Every Wednesday the Wellness Center at Hudson Valley Community College will be posting Words of Wellness. Words of Wellness are resources for students to access and utilize to improve and maintain their overall wellness.
While the Wellness Center’s Counseling Services are available Monday – Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. for counseling, consultation, and referral needs, we wanted to share additional resources that may be beneficial during this time.
As our semester is coming to an end, the Wellness Center wanted to share resources on how to manage stress and engage in self-care activities during finals. It is important that during this increasingly stressful time you are taking measures to care for yourself for both your physical and mental health. We hope that you find these activities enjoyable and stress relieving. We want to wish you the best of luck during these last weeks of the semester!
For this Wednesday, May 6, the following resources focus on information on stress management and time management skills as well as links for interactive self-care activities:
Stress Management Tips from Therapist Aid
The Stress Management Tips worksheet presents a number of valuable and easy-to-follow tips for dealing with stress. These tips encourage a healthy mindset about stress, the maintenance of a healthy lifestyle, and they encourage the use of several valuable coping skills.
Time Management Tips from Therapist Aid
Effective time management skills can have significant effects on the reduction of stress. In some cases, skills like these make all the difference. Take a look at the tips listed in this handout to develop ways to effectively manage your coursework for the last few weeks of the semester.
Self-Care Tips from Therapist Aid
Self-care means taking time to do things you enjoy, and taking care of yourself. When used consistently, self-care can reduce stress, relieve uncomfortable emotions, and improve physical health.
Deep Breathing Exercise from Therapist Aid
Deep breathing is a simple exercise that can be used to manage stress and anxiety. Use this video to help teach, and then practice, how to use the technique. Without practice, most relaxation skills will be of little help in a truly anxiety-producing situation. Establish a schedule for yourself to regularly practice deep breathing, in order to be able to effectively access this coping skill.
How to do Deep Breathing (3:45 min video)
Progressive Muscle Relaxation from Therapist Aid
Progressive muscle relaxation is a technique that will teach you to identify where tension is being held in your body, which will allow you to release it. The Progressive Muscle Relaxation Exercise video will walk you through each stage of this technique. Progressive muscle relaxation is the most effective when it’s used daily. The positive effects of relaxation aren’t only active while practicing — they can generalize to the rest of the day.
How to do Progressive Muscle Relaxation (6:30 min video
Mandalas from Therapist Aid
Sometimes we need to take a creative break from studying to let our minds relax and recuperate from preparing final projects and studying for final exams. Mandalas are traditionally used in many eastern spiritual traditions as a tool to aid meditation. In western culture, mandalas are often used as a form of stress relief, a tool for art therapy, and as a meditative exercise.
- https://www.therapistaid.com/worksheets/mandalas.pdf
- Mandalas not your thing? A quick google search for adult coloring pages in a category that is congruent with your creative style and interests will return endless opportunities for a creative, meditative, stress-relieving enjoyment.
Colorful Coping Cues
Sometimes we needs reminders of how to cope with the stressors that we face in our lives. Print out this picture or make your own to keep in a spot where you get your daily dose of color and coping skills.
Self-Care BINGO
Who said BINGO couldn’t be an everyday thing?
Bring extra fun into self-care. Whether it be through everyday activities or challenging yourself to do something new or out of the ordinary, try to achieve a BINGO each day!
Wishing you safety and wellness!
All the best,
The Wellness Center
Published: Wed, 06 May 2020 12:05:25 +0000 by k.weeks