2021 Camp Speaker Teaches Teens About Handling Stress

By Toby Kane for South Dakota Farmers Union 

Dr. Thomas Flamboe, Mental Strength Conditioning Coach from Black Hills State University, presented on the topic of healthy stress and how you can put it to work for you, instead of against you. “No Frettin’ the Stressing” was his message to this year’s South Dakota Farmers Union State Camp.

Flamboe fully acknowledges the stressors of this past year multiplied by the stress of simply being a student and teenager. He cites social stress, academic stress, world events and significant life changes.

“Students are under a large amount of stress and so many are perfectionists, and if things don’t go perfectly, they can kind of collapse,” says Flamboe. “I like to get some good discussion going and challenge their ‘giving up’ ideas by giving them healthier ones.”

Flamboe discussed coping techniques like breathing, meditation, exercise, art and music. While the topic may seem a heavy one, Flamboe kept the presentation upbeat, fun and informative.

“We don’t talk about stress with our kids enough,” says Haigh-Blume. “Teens especially are starting to realize how many things they have on a deadline: scholarship deadlines, college deadlines and graduation tasks. We emphasize how they can stay on top of it all and stay healthy.”

“In many cases, when people are stressed, they feel helpless and have a ‘there’s nothing I can do’ feeling. They end up spending $10 on a 10-cent problem,” says Flamboe. ”It’s really about how you talk to yourself and lessen the effects of stress.”

More abut Dr. Flamboe

Dr. Thomas Flamboe has worked with families and children since 1970. His background is special education/education; speech and language disorders; counseling and counseling psychology. He has presented to many parent groups and school kids from kindergarten to high school as well as college students. He has presented at numerous teacher in-services, school boards, professional organizations and businesses. He has been a consultant and adviser to police and sheriff departments and has been a trained hostage/crisis negotiator. He has also been trained in critical incident stress management. He is currently volunteering his time at Black Hills State University as a “Mental Strength and Conditioning Coach” in the Athletics Department.