Stress and the body worksheet
By
HappierTherapy
Author bio
The Happier Therapy editorial team is made up of Masters and PhD counselling psychologists. Each worksheet is created by a team member with exposure to and experience in the subject matter. The worksheet then gets reviewed by a more senior editorial member. This is someone with extensive knowledge of the subject matter and highly cited published material.
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What is the theory behind this stress and the body worksheet?
The theory behind this worksheet is GAS theory (General Adaptation Syndrome). This theory states that the human body passes through 3 stages whenever it is exposed to stressful stimuli. These stages are: A) The alarm stage, 2) The resistance stage and 3) The exhaustion stage. In alarm stage, the body’s sympathetic nervous system is triggered, which leads to tacchycardia, blood pressure, and high cortisol levels. In the resistance stage, the body tries to adjust to the stressful stimuli and restore the body’s natural thermostat.
How will the worksheet help?
The Stress and the Body worksheet can be helpful in several ways. Two key points are:
- Increased awareness about body’s stress reaction: Cilients will learn to identify physical response to stress as well as the understand the underlying stress mechanis.
- Increased education about strategies: With the therapist’s help, the client will be able to understand the GAS theory and learn strategies to cater to the physical manifestations of stress.
How to use the worksheet?
Read through the information given in the worksheet regarding stress and its impact on the body. Then, review a sample of coping strategies. Make a stress management plan with your therapist for coping with stress. The plan is to be modified according to each individual. Discuss with your therapist if you have any queries.
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References
1.-
American Psychological Association. (2019). Stress effects the body. Retrieved from https://www.apa.org/topics/stress/body
2.-
Mayo Clinic Staff. (2019). Chronic stress puts your health at risk. Retrieved from https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/stress-management/in-depth/stress/art-20046037
