We all know how painful and dysfunction stress can be. It can damage our health and limit our effectiveness. But there are some things we can do.

In this episode, we will begin by focusing on the work of psychologist Richard Lazarus and the importance of how we appraise potentially stressful situations.

Lazarus takes what he describes as a relational approach to stress and the related emotions – – in other words, he sees stress as originating in an unsatisfactory relationship between the environment and the individual, as appraised or evaluated by the individual.

This last element, appraisal, is key. The different ways individuals appraise the situation is part of the reason why different individuals respond to situations differently, and why the same individual can respond to essentially the same situation in different ways at different times. One especially important aspect of this appraisal process is the determination of whether or not we have the resources (both tangible and intangible) necessary to deal with the situation and the possible outcomes. If we do not believe we have the resources, then our stress level is likely to go up to high levels. If we do believe we have the resources, then we are more likely to deal with the situation as a manageable challenge.

We also draw out possible spiritual and religious connections.