Students received advice on how to manage stress in their lives in a workshop organized at the Flintridge Room at the University Student Union on Wednesday.

The one-hour workshop, offered every semester since 2004, was one of the short courses sponsored by the USU Training Development Department this semester.

‘(The workshop) allows students that have many frustrating things going on in their lives to be able to learn how to organize life better as well as remember how to take care of themselves,’ said Paulette Theresa, a pre-doctoral psychology intern at the University Counseling Services, who presented during the workshop.

The workshop included a lecture, handouts, Power Point presentations and exercises, such as meditation and stretching.

Students who are the first people in their families to go to college are usually very stressed out because of their high family expectations and their academic and work responsibilities, said Theresa.

Theresa said that stress comes from pressure in our lives and the way that pressure makes us feel. Most cases of stress are categorized in three groups:

environmental/physical, bodily in nature and thoughts, and internal process.

‘When stress builds up, our body starts breaking down in form of headaches, sweaty palms, insomnia,’ said Theresa, who added that sometimes people cope with that stress by over-eating, drinking, gambling or having sex frequently.

Theresa used a visual relaxation exercise in the workshop as one of the ways to release stress. During the exercise, Theresa describes places or situations while students think about those mental images.

‘I’ve been stressing out lately with mid-terms, finals and working full-time,’ said Jose Henriquez, a 23-year-old history major.

‘Visual relaxation took me to place where I could put everything on my mind away,’ Henriquez added.

The counseling services for CSUN students are available to help manage emotions, restore motivation and achieve personal growth. Workshops and groups such as women’s support, anxiety management, personal development, eating disorder and relationship support are available as well.

For Rachel Serrano, event organizer and USU program assistant, the services offered by the university are important because they’re diverse, helpful and free.

‘I would recommend (the stress management workshop) highly for students,’ said Serrano. ‘I think most of students don’t know about this University Counseling Services, but I feel very confident about this workshop and I hope we bring it back next semester.’