Certificate in Stress Management

Explore how stress affects your physical, emotional, and mental health. This course provides you with a deeper understanding of the many techniques and strategies used to effectively manage stress and create a healthier life.

6 Weeks / 14 Course Hrs

Starting May 14, 2025

Offered in partnership with your preferred school

New Jersey City University

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Learning method

Self-Guided

$99

No instructor. Study on your own schedule

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Instructor-Moderated

$99

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Starting May 14 | June 11

Details + Objectives

Course code: 0sm

Events, people, and circumstances fill our normal daily lives—along with a certain amount of stress. Stress can be positive or negative, depending on how we perceive the stressor and it impacts our physical, social, spiritual, and emotional health. Stress is also affected by the social and cultural context in which we live. However, with awareness, stress can be managed and reduced. Interventions such as nutritious food, physical activity, and social support along with modalities including journaling, massage, therapy, meditation, imagery, biofeedback, art and dance therapy, and time spent in nature can help us reduce the stress we experience and create a healthier life.

The outcome of this certificate is to for the learner to describe the physiological, social, and psychological aspects of stress; examine the relationship between stress and health, nutrition, and physical activity; identify causes and health effects of workplace stress; and explore modalities to reduce and manage stress.

(14 contact hours)

Expiration Date (Next date of course revision): 03/30/2025

No one in a position to control content has conflicts of interests or relevant financial relationships to declare for this activity.

Accreditation refers to recognition of continuing nursing education only and does not imply ALLEGRA approval or endorsement of any commercial product.

Accreditation:

American Nurses Credentialing Center

ALLEGRA Learning Solutions, LLC is accredited as a provider of nursing continuing professional development by the American Nurses Credentialing Center's Commission on Accreditation.

ALLEGRA Learning Solutions, LLC is accredited with distinction as a provider of nursing continuing professional development by the American Nurses Credentialing Center's Commission on Accreditation.

ALLEGRA Learning Solutions courses are acceptable for continuing education in all states.

American Board of Managed Care Nursing

The American Board of Managed Care Nursing recognizes all of ALLEGRA Learning Solutions' ANCC accredited courses for continuing education credit for Certified Managed Care Nurses (CMCNs).

National Association of Alcohol and Drug Abuse Counselors

ALLEGRA Learning Solutions is an approved provider with the National Association of Alcohol and Drug Abuse Counselors (NAADAC) (Provider #107194).

National Certification Board for Diabetes Educators

ALLEGRA Learning Solutions, LLC is accredited as a provider of continuing nursing education by the American Nurses Credentialing Center's Commission on Accreditation. To satisfy the requirement for renewal of certification by continuing education for the National Certification Board for Diabetes Educators (NCBDE), continuing education activities must be applicable to diabetes and approved by a provider on the NCBDE List of Recognized Providers (www.ncbde.org). NCBDE does not approve continuing education.

National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage & Bodywork

ALLEGRA Learning Solutions, LLC is approved by the National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage & Bodywork (NCBTMB) as a continuing education Approved Provider (Provider Number 451562-11).

What you will learn

Describe the social context of stress
Discuss the effects of psychological stress
Examine the relationship between stress and health
Describe the aspects of nutrition that support a healthy immune system
Describe the benefits of physical activity in reducing stress
Identify causes and health effects of workplace stress
Explore journaling as a stress reduction modality
Identify techniques and therapies to reduce and manage stress

How you will benefit

Learn about the physiology, psychology, and social context of stress
Explore the effects of stress on health and well-being
Learn the role nutrition, physical activity, and journaling play in stress management
Examine a wide variety of stress reduction techniques and therapies
Discover ways to improve your total health and well-being and positively impact your life and the life of your family
Learn new information that can help you prepare for a career in many areas of health (including health education, public health, nursing, medicine, social work, environmental health, or health coaching) as well as other fields (such as law, political science, advocacy, etc.)
Build knowledge and competencies needed to advance your career and/or improve your personal health and well-being
Fulfill continuing education and/or national certification requirements

How the course is taught

Instructor-Moderated or Self-Guided online course
6 Weeks or 3 Months access
14 course hours

Outline

Stress is at epidemic levels in the world today. Currently, as many as 90% of all visits to health-care providers in the United States are considered to be stress-related. Stress affects every aspect of the body, mind, and spirit, resulting in a wide range of symptoms from headaches or stomach ailments to heart disease or death. Stress is difficult to define because it varies from individual to individual. What one person finds stressful might not bother another person at all. There are many types of stress, and each can result in many different physiological effects on the body.

