2008 Woodie Awards
Course offers valuable information on anxiety and stress
Sandra Bujalski, Matt Spillane, & Obuzua Ehikioya
Issue date: 2/8/07 Section: Health
- Page 1 of 1
Dealing with everyday stress can be difficult. Finding ways to cope with that anxiety can be even tougher. The Marist College Advisory Committee on Safety and Security has an answer for students and faculty.
Marist, in conjunction with the Dutchess County Critical Incident Response Team, is teaching a two-day course on stress management.
The course, "Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM): Group Crisis Intervention," will be held on February 23 and 24 at the Dutchess County Fire Training Center in Poughkeepsie. It costs $125, but is free for full-time Marist students and employees.
In addition to general stress management, the program will also focus on how to handle "critical incidents", such as the death or illness of a friend. This session will also concentrate on overcoming stress as a group, rather than as individuals.
Roberta Staples, the Director of Professional and Student Development/ Special Projects at Marist, is one of two instructors for the course. Paul Coiteux, the Director of the Dutchess County Critical Incident Response Team, is
the other. Both are approved by the International Critical Incident Stress Foundation to teach this course.
Staples said that the training can benefit everyone by teaching people how to suppress and overcome tension, using a variety of techniques, both physical and mental. "There are a lot of different tools in the toolbox", she said.
Breathing, relaxation, nutrition, and getting plenty of sleep can help lower people's heart rates and calm them down.
"Once you slow the body, the mind will follow," Staples said. She pointed to a familiar incident in which group stress management was critical.
A few years ago, Staples was awakened during the night after a student had died in her dorm room. Staples' knowledge of critical incident management and group intervention helped the students and faculty cope with the loss of the student.
Coping with a death is only one example of how CISM applies to real life situations. This is why, in addition to Marist students and faculty, others, such as firefighters, police officers, resident directors, security officers and EMTs will attend the class.
Meagan Ellsberry, Leo Hall RD, will be taking the class. She has already received training in the individual courses and now she would like to get the group training.
"I think it's important, being an RD, to have the training," she said. "You need someone to help with students in a crisis. It's something important
staying in higher education."
Spaces are limited, but students interested in attending the program may contact Staples. "It can't make stress go away, but it can help it," she said.
Marist, in conjunction with the Dutchess County Critical Incident Response Team, is teaching a two-day course on stress management.
The course, "Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM): Group Crisis Intervention," will be held on February 23 and 24 at the Dutchess County Fire Training Center in Poughkeepsie. It costs $125, but is free for full-time Marist students and employees.
In addition to general stress management, the program will also focus on how to handle "critical incidents", such as the death or illness of a friend. This session will also concentrate on overcoming stress as a group, rather than as individuals.
Roberta Staples, the Director of Professional and Student Development/ Special Projects at Marist, is one of two instructors for the course. Paul Coiteux, the Director of the Dutchess County Critical Incident Response Team, is
the other. Both are approved by the International Critical Incident Stress Foundation to teach this course.
Staples said that the training can benefit everyone by teaching people how to suppress and overcome tension, using a variety of techniques, both physical and mental. "There are a lot of different tools in the toolbox", she said.
Breathing, relaxation, nutrition, and getting plenty of sleep can help lower people's heart rates and calm them down.
"Once you slow the body, the mind will follow," Staples said. She pointed to a familiar incident in which group stress management was critical.
A few years ago, Staples was awakened during the night after a student had died in her dorm room. Staples' knowledge of critical incident management and group intervention helped the students and faculty cope with the loss of the student.
Coping with a death is only one example of how CISM applies to real life situations. This is why, in addition to Marist students and faculty, others, such as firefighters, police officers, resident directors, security officers and EMTs will attend the class.
Meagan Ellsberry, Leo Hall RD, will be taking the class. She has already received training in the individual courses and now she would like to get the group training.
"I think it's important, being an RD, to have the training," she said. "You need someone to help with students in a crisis. It's something important
staying in higher education."
Spaces are limited, but students interested in attending the program may contact Staples. "It can't make stress go away, but it can help it," she said.
Viewing Comments 1 - 1 of 1
John
posted 2/09/07 @ 6:41 PM EST
The American Institute of Stress and The Centers For Disease Control have both reported that up to 90% of all illnesses are due to stress. For many years I experienced several life threatening illnesses. (Continued…)
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