PHA Workshop: Stress Management, Self-Care & Community Support

Session 6: Collaboration Project with Paducah Housing Authority

Objectives

- Identify personal physical and emotional stress triggers and recognize the early warning signs of chronic burnout.

- Build a daily, low-cost self-care plan using evidence-based regulation techniques that fit into a busy schedule.

- Map personal and local community support networks to reduce isolation and seek assistance before a crisis occurs.

Key Concepts

- Stress Response & Nervous System Regulation: Understanding the biological "fight, flight, or freeze" response and using simple somatic tools (such as box breathing, grounding exercises, and progressive muscle relaxation) to calm the body quickly.

- Accessible & Low-Cost Self-Care: Reframing self-care away from commercial products and focusing on sustainable daily habits—such as consistent sleep hygiene, boundary-setting, hydration, and intentional digital detox breaks.

- Healthy Coping vs. Numbing: Distinguishing between habits that restore energy (movement, hobbies, resting) versus short-term coping mechanisms that increase stress over time (prolonged isolation, excessive spending, substance misuse).