Any body been on the stress pack course?

I'll be on it, in a week or so. Anybody know anything about it?

stu

[Pal]

No but sounds interesting. Do tell more?

Supposidly its run by sheffield university for the nhs. It seems they are doing a study into anxious thinking. it lasts for 4 weeks with 2 hours session. its speciffically aimed at anxiety nothing else. I will be starting it on the 3rd of may.

stu

[clawhammer.]

I did the Stresspac course about four years ago.

Most of the course teaches methods drawn from cognitive behaviour therapy, although a section about ***8220;musts and shoulds***8221; is based on rational emotive therapy, and other sections teach distraction techniques, diaphragmatic breathing, progressive muscular relaxation and adopting a healthy lifestyle ***8211; a good diet, regular exercise, plenty of sleep, etc. You***8217;re also given a relaxation tape that teaches deep relaxation and rapid relaxation.

Instead of the boring thought records you normally do in CBT, you get to take your anxious thoughts to ***8216;court***8217; on the charge that they***8217;re ***8220;causing distress by deception!***8221; (Trust me, this is less boring than thought records, even though it's really the same thing). You***8217;re then supposed to provide evidence for both the ***8216;defence***8217; and ***8216;prosecution***8217; of your anxious thoughts before playing the Judge and passing a verdict on the thought in question ***8211; in other words, you***8217;re supposed to come up with an alternative balanced thought.

It***8217;s a good course that combines various techniques and strategies to deal with stress, and can be applied to social anxiety, but like any such course, it***8217;ll only help if you practice the techniques long after the course has ended. That***8217;s the really difficult bit.

Hope this helps.