On Thursday, June 19, workshops will include:

• What Makes Some People Luckier Thank Others? by Dr. Pauline Wallin, Camp Hill, PA
• Why You Procrastinate . . . . And How to Stop by Dr. Pauline Wallin, Camp Hill, PA
• The Joy of Sleeping: How to Get a Better Night's Sleep by Dr. Patricia J. Fox, Clarks-Summit, PA
• Bullying in the Workplace by Dr. Rex P. Gatto, Pittsburgh, PA

On Friday, June 20, workshops will include:

• How to Deal with Challenging People by Dr. Diane Menago, Kathleen Devine and Kendal Beck from Holy Family University, Philadelphia, PA
• Has Internet Addiction Touched Your Life? What to Do When Your Friends and Family Get Hooked by Dr. Nancy Mramor, Allison Park, PA
• The Other Vitamin C: The Health Benefits of Canine Companions by Dr. Debra Vredenburg-Rudy and Daniel Albohn, Millersville, PA
• What Do You Value? Achieving Work-Life Balance by Dr. Fauve Luckey, Dunmore, PA, and Dr. Patricia J. Fox, Clarks-Summit, PA

The Pennsylvania Psychological Association hopes you will plan to attend as many of these workshops as you can!  Click here to register for FREE! For questions please contact PPA.

Network, network, network. One of the keys to professional success is networking, even before you are on the hunt for a new job.

• Create networking business cards. Even if you are still a student, business cards are a great networking tool. You never know when you'll encounter a potential colleague or employer! Many sites offer free business cards, including www.vistaprint.com.  
• Join professional organizations and listservs. Attend conferences to network with possible employers. Listservs also frequently advertise job opportunities.
• Clean up your communications. Create a professional voicemail and e-mail address. Also, scrub your Facebook and Twitter accounts or create accounts for professional use. Although no content on the Internet ever really goes away, it's good for your new professional identity. In many states, employers can ask for your social networking passwords.
• Use your social networks. Many professional organizations maintain social network pages. Joining can help you stay up-to-date in your field and find out about opportunities.

Use multiple job-searching sources. In addition to the main job search engines, consider industry specific sites or the human resources page of a prospective employer's website.

Create (and proofread) a solid résumé. Be honest, but sell yourself. Use verbs to start each bullet point (e.g. Created, Developed, Distributed). Identify what sets you apart from everyone else who may be applying for the same position.

Meet with a career counselor. Many psychologists and counselors specialize in career counseling and/or assessment to help guide individuals with professional development.

Dress for success. Whether headed for an interview or just to drop off your résumé, dress professionally. For interviews, a suit is always a great option. For ideas, Google image search "interview attire."

On interview day, always be prepared. A great interview is essential to secure employment. Here are some specifics to keep in mind.

• Practice, practice, practice. Role-playing is a great way to practice for the interview. A Google search for "interview questions" will give you some great ideas.
• Arrive early. Give yourself ample time to arrive early for the interview. If you're not familiar with the location of the interview, do a test drive the day before.
• Have extra copies of your résumé. Buy a portfolio, and keep extra copies of your résumé in your portfolio to bring with you to the interview.
• Write down questions you have for the employer. The interview is not just for the employer to meet you, but for you to meet them! Research the company ahead of time, and keep questions in your portfolio. Bring a pen so you can jot down notes if necessary.
• Say thanks. A thank you note is a great way to reinforce your interest in the company.

"There is social pressure on families to schedule vacations or spend increased time with your children during the summer months. These silent demands can lead to added stress, especially if it's not the best time financially or if taking time off from work is difficult," says Dr. Nicole Quinlan, a licensed psychologist from Danville. "Setting expectations about vacation with your family can help lessen these stressors, but it's critical to also take steps to manage stress in healthy ways."

Stress related to summer break or vacation planning can increase reliance on the unhealthy behaviors many people already use to cope with everyday stressors related to money, work, personal and family health matters, and raising children. The American Psychological Association warns that increased reliance on unhealthy behaviors to manage stress, such as drinking heavily or overeating, can lead to long-term, serious health problems.

The Pennsylvania Psychological Association offers these strategies to help families better manage summertime stress:

Understand how you experience stress. Everyone experiences stress differently. How do you know when you are stressed? How are your thoughts or behaviors different from times when you do not feel stressed?

Identify stressors. What events or situations trigger stressful feelings? Are they related to planning family vacations or to other situations such as family health, financial decisions, work, or something else?

Recognize how you deal with stress. Determine if you are using unhealthy behaviors to cope with the stress. Is this a routine behavior, or is it specific to making decisions about family vacations or other situations? Put things in perspective -- make time for what's really important and plan only the family activities that are right for you.

Set realistic expectations. Don't expect summer to be better or different from other times of year and help your family to do the same. Have conversations about the summer activities that fit into your family's schedule and make compromises if necessary. For example, take a day off work to pack a picnic and go to the park or the beach if it is not possible to take an elaborate vacation.

Find healthy ways to manage stress. Consider healthy, stress-reducing activities -- taking a short walk, exercising, starting a project, or spending quality time together at home. Keep in mind that unhealthy behaviors develop over time and can be difficult to change. Don't take on too much at once. Focus on changing only one behavior at a time.

Ask for professional support. Accepting help from supportive friends and family can improve your ability to persevere during stressful times, even if that stress is a result of family vacation planning. If you continue to feel overwhelmed by stress, you may want to talk with a psychologist who can help you manage stress and change unhealthy behaviors.

"By coping with stress in healthy ways, parents can set a model for the rest of the family," says Dr. Quinlan. "People who handle stress in unhealthy ways may alleviate symptoms of stress in the short term, but end up creating significant health problems over time, and, ironically, more stress. So it is important that parents take necessary steps to better manage their stress -- related to summer vacations and year round -- and help their children do the same."

To learn more about stress and mind/body health, visit the Pennsylvania Psychological Association's website, or the American Psychological Association's Consumer Help Center.