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Coping Skills and Stress
Management
Welcome to the Connections &
Care counseling program. In this module, you will find new ideas, learning activities, and handouts to use when talking with your clients about
schizophrenia and managing and coping with stress. Because there is
no "one-size-fits-all" approach to meeting the education and
support needs of people with schizophrenia, flexibility is
the hallmark of this program. These materials can be used
over a period of time to explore the topic in depth.
Overview
By participating in this session, clients will:
- Understand the impact of stress on the symptoms of
schizophrenia
- Identify their personal stressors
- Recognize that stress can affect their thoughts, behaviors,
and physical health
- Practice stress management techniques and create a plan for
coping with stress
- Learn how healthy habits can reduce stress and help promote
recovery
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Tips for facilitating
this module
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Normalize the
experience of stress
Many clients mistakenly believe that stress is part of the illness
of schizophrenia rather than a fact of life for everyone. Let
clients know that they are not alone in experiencing stress and
finding ways to cope with it. If you are comfortable doing so, talk
about some of your own everyday stressors and ways you cope with
them as a way to normalize stress.
Point out that stressors and the
experience of stress are unique for each person
Describing the wide range of possible responses to stress can help
clients identify their own stressors and responses, which can help
them design their own strategies for coping. Offer clients an
opportunity to consider stress as a positive force as well. For
example, stress can sometimes help someone get something done.
Emphasize that learning to manage
stress is part of the process of recovery
Although stress is not itself a symptom of schizophrenia, it has
the potential to worsen schizophrenia symptoms and make it
difficult to focus on treatment and recovery. Recovery from
schizophrenia is an ongoing and highly individual process. On a
practical level, recovery means finding ways to cope with
schizophrenia and achieve personal goals. It includes physical,
mental, emotional, and spiritual aspects. Learning to successfully
cope with and manage stress involves taking small steps, gauging
their effectiveness, and practicing them in daily life. And those
small steps don’t have to be perfect; even imperfect steps
can mean progress.
Above all, emphasize hope
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For a very long time, the word recovery had no
part in our clinical vocabulary. But, there has never been a time
of greater hope for people with schizophrenia. Base your
facilitation on this very real sense of hope by talking about
stress management as an important part of recovery. |
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| Using the
materials |
The materials are designed to be flexible. Here are suggestions
for using them: |
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- Review the learning activities and handouts as you plan your
session
- Choose the activities, discussion questions, and/or handouts
that are appropriate for your clients’ needs, interests, and
abilities
- Use the handouts in ways that match your clients’
abilities. For example, use them for discussion ideas, read aloud
as a group before completing, hand to clients to complete, or
assign as homework
- Revisit the learning activities and handouts as often as needed
to cover
the topic
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Icons
Look for these icons to help you choose activities to use with your
clients during individual or group sessions.
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Discussion
starters - Ask questions to introduce and spark your
clients’ interests in a topic. |
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Brainstorming -
Ask your clients to suggest possible solutions to a problem or a
situation. |
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Debate - Ask
your clients to engage in a debate, which helps them see all sides
of an issue. |
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Journal writing - Encourage your clients to write down their thoughts in a
journal. |
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Creative
expression - Invite your clients to explore and express
thoughts and feelings through art. |
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Icebreaker -
Ask clients for verbal responses to a topic question to help them
feel comfortable with sharing. |
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