Psychology

Research Question What are effective clinical interventions families can use when dealing with stress
Research Theme 1 Family therapy influences recovery process.

It has been noted that family therapy influences the clinical interventions of stress. Rehabilitation professionals have noted that stress among family members is has long-term adverse effects to all family members. These family members play a critical role in recovery process. According to reports from various researches, there is a relationship between the well-being of a caregiver and the individual suffering stress. (McKenry  Price, 2005).

Family stress occurs when the environmental demands exceeds the resources of an individual or the resources of the collective family. This disturbs the family system. Reports from many researches show that stress is a normal part of the family. As the family grows and develops, positive and negative changes occurs causing family stress. The clinical intervention of stress involves the ability of the family to adapt or mange the stress or the ability of the family to cope with the stress with regard to resources. (Boss, 2002).
 
Based on the arguments made by Copper and Derwe (2004), stress has a negative impact on peoples life either in the family or at work. It affects individuals psychological well-being and physical health.  The effects and cost of the stress on the affected individual affects the victim of the stress as well, as the family and community in which the individual lives.

Families can seek partnership with the critical incident stress debriefing (CSID) for effective treatment and prevention of stress. This partnership should be directed towards resilience. The partnership should take a salutogenic approach and healing factors that enhance recovery. The family should provide social support, structure, safety facilitate sense of coherence, group cohesion, teaching skills and strategies that enhance recovery from stress and resilience. (Antonovsky, 1991).

Research Theme 2 Philippians ABC-X model
Families can use the Philippians ABC-X model as a therapy for stress. The model gives multiple illustrations necessary for therapeutic framework. It gives structures which can used to identify the event causing stress, to explore resources that are likely to help the stressed individual to cope with the stress (such as social, psychological, material and spirituals), to evaluate meaning of the meaning of the family to the stressing event and to the resources. The model helps therapists and educators to conceptualize how environment and family characteristics interacts to explain the unique ways in which families respond to the challenging events.

When using this model for therapeutic purpose, the family handling the stressed individual should introduce the concepts involved in the model to the person being counseled. The counseling family should tell the stressed individual that many people have used the book of Philippines to successful handle stress. This model enhances multiple therapeutic approaches of stress.  The model creates a foundation from which, families can analyze the need for classification and assess the type of the stressing event. This is the first step in intervention of when dealing with. Families dealing with stress should review the family characteristics and family processes. In most cases, this is identified as beneficial resources required in managing stress.  The Philippians ABC-X model is a family companion when dealing with stress as it helps families in identification of these beneficial resources. (Madden-Derdich  Herzog, 2005, pp. 403- 404). Through this model families can view the problem from different perspective in order to encourage more productive and proactive behavior to the stressed individual. The family can also use the experience of the Philippines and Paul to normalize stressing events. This makes families to easily understand that problems are common and can be conquered.

Research Theme 3 Cognitive behavior therapy
Cognitive behavior therapy has proved to be effective in treating many problems. Statistics have proved its ability to change the chemistry of mind without involving medical anti-depressants. Testing thoughts and interpreting meaning changes and events reduces the way in which the stress is experienced. Besides treating stress, it treats substance abuse, personality, and anxiety among other disorders. The treatment is manualized with time-related treatment and belief driven by specific techniques. This therapy is effective in family as it has proved to be effective in both group settings and self therapy. In treating stress families need to be cognitive oriented. The first session of managing stress using the cognitive behavioral therapy should involve series of cognitive behavior tests. These are carried out to determine the external and internal stressors responsible for the excessive stress reaction. The tests help in differential diagnosis which in turn is used to draw up the problem that requires to be changed for the treatment to be successful. (Haddock, 1999, pp. 86).

Intervention to stress involves reducing symptoms such as loosing control, vulnerability, depression and anxiety. This is achieved through holistic programs for recuperation and relaxation training. A voice activated dictaphone is necessary. It tapes the sessions which the client can retrieve what was gained from the sessions while at home.  Coping techniques are equally useful. They include stress inoculation training, muscle relaxation, problem-solving techniques and mindfulness. The first session marks the continuous progress of the intervention. This treatment teaches the clients to meta-motivationally move the brain right and left. This in turn helps the client in learning on how to modulate response to events that triggers stress.

