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In this module, we’re going to look at the physical nature of stress and how it affects your body in both the short-term and long term. We’ll also look at strategies you can use to reduce the impact. The module will explain why these strategies work so that you can feel more confident in trying them.

In this module, we’ll be looking at the emotional impact of the stress response. In times of high or chronic stress it can feel as though you’re on an emotional roller coaster with anger, anxiety and even panic spikes combined with the slumps of low mood, sadness and numbness. This module will focus on anger and low mood, but we’ll look at the others in later modules.

The module will identify a range of strategies to work with the emotional impact of stress and help you to consider which may be the ones you personally choose. As always, it’s important to understand the rationale behind these coping strategies so that you feel they are worth doing - especially when taking any action can feel a struggle.

In this module, we’re going to look at how stress affects your thinking. We’ll also look at strategies you can use to reduce the impact and help your brain return to clearer, calmer functioning.

This module looks at how generalised anxiety and fear can result from stress and the steps you can take to manage this. We’ll also explore the impact stress has on how we behave and how this then feeds into a vicious cycle and downward spiral. We’ll look at strategies you can use to break the cycle and take control. 

Stress is contagious! It can affect us directly as individuals. It can also affect us indirectly, when the people around us are stressed. In extreme or chronic situations, the impact can ripple out across a team or even the whole organisation, changing relationship dynamics and creating a “normal” environment that is anything but. In this module, you will learn how to recognise the indirect impact of being in a stressful environment. We’ll look at strategies for maintaining your own balance in this situation. Support from colleagues  can be very helpful and the module considers how peers can effectively support each other. You will get an awareness of how to effectively offer support as well as what not to do!

In an ideal world we would have a classroom full of well-behaved students. Unfortunately that is not usually the case! Any real management of challenging behaviour can only happen with the support of senior leaders. Whilst recognising this fact, module 6 looks at strategies for the individual person to maintain stability in the face of challenging behaviour. It sets out some of the habits of calm people that can be adopted. 

A list of sources of further help and support

Take some time to listen to these guided exercises that can soothe your body and mind.