Singershealth.com: STRESS MANAGEMENT FOR SINGERS

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Karen Wicklund

STRESS MANAGEMENT FOR SINGERS

Dr. Karen Wicklund
Presented for: NATS National Workshop, Tucson, AZ and Richard Miller Workshop, Massey University, Wellington, New Zealand, January, 2002

I. Introduction and goals of the lecture

A. Stress defined
B. A year in the life of a stressed-out singer

II. Fight or Flight Response

A. Natural reaction of the body to any demand- positive or negative

B. Perception of a threat, and of one's resources

C. Stages of Fight/flight response
1. arousal
2. resistance to stressor
3. exhaustion

D. Positive vs. negative stress

III. Cognition and Stress

A. Four determinants of Stress (Feedback experiment with
student) (Peter Lang)
1. The actual event or environment
2. The individual's perception of the event
3. The individual's perception of personal coping abilities
4. The individual's actual coping resources

B. Optimism vs. Pessimism (Scheier and Carver-Life Orientation
Test)

1. Genetics vs. Learning
2. Benefits of Optimism
3. Pessimists' responses to stress

C. Kobasa's Hardiness scale (Locus of Control)

1. Internally Oriented (more responsible for self)
2. Externally Oriented (more anxious and depressed)

IV. Stress Response in Singers

A. Tolkmitt and Sherer (1986)
B. Lang (1988)
C. Morse and Faust (1982)

V. Stressors common to all musicians

VI. Significance of Life stressors

A. Stress Exhaustion symptom chart

B. Life Change Index (Thomas Holmes) finds relationship
between amount of change in people's lives and development
of major illness.

VI. Stress Management Skills (Three-pronged approach)

A. BEHAVIORAL
1. Nutrition
2. Exercise
3. Progressive Muscle Relaxation
4. Deep Breathing, Meditation
5. Rest
6. specific skills for musicians

B. COGNITIVE
1. Rational/Irrational thinking exercises
2. An exercise in negative thinking
3. The woman in the car (Positive self-talk)
4. Man with hammer
5. Time management
6. Assertiveness
7. AAA BC's Model- Albert Ellis
a. problem solving for an audience member
8. specific skills for musicians

C. SOCIAL
1. Support systems- Bubble worksheet
2. Vacation/change of scenery
3. Pets
4. Hobbies
5. Knowing where to go for help

VII. Progressive Muscle Relaxation (PMR) practice

Selected Stress Management Slides