Stress a Larger Risk Factor than Lack of Exercise in Predicting Heart Attacks

Stress is rated above lack of exercise as a risk factor for heart disease. In addition, stress costs U.S. businesses more than 30 billion dollars a year. An innovative distance learning program, Stress Resiliency Coaching, aims to change the odds.

Newnan, GA September 4, 2004 -- Results of an international study, to be published in next weeks prestigious medical journal, The Lancet, took researchers by surprise by rating stress above lack of exercise as a risk factor for heart disease. But an innovative distance learning training program for personal coaches, corporate trainers and health professionals aims to change the odds.

Ellen Britt, PA, Ed.D., co-founder of Primal Waters and director of the companys distance learning division, launched the program, Stress Resiliency Coaching, this June, with the initial class attracting coaches, healthcare providers and human resource professionals from the U.S., Canada, the U.K. and Ireland. The second vanguard class begins on September 22, 2004.

Britt, a former physician assistant with over twenty years experience in urgent care, emergency and occupational medicine, created the program after colleagues complained that quality training programs in stress management were nearly nonexistent. Stress has become such a pervasive part of all our lives, especially after the tragic events of 9-11, that many of us just tend to accept it as something that we really cant do anything about, states Britt.

Stress has been implicated in everything from heart disease to diabetes, obesity and chronic pain and even effects a womans ability to conceive. In addition, stress takes a huge toll on the nations economy, with U.S. business losing a staggering 30 billion dollars a year resulting from stress related absences and decreased productivity.

You would think, with facts such as these, that every business would have a first-class stress management program in place for their employees and that their training departments and executive and corporate coaches would have expertise in stress management.

But as Dr. Britt has noted, quality training programs are almost impossible to find and although most coaches and trainers use some stress management skills in their work, few have had any formal training in this area. In addition, many stress management programs try to teach a complex subject in just a few hours, or days at best, relying on an old philosophy and on outdated methods of instruction.

Stress management is dead, states Britt. The old idea of managing stress is just not realistic. The reality is, that for the most part, we simply cannot control the events that are happening around us. What we can control is our reaction to those events.

The Stress Resiliency Coaching program uses the latest in distance learning instructional methods, meeting weekly via teleconference bridge, with written support materials sent via email to each participant prior to class. Bi-weekly Mastermind groups and a private online discussion list set up exclusively for the members of the class, provide for additional learning opportunities and foster a sense of real community among the students.

We teach the concept of stress resiliency, not management, states Britt. Our Stress Resiliency Coaching program is based on the latest findings from positive psychology, medicine and biology and students also get a thorough grounding in the ancient arts of meditation and guided imagery. Our students walk away from our program confident in the knowledge and practical skills they have acquired. Training professionals to assist others in building more stress resilient lives and businesses is extremely rewarding work.

Dr. Britt is hosting a series of free Q&A teleconference calls, to be held on Wednesday, September 8, 2004 and again on Wednesday, September 15, 2004 at 12 Noon Eastern/NY, for those who want to get firsthand information about the program. To register for either of the free calls or to get more information about the Stress Resiliency Coaching program go to: http://www.primalwaters.com/SRC2.html

About Primal Waters
Primal Waters produces award winning digital media products that facilitate relaxation and promote stress relief and also provides distance learning programs and services that promote stress resiliency. Primal Waters is a subsidiary of Blue Crow Studio, Inc.

Contact Information
Ellen Britt, PA, Ed.D.
Primal Waters
678-525-8045
http://www.primalwaters.com

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