Testing some stress management techniques

Try the techniques below and see whether it suits you.

Self-relieving techniques

 

1.       Meditation

Spend some time to meditate and relax click on the link available to your language and follow the guided meditation.

In English: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=86m4RC_ADEY

In Greek: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J_xJ2LqoQoU

In German: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-O6lfk0beWc

In Spanish: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ua6mkxO9GxQ

In Danish: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qBLB1cWcSUg

In Icelandic: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=djDihpYlSrM

 

2.       Mandala

Mandalas can be a great technique to relieve your stress. It is a relaxing repetition activity that can act a meditation session only by spending a few minutes colouring every day. It can help you let go by focusing on colouring a pattern and the calming symmetry. You can print a mandala and get your colouring pencils or find a mandala pattern online and colour it online. Below you will find some mandala to print or colour online. Spend 10 minutes in your day to work on your mandala.

Online mandala

https://www.mombooks.com/dp-online-activity/mandala-colouring/?imprint=1

https://www.mombooks.com/mom/online-activities/

Printed mandala

http://www.supercoloring.com/collections/coloring-pages-for-adults

 

Group-relieving techniques

 

1.       Stress for Success group activity

IMPLEMENTATION: Ask participants to stand and form circles of about five to eight people. Give each group one stress ball to begin. Have the first person throw a ball to someone else and remember who they threw it to since they will be asked to remember and continue the same pattern. If there is only one group, you can be part of the group, but if there is more than one, make sure you are not in the mix, since you will need to move around between groups. Each person throws the ball to someone who has not yet had the ball. The last person sends it back to the original person who “keeps the ball rolling” a little faster then next time. (Do not have them throw to the same person twice until all members have gotten it first.) Once they have the pattern down, introduce another ball—then another and then another. Balls drop, roll, etc., but urge them to pick them up and continue. With five or six balls going at a time, it becomes quite a circus with a lot of laughing!

PROCESSING: After about five minutes, have everyone sit down and identify what they can learn from the activity (besides it being hard to keep all the balls in the air!). What did they learn they had to do to be successful? How many thought of what they would eat for dinner, etc.? This is a great lesson on mindfulness, as people are totally in the present, and thus would be an ideal activity for DBT groups when addressing the subject of mindfulness. Point out that life is like the activity—we all juggle many things at one time, and if we are not focused, things get dropped! If we focus too much on the past or present, the stress balls will pound and bombard us if we are not alert. Note: You can order stress balls through many vendors on the internet by putting in the keyword “stress balls.” (They are foam bouncing balls that are soft and will not cause injury.)

 

2.       Laugh together

IMPLEMENTATION: You can all together spend some time watching a funny video, memes and have a jokes session where the group will crack some jokes or stories so everyone to laugh and relieve stress.

Bring something in for your group that always makes people chuckle. A tale, a snapshot, a joke, a meme, or a favorite video could all be examples. Allow each participant to share their tale or object with the rest of the group. Allow each member's laughing to benefit the group.

A suggestion for a funny video

 Laughing Bride: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y37Z8yhyDng