Coping with Stress for Academic Success: 24 Strategies to Get the Most Out of Your Educational Experience

The purpose of this book (revised June 2020) is to provide students, from high school to college, as well as graduate and professional school, with insights and strategies to prevent, eliminate, or reduce the stress in major student-relevant areas that can undermine academic performance and satisfaction. This book is unparalleled in breadth and depth because it covers the stress dynamics in such areas as poor self-discipline and organization, procrastination, time-consuming and/or unhealthy relationships with significant others and peers, low self-worth, poor assertiveness, poor communication skills, alcohol and other drug use, excessive use of technology and television, poor diet, lack of exercise, inadequate sleep, not knowing and respecting your limits, worrying and catastrophizing, grade perfectionism, and poor money management. All the above is approached from a refreshingly practical and spiritual perspective. Though this book is primarily geared for students, those who work with students (such as educators and academic or personal counselors) will find it useful for appreciating the multiple stresses students contend with and as a means to provide help. Parents will also gain greater insight into the challenges students face,and be better able to support them to get the most out of their educational investment. Students already burdened with many demands will both welcome and value the fact that this reader-friendly book will give them the tools (academically and personally) they need to succeed in a relatively brief format.

Dr. Carlton H. Oler is a licensed psychologist and professor of psychology. He has had clinical and teaching experience in a variety of mental health and academic settings in many parts of the United States. He has been voted by psychology majors as "Instructor of the Year," "Most Inspirational Teacher," "Most Interesting Class," and "Most Christ-like." Dr. Oler is also a Health Service Psychologist, Master Addictions Counselor, Certified Alcohol Other Drug Counselor-Advanced, and Board Certified Professional Christian Counselor. He is a graduate of Lowell High School (San Francisco, California); has a B.A. in Psychology from San Francisco State University; an M.S. in Counseling and Mental Health from California State University, East Bay; and a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from the University of Cincinnati. Dr. Oler completed a predoctoral fellowship in the Department of Psychiatry at Yale University School of Medicine and a postdoctoral residency in the Psychiatry Department at Kaiser Permanente Medical Center (Oakland, California). He has also taken coursework in the Master of Divinity Program at Andrews University Theological Seminary, and served as an associate pastor. Dr. Oler has published articles in journals such as Psychotherapy, Social Work, and Social and Behavioral Sciences. He is also an avid reader of anything related to health, and has conducted or co-conducted numerous mental health, relationship health, physical health, and spiritual health seminars nationally and internationally. Dr. Oler has taught and counseled students from high school to graduate school. He desires to see all students achieve optimum health mentally, relationally, physically, and spiritually as well as reach their fullest academic potential and satisfaction. For recreation, Dr. Oler enjoys 5K racing, playing word games, and keeping up with the latest holistic health advances. He is a very strong believer that your health is your wealth, and strives to practice a lifestyle in harmony with maintaining maximum overall health.