Postgraduate - UnitMCM5602 - Stress management

This unit entry is for students who completed this unit in 2014 only. For students planning to study the unit, please refer to the unit indexes in the the current edition of the Handbook. If you have any queries contact the managing faculty for your course or area of study.

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6 points, SCA Band 3, 0.125 EFTSL

Refer to the specific census and withdrawal dates for the semester(s) in which this unit is offered, or view unit timetables.

Level	Postgraduate
Faculty	Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences
Organisational Unit	Department of General Practice
Offered	Clayton First semester 2014 (Off-campus) Clayton Second semester 2014 (Off-campus)
Coordinator(s)	Dr Craig Hassed

Synopsis

This unit examines the body of scientific evidence linking stress with mental and physical illness and with a range of abnormal lifestyle behaviours. It teaches practical skills in the form of relaxation and meditation techniques which students learn and practice themselves and can then teach their patients to carry out. The unit identifies the circumstances and conditions in which these techniques are most useful. The theory and practice are run in parallel throughout the unit.

Outcomes

By the end of this unit students should be able to:

Recognise that there is now a significant body of research linking psychological states like stress with many illnesses.
Recognise that there is also a large body of research demonstrating the benefits of psychological interventions like stress management and mindfulness.
Describe the ways in which stress affects physical health and lifestyle.
Practice the mindfulness exercises in its various forms.
Understand the principles and applications of the mindfulness-based cognitive strategies.
Assess and improve your professional skills as a counsellor in stress management, thereby being of greater benefit to your patients.
Reflect on your own experience of stress and ways in which you manage it, thereby deriving personal benefit from the course

Assessment

Scientific stream:
Assignment (25%)
Essay (25%)
Practical stream:
Journal (50%)

Chief examiner(s)

Dr Craig Hassed

Prohibitions

DFM3002