Reviewed by: John D. Moore, PhD
Stress is a hot topic today. It certainly comes up enough with our Chicago clients here at 2nd Story Counseling. That’s why many of the therapists here are always on the hunt for books that offer practical advice on coping with stress and general stress management.
Its topical popularity stems from the need to get a handle on this condition in an increasingly hectic world – and is becoming more and more digitally connected. And so what I like to tell clients is that dealing with stress – at least in a healthy way – requires new and creative ways for coping.
Recently, I had the pleasure of reviewing the book, Managing Stress by Brian Luke Seaward. If truth be told, part of the reason behind this review was because I needed a new text for a course I teach in health and wellness at the graduate level. The other reason, however, relates to the work I do as a counselor. And so after checking out this read in detail, I thought it might be kind of fun to do a blog post and share my impressions.
Seaward begins sharing with readers the inspiration for the book – which is now in its seventh edition. In plain speak, he explains to readers the very real need for concrete take-aways that people can relate to about the entire topic of stress and how it can affect a person on both the physical and psychological levels. He builds an extremely good foundation on the nature of stress and creates a link between the erosion of health and poor stress management.
Stress Coping Strategies
One of the best things about this book is how Seaward offers basic, down to earth insight on how to deal with stress. His coping strategies are sequential in nature and practical. For example, the author gives a step by step walk-through on how to engage in positive mental imagery and visualization. The healing aspects of creative visualization are discussed as well with exercises for readers to engage in.
He also successfully intertwines the concept of psycho-spiritualism with meditation and other forms of relaxation. Because spirituality is important to many people as part of their personal belief system, I found his ability to offer insight into this topic impressive – particularly various aspects of Jungian psychology.
Some of the more concrete approaches to stress management are also discussed in the book. Examples include effective approaches to journal writing and meaningful ways to better handle conditions like Generalized Anxiety Disorder.
Stress and Wellness
Because how we perceive stress is directly tied to our cognitive process, Seaward directly speaks to many of the common distortions that can take place when we are feeling super anxious or depressed.
He makes it a point in this book to approach wellness through the lens of mind body wellness and dedicates an entire chapter nutrition and stress. This is an area that many who write about stress often neglect.
Because I have personally experienced first-hand the benefits of physical activity (exercise) related to mood, I was extremely glad to see that the author focused several chapters to this topic.
One of the things our therapists try to encourage clients to do is to think of wellness on multiple levels and not just the emotional or psychological. Seaward “get it” on this front and communicates the benefits of human movement and health well!
Final Thoughts
I have to say that I really enjoyed reading this book and will certainly use it for teaching and counseling purposes. If I had to offer one criticism it is that the book is a little pricey at around $100.00. Managing Stress does contain a CD that offers lots of stress management tools; such as a guided meditation. And to be fair, I also need to say this book is usually used for college courses.
That being said … Managing Stress is completely appropriate for anyone who is interested in living a healthier life. You can probably get a used copy on the Amazon website or other places that sell books online. Depending upon your situation, the price-tag of the new version of the book might be well worth the investment.
It was only a few years ago that Chicago was named the third most stressful city in America. This makes sense when you consider the sheer number of people who live here, the treacherous winters and snarling traffic. This is why so many of the folks who come in for counseling are seeking guidance on how to best deal with the pressures of daily life here in Chicago.
The book, Managing Stress: Principles and Strategies for Well-Being by Brian Luke Seaward is one resource I will certainly recommend. Thank you for reading this post and I hope you found useful. Please Like 2nd Story Counseling on Facebook, Circle us on Google Plus and share on Twitter!
Review: 4.5/5 Stars