable clothing that will allow for this.

Class Activities During the Semester

Several slightly more weighty assignments will take place during the semester. Instructions for these are found below.

Article Review – Alternative Medicine
The purpose of this research project is to give you an idea of where good information can be found regarding alternative and complementary therapies. Each student will find a study or article and write a one page, double spaced, typed summary of the article that should answer the following questions:

• What were the main points of the article?

• How did the information in this article relate to the information in chapter 23 of your textbook?

• Which of the major categories of alternative and complementary therapies listed in chapter 23 would your selected therapy fall into?

• Your thoughts about the article: How did it affect you? What did you learn? How do you feel about the article?

Please include a photocopy of the actual article complete with the reference page(s) at the end of the article. No attached article-no points! (Do not cut out or tear out the actual article. That is against the law and very bad manners. If you tear out the actual article, you will get no points for that project.) On the Article Days, each person will briefly present to the class the information they found in their article.

On the Article Days, each person will briefly present to the class the information they found in their article.

You will find these articles and studies in the School Library in the Health, Medical, Exercise, Psychology, and Nutrition sections of the Library. (Ask a librarian to direct you there.) Please choose your article or study from the more reputable magazines and professional journals. (Avoid such popular titles as Muscle & Fitness, Elle, and Cosmopolitan.) Check with me if you have questions about the respectability of an article or a magazine. Please get your articles from magazines and journals no more than one year old.

You may also get your articles from appropriate websites on the internet. Unless you check with me about a website, please get your internet articles from websites that are .edu or .org websites. Do not select a .com website for your article. Points will be erased from your score if you do. The very best, easiest and speediest place to begin your search for excellent news articles can be found by going to this website:

http://faculty.weber.edu/molpin/bushea/news.html  You can click directly to this page by clicking the URL

The best place to begin your search for research studies is found here:

http://library.weber.edu

Your textbook should be your first resource to gather information about complementary and alternative therapies. 

The following is a list of possible topics from which you can choose for your article. Make sure that your review explains how your topic relates to, is connected to, or influences stress and/or stress management. For instance, if you choose acupuncture, your paper will need to be about a connection between stress and acupuncture. If you choose music, it will need to discuss the relationship between music and stress.

Aromatherapy	Ayurveda	Biofeedback
Bodywork	Breathwork	Chinese Medicine
Colonic Cleansing	Color Therapy	Art Therapy
Flower Essences	Gemstone Therapy	Herbs, Roots, & Seeds
Homeopathy	Iridology	Macrobiotics
Hypnosis	Acupuncture	Therapeutic Humor
Massage	Massage Therapy	Reiki
Music Therapy	Naturopathy	Polarity Therapy
Qigong	Magnets	Tai chi
Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT)
Sensory Deprivation	Therapeutic Touch	Yoga

Participation
During class time, we will involve ourselves in many different types of activities. Your participation will be essential. Many of these activities will have points attached to them. These will be available only if you are here to participate in them.

Content Class-notes Quizzes
Three in-class quizzes will be given during the semester. These will treat information that comes almost exclusively from class lecture and activities. 

Book Review
A review of a book relating to stress management, mental, emotional, and/or spiritual health will be due by the date shown. The book will be chosen from the book list provided to you, or you may present a book to the instructor for his approval. The review should be in the following format: 3-4 typed pages, double-spaced, with one-inch margins. It should also include a cover page stating the title of the book, the author of the book, the date the book was published, the student's name, and the student's I.D. number.

 

Books you have already read or are reading currently for other classes will not be permitted for this book review.

 

The content of the review should include a thorough analysis of the following:

Main ideas of the book

Why you chose the book

How the author(s) of the book approaches stress management, mental, emotional and/or spiritual health

Information that you learned

Ideas you thought were interesting

To what audience is the author writing

How you have changed after reading the book

If you would, or would not recommend this book to others, and why or why not

Any other appropriate and interesting things you might include

 

The book review will be graded for completeness on the book and for grammar and spelling. You will be asked which book you have chosen by the third week of the class.

 

Click the following link for a list of suggested books from which to choose for this project. If you choose a book that is not on the list, please run it by your instructor for approval.

http://faculty.weber.edu/molpin/healthclasses/1110/greatbooks.html

 

Stress Relief Paper
During the semester you will participate in the relaxation exercises on the Stress Relief video as well as several other relaxation techniques that we will do (several guided imageries, meditation, yoga, massage, etc.). At the end of the semester, you will write a paper that summarizes your experience of the relaxation techniques along with a brief summary of other aspects of the class. The paper should include the following items:

1. A cover page with your name, the course, the title of the paper, and the date

2. The body of the paper that includes a thorough discussion of your subjective experience of the relaxation techniques on the video along with the other activities we did in class designed to help you manage and reduce your stress by answering the following questions:

• Which activities and topics did you find most useful for you towards managing your stress and gaining greater sense of inner peace? Why?

