Attempts to identify the root causes of individual stress have been made for centuries. The result has been the development of a myriad of approaches and explanations as to the cause of stress by psychologists, educators, researchers, and self-help authors. Each approach carries a degree of validity in the context that individuals experience…

ASSIST is a self-help program for spouses whose partners are employed in stressful occupations. Describes ASSIST from a practitioner's viewpoint, discusses emergent issues among spouses, and suggests using ASSIST as a helping resource. (Author)

Examines self-help groups for Vietnam veterans, the reasons for their effectiveness, typical group processes, and issues for counselors who work with these groups. (Author)

Counselor burn-out is characterized by feelings of frustration, rigidity, omnipotence, and the like. Reality therapy uses systematic plans to increase love, worth, fun, and self-discipline to deal effectively with burn-out. (Author)

Offers some insight and understanding of the stress-producing components of counseling practice. Discusses some of the physical symptoms of burnout and examines why the syndrome is prevalent in the human services. Proposes the development of mutual aid groups as one solution to prevent or minimize burnout. (Author/RC)

Summarizes data showing the detrimental effects to the health of the elderly that are associated with diminution of supportive interpersonal ties. Describes six programs that illustrate the range of diversity of tasks involved in the provision of supportive associations for the elderly. (Author/GC)

Burnout occurs when teachers are exposed to chronic stress without sufficient compensatory relaxation. Symptoms of burnout include physical, emotional, and attitudinal difficulties. Coping strategies for teachers include self-help groups and professional counseling. (JN)

This document addresses the problem faced by stress management programs in their attempts to increase self-awareness of stress response patterns and sources of stress. Drawbacks to the techniques of daily diaries and stress logs are noted and the use of computer-analyzed stress episode cards as a self-awareness feedback technique is explained. The…

A 5-week, 12-hour course given to the community emphasized understanding and coping with stress. At the beginning of the course several inventories were administered to the students, who also completed the instruments in a follow-up procedure 10-12 weeks after the end of the seminar. The course focused on recognition of stress signals and the…

The development of a program of self-help support groups for teachers experiencing stress in Chicago public schools is described. These support groups attempted to alleviate stress-related illness by reducing teacher isolation and by enabling teachers to help each other cope with problems and fears. The support groups were led by teachers who…