The outcome of this course is for the learner to provide an overview of the physiology of stress, the body's responses to stress, and how stress affects the central nervous, endocrine, and immune systems.

A strong social support network is important during difficult times. A social support network consists of friends, family, and peers. Developing and maintaining supportive relationships provides feelings of belonging, self-worth, and security. Without a strong social support network, individuals can experience a sense of isolation, disconnection, and stress. Despite their initial impression of fostering connectedness, technology and social networking often increase a person's feelings of isolation because relationships established online may not be deep and real. In addition, incivility and a lack of regular contact with nature also increase stress.

The outcome of this course is for the learner to provide an overview of the social context of stress, describe the impact of social support on health, identify the stressful effects of incivility, discuss how lack of contact with nature affects stress levels, and explain the stressful effects of technology, social networking, and multitasking.

Events, people, and circumstances fill our normal daily lives along with a certain amount of stress. Some of us experience psychological effects from this stress, while others seem to be unaffected or even thrive when challenged. Why do we react differently to stressors? Despite much research on the topic, the answer is not clearly understood, but key elements include personality, emotional intelligence, and gender.

The outcome of this course is for the learner to describe stress and personality types; discuss stress appraisal, coping, and emotion; identify the elements of emotional intelligence; describe gender difference in exposure to stressors; and identify strategies for reducing psychological stress.

Stress can dramatically affect the body and the mind to the detriment of physical and psychological health. Both acute and chronic stress, the timing and duration of stress, gender, and genetics play a role in the complex relationship between stress and health.

The outcome of this course is for the learner to examine the relationship between stress and health; describe the role of stress in the development of cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, drug use, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, irritable bowel syndrome, asthma, sleep disorders, and eating disorders.

Most individuals enjoy sitting down and eating a delicious meal. Food provides an opportunity to socialize and, if the food is nutritious, it also supports a healthy body and mind. However, when individuals are stressed, they are not able to utilize the nutrients they eat as effectively as when they are relaxed. If stress causes an individual to eat food that is not nutritious, health issues can result. Nutrition, stress, and the immune system are closely related.

The outcome of this course is for the learner to describe the relationship between nutrition, stress, and the immune system.

Physical activity is essential in a program for stress management and overall health. This can include activities such as walking, running, swimming, cycling, skiing, dancing, gardening, yoga, Qigong, Tai Chi Chuan, weight lifting, stretching, as well as many other practices. These activities provide an integrative, holistic, healthy way to connect mind, body, and spirit, which improve physical, mental, and emotional health.

The outcome of this course is for the learner to examine the types of physical activity, the physiological benefits of physical activity, and how various types of exercise can help manage stress and improve health and well-being.

For most Americans, the workplace is ever changing and a major source of daily stress. As a result, the economic and personal health effects of workplace stress are at epidemic levels, making it one of the most important health challenges of the 21st century.

The outcome of this course is for the learner to describe the extent of workplace stress; compare and contrast job stress and job burnout; identify the causes of job stress; discuss the extent of workplace violence and horizontal violence; identify health effects of workplace stress; and list ways to reduce job stress.

Writing has been an important part of the human experience for centuries but has only recently been recognized as a therapeutic tool for healing. Used to document personal and historical events, describe emotions and feelings, reduce stress, and explore creativity, journaling allows individuals to develop a deeply personal relationship with themselves.

The outcome of the course is for the learner to provide an overview of the healing aspects of journaling, including the use of journaling as a stress-reduction tool, describing how journaling is used for health and healing, and explain guidelines and tips for successful journal writing.

