Stress Management Tools
Self-Care for Everyone!
- Reach out and make contact with others.
- Talk with friends and loved ones.
- Recognize and accept your feelings.
- Express your feelings; consider keeping a journal to help in the process.
- Structure your time.
- Maintain your usual schedule as much as you can.
- Get extra rest and set aside time to relax.
- Spend time in nature - picnic blankets are available at the rec center! And here's a map of SSU's green spaces.
- Eat regular balanced meals even if you don't feel hungry.
- Exercise or participate in some regular physical activity.
- Don't make major decisions or changes in your life.
- Avoid excessive use of alcohol or drugs.
- Consider contacting CAPS or a mental health professional if symptoms persist.
Take a moment to complete the CAPS Self-Care Checklist (PDF): a brief self-assessment.
Guided Mindfulness Meditations
The following meditations are narrated by our very own CAPS Counselors. Please feel free to come out of or pause the meditation at any time you feel discomfort, but especially if you experience an increase in distress or feel emotionally overwhelmed.
54321 Grounding (MP3): A short grounding exercise that engages the senses to help when emotions or stress become overwhelming. Narrated by Dr. Isabel Avila Saiter.
The Container (MP3): This practice can be a useful to help you contain challenging experiences that may make it difficult for you to regulate your emotions, thoughts, or sensations.The recording is about 12 minutes long. Narrated by Dr. Isabel Avila Saiter.
Emotional Surrender Meditation (MP3): This audio recording is about 8 minutes long. Narrated by Dr. Courtney Avvampato.
Self-Compassion Break (MP3): This audio recording will take you through a 5-minute guided meditation to practice self-compassion. Narrated by Dr. Courtney Avvampato.
Leaves on a Stream (MP3): This guided meditation is just over 10 minutes long and offers visual imagery to develop an awareness of the transient nature of our thoughts and feelings. Narrated by Dr. Rociel Martinez.
Gratitude Meditation (MP3): This 6.5 minute meditation on appreciation will help spread positive feelings. Narrated by Dr. Ashley Murphy.
Safe Place Guided Meditation (MP3):This is a 6-minute guided imagery meditation that uses your imagination to create your own safe and peaceful place to help relax and calm your mind. Narrated by Dr. Elisa Vasquez.
Body Scan (MP3): This is a 10-minuted guided, relaxing, and mindful body scan. Narrated by Dr. Irene Wise.
Exploring Self-Compassionate Touch (MP3): This 5-minute practice will help you find simple ways to soothe yourself. Narrated by Dr. Irene Wise.
Working with Difficult Emotions (MP3): This 10.5-minute meditation helps you cope with overwhelming or difficult emotions such as anger, fear, sadness, or confusion. Narrated by Dr. Irene Wise.
Online Wellness
- Calm App: Online support with meditations, stories, music, and talks via the App (free trial available plus free web-based resources)
- Headspace: Meditation app with support for mindfulness, sleep, stress and anxiety, movement and healthy living (free trial available, plus free annual subscription if currently unemployed)
- Insight Timer: Free App with library of thousands of guided meditations to help you with sleep, anxiety and stress.
- 10% Happier: Free guided meditations focused on a variety of topics.
- Free Webinar: Stress and Coping: Intentionality in Self-Care from the Society for the Psychology of Women
- Free 10-week course on The Science of Well-Being from Yale University. This on-line course is designed to increase your happiness and build more productive habits.
- Active Minds, an organization for young adult mental health advocacy and suicide prevention, has online resources to promote mental health, including virtual check-ins, chats, and live learning events
- Treat yourself to a virtual getaway from life's stressors! Visit over 30 museums, zoos, and theme parks from the comfort of your home. See Good Housekeeping's List of Virtual Tours