Hives, rashes, nausea, dizziness and increased heart rates are all symptoms Nicole Dearing, a Kalispell Public Schools nurse, was seeing in high school students.

“A majority of patients I see their symptoms are stress related,” Dearing said noting the pressures of home and school. “I see a lot of high-achieving students in the IB [International Baccalaureate] and AP [Advanced Placement] programs and that puts a lot of pressure on them.”  

So when Montana State University nursing students KyleLee Hall and Mitch Yoder approached Dearing to present on a health topic in the classroom, it was no surprise stress became the focus.

For a week, Hall, a Bigfork High School graduate, and Yoder have educated health students on signs, symptoms of good and bad stress, negative and positive coping skills and relaxation techniques through breathing, muscle-tension release and visualization. 

Their presentations are part of a required community health project as part of a “Population Based Nursing Care in the Community” course, Cary Heskett, assistant teaching professor for the university’s College of Nursing Kalispell campus, said.

“They do a project that is beneficial for an agency as well as they learn about the topic they are presenting or coordinating,” Heskett said.

Hall and Yoder’s project completes their studies and they will graduate in May with Bachelor of Science in Nursing degrees. 

On their final visit to one of Tasia Gates’ health classes at Flathead High School April 25, Hall and Yoder open with a “power pose.”

Students stood up, with arms outstretched placed out their hands behind their heads.

“Power posing is just being in a very large position,” Yoder said. “Being in a powerful position increases testosterone in our bodies and decreases the stress hormone.”

The pair transition into a visualization by having students to write the things they would like to change under the keywords “family,” “relationships,” and “school.” Hall then asked them to then circle the things they could change and cross out what they couldn’t.

“One of the hardest things for us to do is identify what is in our power to control and what we can’t control,” Hall said. “Focus on the things you can change.”

Yoder segued to a visualization he called “train of thoughts,” to help students become mindful.

“It’s a visualization to notice the thoughts as we’re having them and allow them to flow on and release them,” Yoder said.

Yoder had the students imagine they were on a high mountain looking down on a valley where a train slowly passed through.

“I want you to visualize that the train is carrying along the thoughts that you’re having. So, as you notice a thought in your mind, visualize that that thought is traveling along the tracks behind the train,” Yoder said. “Think of each car as one of your thoughts.”

Hall and Yoder then asked the class what final relaxation technique they want to try. Many votes go toward a breathing technique where Hall and Yoder guide them to focus on how each part of their bodies — from their toes to their hair — and how each feels breathing into any tension or pain.

Students remarked that practicing the different techniques has become easier as the week progressed.

“Practice is really important,” Yoder said. “Take five minutes a day. Make it a habit like brushing your teeth.”

Reporter Hilary Matheson may be reached at 758-4431 or by email at hmatheson@dailyinterlake.com.