You may think you don't have a lot of control over the stress in your life, but you have more control than you might think. There are many ways to manage and reduce stress by using stress-relieving techniques and therapies. Exploring and experimenting with these techniques can provide you with many powerful tools to help you re-examine the way you respond to stress and empower you to more effectively manage the stress you have.

The outcome of this course is for the learner to provide an overview of the techniques and therapies to reduce and manage stress, which include self-awareness, cognitive restructuring, sound healing and music therapy, meditation, nature, imagery, biofeedback, art, and dance.

Instructors & Support

Cyndie Koopsen

Cyndie Koopsen, RN, BSN, MBA, HNB-BC, RN-BC, HWNC-BC is a nurse who has cared for patients in acute care settings, community clinics, and the home. Her professional nursing career has involved nursing executive leadership and administration, accreditation consultation, staff development and education, community education and wellness, and holistic care. She has designed, developed, and presented numerous educational programs for audiences covering integrative health, promotion and wellness, and chronic disease management and prevention. She is the co-author (with Caroline Young) of two health care textbooks. She is the co-CEO and co-founder of ALLEGRA Learning Solutions, LLC and has designed and developed over 300 online professional continuing education courses.

Caroline Young

Caroline Young, M.P.H., has an extensive public health background that includes experience in research, workshop presentations in various areas of health care, and online and onsite teaching. She has expertise in holistic community health and wellness program design, development, marketing, implementation, and evaluation. She has also designed, developed, and presented integrative health programs for culturally diverse populations, senior populations, and faith communities. She is the co-author (with Cyndie Koopsen) of two health care textbooks. She is the co-CEO and co-founder of ALLEGRA Learning Solutions, LLC and has designed and developed over 300 online professional continuing education courses.

Instructor Interaction: The instructor looks forward to interacting with learners in the online moderated discussion area to share their expertise and answer any questions you may have on the course content.

Requirements

Prerequisites:

There are no prerequisites to take this course.

Requirements:

Hardware Requirements:

This course can be taken on either a PC, Mac, or Chromebook.

Software Requirements:

PC: Windows 8 or later.
Mac: macOS 10.6 or later.
Browser: The latest version of Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox are preferred. Microsoft Edge and Safari are also compatible.
Adobe Acrobat Reader.
Software must be installed and fully operational before the course begins.

Other:

Email capabilities and access to a personal email account.

Instructional Material Requirements:

The instructional materials required for this course are included in enrollment and will be available online.

Completion Requirements:

You must complete all lessons to receive your certificate. You must pass the final exam in all lessons with a score of 80% or higher AND complete the Evaluation Form in order to receive your Certificate of Completion. Finals are graded as Pass or No Pass. Receipt of your certificate indicates successful completion of the course and that you have passed all final exams with a score of 80% or greater. You may retake final exams as many times as necessary within the duration of the course at no additional charge.

FAQ

Instructor-Moderated: A new session of each course begins each month. Please refer to the session start dates for scheduling.

Each lesson will finish with a final exam that must be passed with a score of 80% or higher. You can retake each Exam as many times as needed to pass within the duration of your course access. There are no quizzes or a cumulative final exam.

Instructor-Moderated: Once a course session starts, two lessons will be released each week for the 6 week duration of your course. You will have access to all previously released lessons until the course ends. You will interact with the instructor through the online discussion area. There are no live sessions or online meetings with the instructor.

Self-Guided: You have 3 months of access to the course. After enrolling, you can learn and complete the course at your own pace, within the allotted access period. You will have the opportunity to interact with other students in the online discussion area.

You can complete each lesson at your own pace. There is no time limit to complete each lesson, other than completing all lessons within your course access period. You must complete the mandatory course evaluation within the duration of your course to access your certificate of completion.

Instructor-Moderated: Students enrolled in a six-week online class benefit from a one-time, 10-day extension for each course. No further extensions can be provided beyond these 10 days.

Self-Guided: Because this course is self-guided, no extensions will be granted after the start of your enrollment.

