1. Taking Care of You
Body Mind Spirit
By Molly Vetter-Smith & Linda Rellergert

3. Setting your
stuff aside

4. All is well…..

7. B-R-E-A-T-H-E
1, 2, 3…

8. Relationship between
Stress & Lifestyle Behaviors

9. Program Goals
Improve participants’….
1) ability to manage their
stress (life challenges)
2) health behaviors--including
all dimensions: physical,
mental, social, & spiritual

10. Iceberg of Health
You
at this
moment
Environment
Physical Health Culture
Mental Social
Health Health
Spirit Health
Adapted from Wellness Workbook by John Travis & Regina Sara Ryan

11. Background of Program
• Mindfulness concepts and strategies from…
– Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR)
program—Full Catastrophe Living by Kabat-Zinn
• Positive psychology concepts and strategies from….
– How of Happiness by Lyubormisky
– Happiness and Health by Foster, Hicks & Seda
• Wellness concepts from:
– Wellness Workbook by Travis & Ryan
– Bill Hettler’s Six Dimensions of wellness
– Seeking Your Healthy Balance by Tubesing & Tubesing
• Experience from…working with rural audiences
through Extension

12. Adaptations to MBSR
– Modified terminology
– Shorter class sessions
– Very short amount of time doing “meditation”
exercises
– Emphasized very practical strategies easily
incorporated into everyday life
– Integrated many positive psychology strategies
– Added wellness concepts

13. Program Format
• 8 weekly sessions
• One–hour sessions
• Experiential in nature
– Participants try out strategies
• Discussion time
• Mini-lectures with visuals

14. Pilot Program
Evaluation
• 7 Regional Extension
Specialists
• 18 classes taught over 1 yr
• 222 program completers
• 83% completion rate!!

15. Demographics of Pilot
Program Participants
• Gender: 88% female
• Age:
– 60% age 45-64
– 30% aged 25-45
• Ethnicity: 94% Caucasian
• Education: 86% at least some college

16. Pilot Program Evaluation
• Collected data:
• Pre-program
• Post-program
• 3 months following program
• Comparison group= exercise program
• Surveys used:
• Perceived stress levels (PSS by Cohen)
• Health Promoting Lifestyle behaviors (HPLP II
by Walker)

17. Health Promoting Lifestyle
Profile II
• Nutrition
• Physical activity
• Stress management
• Spiritual growth
• Health responsibility
• Social health

18. Stress Levels

19. Health Promoting Lifestyle Behaviors

20. Nutrition Behaviors

21. Physical Activity Behaviors

22. Health Responsibility Behaviors

23. Spiritual Health Thoughts & Behaviors

24. Stress Management Behaviors

25. Summary of Research
Results
• Taking Care of You participants significantly
improved:
– Stress Levels
– Nutrition behaviors
– Health responsibility behaviors
– Spiritual health thoughts and behaviors
– Stress management behaviors
Physical activity behaviors…

26. Key Program
Concepts & Strategies

28. Triangle of Awareness
Body Sensations
Thoughts Feelings
Adapted from (1) Full Catastrophe Living by Kabat-Zinn. (2) Mindfulness-Based
Cognitive Therapy for Depression by Segal, Williams & Teasdale.

29. Group Sharing
How does stress affect you?
-Body sensations?
Thoughts?
Feelings/emotions?

30. Respond
versus
React

31. Responding versus Reacting
External Stressors

YOU
React  Respond
Fight, Flight or Freeze Awareness
Internal
Stressors
Stress Reaction Stress Response
hhhh hh
Stress hormones Slight response in
blood pressure stress hormones
pulse rate
 digestion
Adapted from Full Catastrophe Living by Kabat-Zinn

32. Reacting versus Responding
Negative Ways of Coping: Positive Ways of Coping:
Overworking Overeating Seeing opportunities in life’s challenges
Alcohol Intake, Smoking Nurturing yourself/self-care
Denial Caffeine Physical movement
Problem solving
Monkey mind
Sleep problems
Zoning out with computer, TV
Improved Health & Well-being:
Breakdown: Lessen risk of health problems
Health problems Quicker recovery from stress
Weight gain Positive mood
Depression/anxiety Calmness
Adapted from Full Catastrophe Living by Kabat-Zinn