• Which activities and topics did you find least useful for you towards managing your stress and gaining greater sense of inner peace? Why?
• Which of the stress management techniques you found most enjoyable and why?
• Which of the stress management techniques you found least enjoyable and why?
• Which areas of the class and relaxation techniques you plan to use in the future and why?
• Describe a few ways that you have changed as a result of the knowledge and experiences of this class since the beginning of the semester. Include ways that your stress symptoms have changed (headaches, sleeping habits, irritability, etc); ways you perceive things differently than before; include a brief comment or two on how others have noticed changes in you.
• If you were to take the class again, in what ways could the class be improved to enhance your experience of it?
• Did you get what you wanted out of the class?
• Add any other final thoughts that would help me improve the class, or anything you feel you would like me to know about your experience of the class.

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Course Evaluation

Your grade will be calculated by the accumulation of points from the following items:

 

 

 

 

 

Grades are based on a percentage of the total possible points earned in the class.
The following total number of points is associated with the final grades.

93%  and above A 
90% A- 
87% B+ 
83% B 
80% B- 
77% C+ 
73% C 
70% C- 
67% D+ 
63% D 
60% D- 
less than 60% E 

Your grades scores and ongoing grade for this course are found in the webspace designated for this class. This is accessible by following the instructions at the top of this syllabus.

Course Schedule

This schedule is subject to change based on the speed, direction and focus of the class.

Class Ground Rules

Classroom Chatter
It is rude to talk in class when someone else, either the instructor or another student, is speaking. Please be courteous by avoiding idle chatter during class. If you must carry on a conversation, please leave the room to do so.

Dismissing Class
We will dismiss class when the class activities are finished for the day. Please refrain from "packing up" before we are officially through. Rarely will we go overtime. Occasionally we will finish early. Regardless, it is very rude to hurry up the finish time of the class. If you absolutely must leave during class, please leave in a way that does not disrupt the flow of the class.

Food in the Classroom
If you must bring food into the classroom, make sure you bring enough food to share with everyone (including the instructor). 

Cell Phones and Other Electronic Devices
Please turn off, and leave in your bags, any cell phone or other electronic device that you might have in your possession while in the classroom.

Safety Information

As with any physiological or psychological training tool that can effectively help you improve your health, you may find you need less medication, if you are taking medications for stress, anxiety, pain, high blood pressure, diabetes or other stress related disorders. It would be wise to discuss any changes in your needs with your prescribing doctor.

Academic Misconduct
Cheating of any kind will not be tolerated. Evidence of not doing your own work will result in an automatic zero for that assignment on the first infraction. Evidence of not doing your own work a second time will result in an automatic failing grade for the class. This rule applies for all tests, in-class assignments and outside of class assignments unless the instructor stipulates that the work may be done with partners or groups. Obviously, studying for tests and such may be done with others.

Students with Disabilities

"Any student requiring accommodations or serviced due to a disability must contact Services for Students with Disabilities (SSD) in room 181 of the Student Services Center. SSD can also arrange to provide course materials (including the syllabus) in alternative formats if necessary."

Free Expression
A classical liberal arts education should include the free exchange of ideas. Accordingly I do not subscribe to any form of “political correctness.” Feel free to express any idea that corresponds to the course subject matter. I may disagree with you, but this will not affect your grade. As with any other right there is a corresponding responsibility when exercising the right to free expression. I expect you to be courteous and show respect to your fellow classmates. If you disagree with someone, or me, then express your opinion. But do not, under any circumstances, resort to personal attacks.

A word about the this class. Albert Einstein said, “The height of stupidity is most clearly demonstrated by the individual who ridicules something he knows nothing about.” Many topics and ideas in this class may be rather new and different from the thinking and activities you have grown up with and accepted as accurate. I will not be asking you to believe anything new in this class. I will ask you to suspend judgment about the things you see and hear, and the things that we discuss. Just let the ideas work in you and see what value they have for you. Regardless of how strange the ideas and activities might seem, they have been found to be useful in reducing stress, gaining greater control of our lives, and attain greater levels of inner peace. If you choose to take this course, please allow yourself to dive in and get really wet. My commitment to you is that if you do, it may be the most valuable course you will ever take.

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