Yes. This course is acceptable for continuing education contact hours in all states. However, all healthcare providers are responsible for checking the "Accreditation" list to determine if this course awards contact hours for their profession.

Yes. ALLEGRA Learning Solutions, LLC is accredited as a provider of nursing continuing professional development by the American Nurses Credentialing Center's Commission on Accreditation.

NURSING

ALLEGRA Learning Solutions, LLC is accredited with distinction as a provider of nursing continuing professional development by the American Nurses Credentialing Center's Commission on Accreditation.

ALLEGRA Learning Solutions courses are acceptable for continuing education in all states.

Provider approved by the California Board of Registered Nursing, Provider #CEP 14693, for the stated number of contact hours.

CERTIFIED NURSING ASSISTANTS (CNAs) & CERTIFIED HEMODIALYSIS TECHNICIANS (CHTs)

The California Department of Health, Aid, and Technician Certification Section accepts continuing education offered by CA-BRN approved providers.

CERTIFIED MANAGED CARE NURSE (CMCN)

The American Board of Managed Care Nursing recognizes all of ALLEGRA Learning Solutions' ANCC accredited courses for continuing education credit for Certified Managed Care Nurses (CMCNs).

DIABETES EDUCATORS

ALLEGRA Learning Solutions, LLC is accredited as a provider of continuing nursing education by the American Nurses Credentialing Center's Commission on Accreditation. To satisfy the requirement for renewal of certification by continuing education for the National Certification Board for Diabetes Educators (NCBDE), continuing education activities must be applicable to diabetes and approved by a provider on the NCBDE List of Recognized Providers (www.ncbde.org). NCBDE does not approve continuing education.

NAADAC (National Association for Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Counselors)

ALLEGRA Learning Solutions is an approved provider with the National Association of Alcohol and Drug Abuse Counselors (NAADAC) (Provider #107194).

NCBTMB

ALLEGRA Learning Solutions, LLC is approved by the National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage & Bodywork (NCBTMB) as a continuing education Approved Provider. (Provider Number 451562-11)

Reviews

I am looking forward to using all the stress relief methods in this course to help me increase resilience to work-related stress. I believe it will help me have a more positive attitude especially when the pressure and stress levels are high and improve the quality of my nursing care.

I have acquired more knowledge of the physical components of stress and will apply it in the coaching of my clients in their quest to manage their stress better.

Just having a better understanding of how stress can influence all parts of a person's life will help me to have better interactions with fellow employees and students that I work with.

As a volunteer in a Senior Assisted Community, the course content will provide me with additional tools to use in handling interpersonal verbal attacks amongst the clients.

I know that I need to make changes in my life to reduce stress. The course further brought home the connection between stress and disease, both physical and mental. This course gave me new insights into different avenues to explore and in some cases continue to explore. It is interesting to note that it was this course that helped me make the connection to some of the things I do directly to a form of stress management technique. Who knew? More specifically, I want to explore journaling. I've been doing additional reading on 'morning pages'. I also want to explore the connection between my learning style (writing notes to solidify concepts) with that of writing to release the stress.

I took this course mainly for myself. Not for the care of a patient or for a profession. I personally wanted to have a more detailed knowledge of how stress and the body function together. Everyone knows too much stress is bad for a person inside and out, but I was looking for a more detailed knowledge of it and I got it. I also wanted to know ways to remove stress from my own person and I found that as well. There was quite a bit I didn't know about stress and the effects it has but now I do. Me personally, I will (and have already) be slowing down and enjoying life. Not worry about things I can’t change at the moment. I will also be picking up my journal and writing again and doing some of the things such as dancing that I used to do. This made me think about past places in my life where stress was present, it just wasn't physically harming me the way it has recently.

I now have additional techniques to use as a Stress Management Health and Wellness Coach. Great course, and thank you.

It gave me new sources of information on the practice of stress management and I am better able to suggest or use different modalities with my clients.

This was a great course and I really enjoyed taking it. The instructors were knowledgeable and provided a lot of references for future study and information. Thank you for a job well done.

This was an excellent course with current information. Thank you.