33. Environment
Physical Mental
Spirit Social
Culture

34. Group Sharing:
•Which dimension is a struggle?
•What are ways you could invest in
this dimension?

35. Say YES to YOU

37. Increasing Positive
Emotions (Happiness)
• Play
• Identifying values
• Joy list
• Forgiveness
• Appreciation/Gratitude Hope
• Recasting

38. We don’t stop playing
because we grow old.
We grow old because we
stop playing.

39. Time to celebrate

40. Life is too short to…

41. Group Sharing

42. Life is too short not to…

43. Group Sharing

44. Joy List

45. Forgiveness

46. Gratitude

47. Group Sharing:
One thing you are
grateful for…

48. Recasting
• Strategy for dealing with
stressors you have no
control over
–Feel your feelings
–Find meaning in your
feelings
–Discovering new
opportunities
Adapted from Happiness & Health by Foster, Hicks & Seda

49. What is mindfulness?
Doesn’t have
to be this

50. Mindfulness
means paying attention in a
particular way .
• On purpose,
• In the present moment,
• And non-judgementally
-Jon Kabat-Zinn

51. Monkey Mind

52. Becoming More
Mindful/Aware
• Tuning into the breath

53. Your breath
always there
be aware of it
feel the sensations of it
Tuning in to your breath
provides an opportunity
to center yourself.

54. Breathing Techniques
•Body Scan
•One minute breathing
•Counting breaths
•10 breaths
•3 breath cycle
•1 breath cycle

55. B-R-E-A-T-H-E

56. Becoming More
Mindful/Aware
• Tuning into the breath
• Strategies for living in the
moment in everyday life

57. Using our Senses to be
more Mindful
• Mindful Listening
• Mindful Seeing
• Mindful Smelling
• Mindful Tasting
• Mindful Movement

58. Strategies for
Living in the Moment
• Focused on daily activities such as:
– Showering
– Brushing teeth
– Washing dishes
• How your body and mind feels when
moving, standing, sitting & lying down
• Taking in the sights, smells & sounds of
nature
• Bringing awareness to listening and
talking during conversations
Adapted from (1) Full Catastrophe Living by Kabat-Zinn. (2) Mindfulness-Based
Cognitive Therapy for Depression by Segal, Williams & Teasdale.

59. Mindful Eating….

60. Becoming More
Mindful/Aware
• Tuning into the breath
• Strategies for living in
the moment in everyday
life
• Awareness of thoughts
that stress us out

61. Thoughts that stress us out…
Unrealistic expectations
Jumping to conclusions
Taking it personally
Thoughts = Facts
Adapted from Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy for Depression by Segal, Williams & Teasdale

62. Thoughts

63. 6o,000 thoughts/day
95% same ones day after day
80% of those are negative

64. Automatic
Negative
Thoughts

65. Triangle of Awareness
Body Sensations
Thoughts Feelings
Adapted from (1) Full Catastrophe Living by Kabat-Zinn. (2) Mindfulness-Based
Cognitive Therapy for Depression by Segal, Williams & Teasdale.

66. With awareness
comes choice.

67. Respond
versus
React

68. Becoming More
Mindful/Aware
• Tuning into the breath
• Strategies for living in the
moment in everyday life
• Awareness of thoughts
that stress us out
• Freeing yourself from time
stress

69. Freeing Yourself
from Time Stress
Time is a product of thought
Simplify your life
Live more in the moment
Take time each day just to be
Adapted from Full Catastrophe Living by Kabat-Zinn

70. We are human beings
not
human doings.
-Jon Kabat-Zinn

71. Inner peace
exists
outside of
time.

72. All is well…..

73. One small step
can make
a difference.

74. PRACTICE…

76. Future Plans for
Taking Care of You
• Trained~ 45 Regional Specialists to teach the
program state-wide
• Nutrition & Health Specialists
• HDFS Specialists
• Family Financial Planning
• Ready to train other states!
– Contact: Molly Vetter-Smith
vettersmithm@missouri.edu
– http://extension.missouri.edu/takingcare

77. Contact Info:
Linda Rellergert, MS
Regional Health Education Specialist
rellergertl@missouri.edu
Molly Vetter-Smith, PhD, MPH, RD
State Health Education Specialist
vettersmithm@missouri.edu