THE STRESS MANAGEMENT CENTER

The Stress Management Center of Campinas was the first facility opened in Brazil specifically designed to help individuals and groups:

• To recognize the symptoms of excessive stress;
• To detect external and internal events that trigger the stress response;
• To devise strategies for coping successfully with stress.

Stress is an important fact of life. Some of it is a part of daily life and cannot be avoided. Excessive stress, however, produces too much tension which may affect the individual in a number of ways, in his job, reducing his productivity, in his personal life and in his health.

The effects of exposure to excessive and prolonged stress range from losing interest in most areas of life and having difficulties to relating to others to experiencing anxiety, depression or acquiring a serious health problem such as ulcers, dermatological manifestations or coronary illnesses.

One can, however, learn how to utilize the stress response for his own benefit by making use of the energy it generates, while controlling its negative aspects.

The Stress Management Center provides courses, workshops, group sessions, individual counseling as well as sessions tailored to the needs of organizations or companies.

The courses can be in the form of intensive, two day-long workshops or can consist of series of spaced sessions at the Center or at the sponsoring organization's facilities. Sessions can be conducted in either English or Portuguese, depending on the desire of the client.

The Center is headed by Dr. Marilda Emmanuel Novaes Lipp, a research-professor at the Catholic University of Campinas (PUCC). Dr. Lipp holds a Ph.D. in Psychology from George Washington, D.C. and has had a number of years of experience in this field both in Brazil and in the United States. She is the author/co-author of 10 books and more than 100 articles on stress.

The stress management program offered at the Center is designed for Management Executives, Administrators, Businessmen and their executive assistants, individuals who face stressful situations daily. It is also recommended, however, for anyone who faces excessive pressure in his business or personal life as a preventive measure.

Example of the many projects we implement in the area of stress management/quality of life:

A wellness promotion and stress management project: "Action and reflection in health and quality of life"

Key Concepts:

Stress is an unavoidable fact of modern life. All that brings about change will also demand an adaptation response from the organism, which could result, when excessive or when it stays unbridled, in great many health problems and decreases in productivity and in wellness. However, those who learn how to manage stress and acquire a healthier repertoire of coping strategies can, and very often do, turn the stress into a friend that strengthens the person for the next encounter.

When stress is handled poorly it becomes an enemy which can cause diseases like hypertension, ulcers, anxiety, depression, skin diseases, the feeling of continuous exhaustion and irritability. For the organizations, stress can reduce productivity and raise medical costs.

The "Action and Reflection in Health and Quality of Life Project" is based on behavioral principles and aims at the modifications of inappropriate habits in the health area. It has for main objective to promote preventive measures in order to promote a better quality of life for employees. No doubt information-based campaigns are important to promote wellness, however they are not enough because many times they fail to motivate the workers to want to change.

This project emphasizes motivation techniques that lead the employee to think, to meditate and to develop responsibility for his own well being. It uses a very participate approach, with feedback provided by peers for daily use of stress reduction techniques. It involves from high level to factory level employees and makes it possible for all to understand the interaction of occupational and personal factors in the development of the stress response.

The project includes several units, as follows:

• Unit 1 - Informative seminar using an experiential approach that actively involves the participants in the learning process. It has for object to motivate the employees to participate in the rest of the project.
• Unit 2 - Evaluation of quality of life status, stress level and occupational stressors. This will be done by the use of the Lipp Kit which includes a Stress Symptom Inventory, and Quality of Life Inventory and a checklist of job stressors. These tests have been used in several companies to assess stress e quality of life. A hand out will be given to each participant on stress management suggestions.
• Unit 3 - Test correction, tabulation and reports with recommendations.
  • Feedback for each employee: We will correct, evaluate the results and write a one page report to be given to each person evaluated on his tests results including recommendations on how to improve.
  • General Report to the contracting company: A report will be written on the profile of the group evaluated on three variables: stress level, quality of life status and occupational stressors . The report will include tables, graphs, and statistical analysis on how the company is at this time on stress and quality of life. Recommendations based on clinical observed data will also be included that can be used in planning the continuation of wellness promotion measures.
• Unit 4 - A) Stress management training for the employees that are stressed and who accept to participate. This training will be conducted during a 15-week period, in groups of up to 10 people, for the duration of 1 hour and 40 minute once a week. This training was described in Dr.Marilda Lipp's book "Pesquisas sobre stress no Brasil" It makes use of cognitive behavioral principles and includes recommendations on physical exercise, relaxation, nutritional aspects and psychological strategies to deal with stress. A psychologist lead the group, and the nutritionist will have a session with the group.
  B) Stress management training for managers and directors. Regardless of the test results it is recommended that the company leaders receive stress management training as a preventive measure.
• Unit 5 - Maintenance and continuity of the wellness promotion process on a daily basis.

In order to ensure that the participants continue to used the strategies utilized, it is recommended:

1) To install the "Stress Symptom Inventory" in the computers;

This test can be placed in the computers of the company to be assessed anonymously by the employees when they feel the need. The programs are able to give recommendations based on the items selected. It also enables the company to print periodically a report on the stress level of the employees who used it during the period without revealing the names. The new version is prepared for the year 2000.

2) To install the "Stress Reduction Line";

It is a tape containing a relaxation message, which can be installed in the telephone system to be reached whenever the employees feel, stressed out. It takes 3 minutes and offers the opportunity to relax a little.

3) To install a "Unwind Relaxation Room".

Modern research shows that when people have the chance to relax or even to take a 5-minute nap during stressful days production rises and the feeling of wellbeing is perceived. The unwind relaxation room has for objective to allow the user a few minutes of relaxation to get more energy and motivation for the rest of the day.

We can advise the company on how to set up a room equipped with relaxation chairs, foot and back massage equipments, vibrating pillows, music, CD's, colors and sounds to induce a quick relaxation and a good break. We will also train the users on how to use it properly.

Note: The units can be contracted separately if desired.

Staff from the CPCS responsible for the Project:

Director:

Marilda Novaes Lipp,Ph.D.

Dr. Marilda Novaes Lipp was the founder of the Centro Psicológico de Controle do Stress. She is a college-researcher professor at the Catholic University of Campinas. A Brazilian national she lived in the USA for 16 years. She holds a Ph.D in Psychology from George Washington University and received postdoctoral training at the National Institute of Health. She has advised 34 theses on stress topics and has written 10 books and several articles. She is a speaker in the field and a pioneer in the movement of stress management and wellness promotion in Brazil. She adds the whole person perspective to all her work with groups.

Staff members:

The Centro Psicológico de Controle do Stress (CPCS) is staffed by high level psychologists and a nutritionist. They hold at least a Master level degree and have extensive experience in stress management and wellness promotion projects. They represent the CPCS as consultants in several companies, give lectures, conduct workshops and conduct clinical work.