Through the therapy, clients become aware of the physical tension as a away of resisting stress. The perception of threat diminishes with advanced coping skills. The client acquires the preparedness for possible stress, and ways of coping with unexpected stressors.

Research Theme 4 emWave personal stress reliever
Since the innovation of emWave personal stress reliever (PSR) that was developed by HeartMath, field of psychotherapy has been using it as an effective tool in stress intervention. Its effectiveness has been proved by many peer reviewed research that have been carried out for more than seventeen years. The tool involves computer-based feedback devices that are placed on the clients palm. Besides reducing stress, the tool has proved to be convenient in emotional balance and mental clarity

Families can use this tool when dealing with stress.  Use of emWave helps in achievement of coherence which is characterized by increased harmo0ny and order in individuals physiological and psychological processes. Reports made from research show that when this state is activated, functioning of the physical system becomes more effective.  This increases the stability of the emotions increasing the individuals mental clarity and cognitive function. It is easy to use emWave. The client places the thumb on the sensor. Alternatively, the client can use ear sensor. The tool detects the pulse of the client, and then the breathing pacer of the emWave synchronizes the heart rhythms.  The client then follows the quick coherence techni9quesin the EmWave. The EmWave tool sustains coherence periods that rarely occur in people with stress. (HeartMath, 2010)

Research Theme 5 Coping with stress
Stress is associated with many health issues.  Inability to cope with stress compromises the immune systems of individuals with stress. The compromised immune system fails to protect the body against pathogens thus increasing the vulnerability of the individual to health issues.  Stress is known to contribute to severe health petroleum such as obesity and heart diseases. It is therefore important to use healthy ways when dealing with stress. Families should use stress coping strategies as clinical interventions when dealing with stress. This limits individuals from using unhealthy ways of handling stress. Many victims of stress end up engaging in unhealthy behavior as a way of handling stress. They end up getting complex stress-related disorders and issues. Victims of stress should avoid alcohol, cigarette and overeating among other unhealthy behaviors. Stress coping strategies involves identification of the possible source.  In this case, families should help individuals with stress to understand stress is a common thing that has always been there and it is likely to continue being part of individuals life. People should not make excuses as to why the stress occurred. (MacDonald et al. 1998, pp. 126).

Accepting the fact that stress is part of individuals day- to day life helps people to deal with the stress effectively. To manage the stress effectively, families should help the in development of stress journal. This helps in identification of the causes of stress in individuals lives, and evaluation of how these individuals feel when in stress.  With the knowledge of the possible sources of stress in individuals lives, people should avoid events, environment or topics that cause unnecessary stress in life. If the stressful environment or situation can not be avoided, then families should help individuals to alter the situation or environment.

Families should encourage individuals with stress to focus on the positives in cases where they can neither avoid nor alter the stressful situation. This involves individuals changing the ways in which they view the stressing event or environment. Individuals should accept things they can not alter or change as a way of reducing and preventing stress. Accepting things you can not change is a health and family issue so it requires families to help stressed individuals to accept such things in a healthier manner. In some cases the out come of some stress coping strategies is not immediate. When dealing with stress, families should encourage calmness and continuous use of these strategies as they require adequate time for them to be effective. In this process, individuals should keep off unhealthy ways of handling stress, and they should focus on one thing at a particular time. (Patterson, 2002, pp. 240).

Beyond positive attitude and taking charge, families can reduce stress through nurturing their lives. This involves creating time for relaxation and fun as it helps in handling inevitable stressors. Relaxation activities that have proved to reduce stress effectively include walking, taking long bath, playing with a pet, watching comedy, listening to music and working in the garden among others. Many people neglect self nurturing as they consider it as a luxury, but the reality is that nurturing yourself is necessity.

Strengthening physical health increases resistance to stress. This can be achieved by adapting a healthy lifestyle that involves regular exercise, enough sleep, eating healthy diets, reducing intake of sugar and caffeine and avoiding drugs, cigarette, and alcohol.