Destresser Gurus Offer Stress Management Tips to pop-we Readers

A dynamic married couple has gone to great lengths during their tenure at the University of Nebraska at Omaha (UNO) to try and tackle that nagging six-letter word – s-t-r-e-s-s. The duo, Josie Metal-Corbin and David Corbin, are professors in the School of Health, Physical Education and Recreation who teach stress management classes at UNO.

Josie Metal-Corbin & David Corbin

This blogger even participated in a stress management class during her undergraduate days at UNO. Being my last semester on campus, I opted out and took the class credit/no credit, which made Professor Metal-Corbin’s class absolutely stress free. 

“The class introduces the student to a variety of interventions that may help with stressors that are social, intellectual, psychological, physical, environmental or emotional,” said Professor Metal-Corbin. “Students have the opportunity to learn and practice techniques in breathing, meditation, tai chi, yoga, autogenics, progressive muscular relaxation and self-hypnosis.”

Looking back, I wish I’d taken the class before I’d planned my wedding, instead of the very last semester of my undergraduate career. But some have pointed out that, perhaps, this newlywed trying to graduate seemed less stressful thanks to Professor Metal-Corbin’s class.

Things I took from the class:

• Meditation is key;

• Journaling works;

• Calming music helps in a pinch; and

• Words of encouragement from any source always rules supreme.

Today, unlike when I was taking my undergraduate classes, there are other resources many can turn to, such as counseling centers, blogs, podcasts and websites.

Together, Professor Metal-Corbin and Dr. Corbin have put together podcasts to help others deal with that funk known as stress. Try one of these de-stressing workouts courtesy of the duo online at http://www.unomaha.edu/healthed/stressmgmt.htm or http://web.me.com/dcorbin/sites/Stress_Management_Podcasts.html.

"We made the podcasts for anyone who needs to manage their stress. We promote these to our stress management students and to all students during final exam week," said Dr. Corbin.

Whether the stress management class impacted me for the better -- only my husband of 17 years can ultimately answer that question. But I know, at the time, it truly did.

"A large part of stress management is learning to live in the present, to be mindful. For most of us, it takes practice to be able to do this. That's what stress management classes allow you to do," Dr. Corbin said.

Stress Management Tips Courtesy of the Duo:

• If you think you are under stress, you are. 

• Do not sit in a traffic jam and curse the traffic as if you are not part of it. If you're not part of the solution, you're part of the problem. 

• If you think that you are not making any progress in managing your stress, remember to "Fake it ‘til you make it."  

• Most stress management skills are acquired tastes. Like brushing your teeth, you progress from not wanting to do it to not being able to do without. 

- population-we™ blog post by Becky Bohan Brown

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