Beginning with a definition of "stress," Dr. J. Kennedy will outline the ways our bodies and brains respond to stress and will review the emotional and physical harms that may result from prolonged or excessive stress. After reviewing research from a number of fields, she will discuss strategies and techniques that reduce our risk of being harmed by stress and help us to bounce back more quickly when we're faced with highly stressful circumstances.

About the Presenter:

Dr. Kennedy is a psychiatrist and obtained her undergraduate and medical degrees in Texas, then completed her internship and residency at the Karl Menninger School of Psychiatry in Topeka, Kansas. Board-certified in adult psychiatry, she holds certification in adult psychoanalysis and is a Distinguished Life Fellow of the American Psychiatric Association. Dr. Kennedy served on the staff of the C.F. Menninger Memorial Hospital, the Karl Menninger School of Psychiatry, and faculty of the Topeka Institute for Psychoanalysis.

After moving to Colorado, she became a member of the medical staff of the Grand Junction Veterans Health Care System, providing psychiatric treatment to veterans through the summer of 2017. Now focusing her energies on teaching and in her private practice, Dr. Kennedy provides consultation and treatment to adult patients, 25 to 60 years of age. She is particularly interested in helping individuals cope with life stresses and transitions.