Stress is one of the most talked about psychological phenomena nowadays , and can negatively affect people who suffer from it. Although stress can be adaptive and even motivating at appropriate levels, when stressors are maintained over time it is detrimental to the physical and emotional health of individuals.

  • Stress can manifest itself in different ways and appear in different situations. Find out how stress is classified in our article: “Types of Stress and their Triggers”

Stress management courses

It is not surprising that many people experience stress due to the lifestyle of Western societies. Overly high expectations, overwork, perfectionism, etc., are all factors that contribute to this condition.

According to Karasek and Johnson’s (1986) Demand-Control-Social Support Model, the source of stress is found in the mismatch between the stressors and the control that the person has to face those demands. In this sense, acquiring skills for coping with stress may be key to minimizing its impact .

In this article you can find a list of courses that will help you acquire the necessary tools to manage stressful situations in the best possible way.

1. Mindfulness Training Program: M-PBI (Psicotools)

Mindfulness is an ancestral practice that, in recent years, has gained popularity in the West . Scientific studies show that the practice of Mindfulness is effective in reducing stress.

If you live in Barcelona or its surroundings and wish to improve your quality of life, the psychology centre Psicotools, located in the Vallcarca area, offers the opportunity to learn this philosophy with its Mindfulness Training Program (M-PBI) . With this workshop you will enter and deepen your knowledge of Mindfulness in an experiential way and you will be able to acquire the basic tools to reduce anxiety and reduce stress.

Throughout the 9 weeks (8 sessions of 2.5 hours plus a 4 hour retreat day) that it lasts, you will learn the exercises and techniques of this ancient method to achieve emotional balance.

2. Course on Stress and Anxiety: Regaining Control (Nascia)

A course for managing stress that is eminently practical , although it also provides theoretical knowledge and allows for an in-depth understanding of this phenomenon and the acquisition of useful tools for everyday life.

With this course of Nascia, it is possible to learn different concrete techniques of stress and anxiety control, as well as self-control. It is an experiential course that seeks the participation and interaction of the participants. Some of the topics that are worked on are: breathing and relaxation techniques, identification of the symptoms of stress and anxiety, and increasing the knowledge about muscular tension derived from stress.

3. Course of Expert in Emotional Intelligence in working environments (University Jaume I)

Emotional intelligence has also been shown to be efficient in managing stress and avoiding the negative consequences of its impact. Currently, this practice is very popular, as has been shown to be positive in improving people’s health . In the work environment it has been very successful, because emotionally intelligent workers perform better and better and manage difficult situations that may arise on a daily basis.

This is the reason why the University Jaume I of Castellón teaches an eminently applied course that aims to develop emotional and social skills in the field of work. Without a doubt, it is of great use in reducing stress.

4.Superior Management of Stress at Work and Coping with Burnout Syndrome (INEM)

The Spanish National Institute of Employment offers a subsidized training of 180 hours for those persons who are hired by the general regime. It is focused on offering training on work stress and burnout syndrome: what are its symptoms, its causes and how we can manage and overcome it.

It is aimed at professionals who want to specialize in this phenomenon, for example, psychologists. It is also suitable for anyone who wants to improve their professional profile.

  • If you want to know more about burnout syndrome, you can read our article: “Burnout: how to detect and take action”

5. Burnout course: Keys to resilience in dealing with occupational stress (Universidad Autónoma de Madrid)

Burnout and work stress are problems that seriously concern organizations, since it is not only negative for the worker, but also for the company. Burned out people suffer different consequences such as depersonalization, demotivation, decrease in performance , etc., so the company also comes out badly: worse results, staff rotation, worse work climate, etc.

The Universidad Autónoma de Madrid offers the possibility of training to acquire professional skills to prevent and/or deal with burnout. It is especially aimed at psychologists and professionals who work with people. The course has a practical and experiential methodology that, thanks to practical cases, offers valuable knowledge in the most effective prevention strategies that minimize the development of burnout and its early detection.