In recent years health professionals have come to realize just how important controlling stress is for our wellbeing. Stress can interfere with many parts of our lives-it increases work absenteeism, can lead to relationship difficulties and interpersonal strain, and can increase the risk of turning to artificial relaxation such as drugs and alcohol. Chronic stress also increases the risk of developing certain serious physical illnesses. This updated edition of 10 Steps to Mastering Stress: A Lifestyle Approach is a step-by-step program that will help you identify what is causing your stress, teach you proven calming techniques, and most importantly, show you how to think more realistically in ways that will reduce, rather than increase, your stressful reactions to daily events in your life. This program is based on nearly two decades of research, during which the authors have learned more about stress than was ever known before-and how to control it. While there are many stress books out there, this program differs from most for several reasons: *It has been scientifically developed and tested to ensure that it is the most effective way to master stress. Many other books are based simply on the authors' ideas and opinions. *Rather than simply listing random tips, this book describes a systematic program which lays out how to learn and integrate relevant techniques into your life in a step-by-step fashion. *Most importantly, the authors do not claim that the program will magically lift away your stress. Rather, the program reinforces the importance of making these techniques a part of daily life, making it a true lifestyle approach. Readers will learn valuable new skills-new ways of thinking, acting, and organizing their lives to reduce stress to a manageable level.