Relaxation and Stress Management Course from Relaxation for Living and More Ltd

The course has been developed to help with relaxation, stress, anxiety and stress related health problems. It is a practical course to facilitate self-help.

By using the techniques from the course participants can:

• Manage stress better
• Have more energy
• Feel more in control
• Function better both at home and at work

The course includes:

• How do we know if we are stressed or anxious?
• Understanding stress and how it affects us
• Tension awareness and tension easing exercises
• Relaxation techniques
• Practical activities to look at our routine and stressful areas or issues
• Practical activities to manage negative thoughts or stressful situations differently
• Practical activities to look at specific areas of stress and how to help

A course manual is provided to all participants.

Optional extra:

• CD with tension easing exercises and a full relaxation to really relax.

Aims, Content and Learning Outcomes

Aims of the 4 session Course

• Help people to become more aware of the causes of stress and managing their stress better both at home and at work.
• Raise awareness of anxiety and muscle tension which is a significant factor in stress and fatigue. Greater awareness and using simple techniques will help to ease muscle tension, help with managing stress or anxiety better and generally help with feeling less tired and having more energy.
• Introduce techniques to help address personal and work issues.
• Start to address physical, cognitive and lifestyle issues contributing to stress and anxieties.
• Learn to really relax, which is something that many people find hard.

Learning activities and tasks between sessions are kept small, to focus on what really helps in a manageable way. Small things make a significant difference in managing stress and feeling more in control.

Week 1 – Content

• Understanding stress and our body’s reaction to it.
• Recognising stress and anxiety.
• Stress models with practical tips to help.
• Body ergonomics, tension awareness and simple tension easing exercises.
• Practical activity to consider daily routines and helping areas of greater stress.
• Practical activity to really relax.

Week 1 – Learning outcomes + activities before next session

• Start to notice areas of tension and ease it using the tension easing movements or relaxation techniques learnt.
• Identify areas of routine / greater stress to work on as the course progresses.

Week 2 – Content

• Further understanding stress and our body’s reaction to it with the focus on breathing.
• Quick calm down and relaxation techniques for both mind and body.
• Useful techniques for situation or event preparation.
• Further body ergonomics, tension awareness and simple tension easing exercises.
• Practical activity to look at negative thoughts and anxiety together with different ways of dealing with them.
• Ongoing practical activity to really relax.

Week 2 – Learning outcomes + activities before next session

• Participants should be starting to see course benefits and have greater energy.
• Continue to notice areas of tension and ease it using the tension easing movements or relaxation techniques learnt.
• Use the simple mind stilling technique learnt.
• Make use of the negative thoughts practical activity in helping areas of stress, or negative thoughts as they arise.

Week 3 – Content

• Further understanding stress and our body’s reaction to it, with the focus on muscles which help with stress and tension.
• Further body ergonomics, tension awareness and simple tension easing exercises.
• Practical activity to look at specific areas of stress and ways of managing the stress better.
• Ongoing practical activity to really relax.

Week 3 – Learning outcomes + activities before next session

• Participants should be continuing to see course benefits and feeling more in control
• Continue to notice areas of tension and ease it using the tension easing movements or relaxation techniques learnt.
• Build on the stress management practical activity to help manage areas of stress better.

Week 4 – Content

• Consolidating learning from Sessions 1, 2 and 3.
• Tension easing exercises.
• Practical activity on future management of anxiety using tools learnt.
• Practical activity to set Goals and an Action Plan to address issues contributing to anxiety or stress.
• Ongoing practical activity to really relax.