Course The science of stress and resilience

The course C309/07 The science of stress and resilience is being offered by the Graduate School of Health, Aarhus University, spring 2027.

Criteria for participation: University degree in medicine, dentistry, nursing, or Master’s degree in other fields and/or postgraduate research fellows (PhD students and research-year medical students).

Requirements for participation: Basic knowledge about human psychology, CNS anatomy and physiology is an advantage, but not required.

Aim:  To enable a qualified debate about the relevance and applicability of neuroscientific research on stress and resilience in the advancement of health and clinical practice.

Learning outcomes: 

After the course, participants should be able to:

• Present a neurobiological definition of stress and distinguish between stressors, stress, and stress reactions.
• Describe the neurobiological underpinnings of restoration (rest–digest), mobilization (fight–flight), immobilization (freeze), shutdown, and prosocial states.
• Explain stress reactions from an evolutionary perspective.
• Describe preconscious mechanisms and processing modes in the nervous system that drive stress and stress reactions, including:
  o Energy budgeting
  o Predictive coding
  o Interoception and emotion
• Describe the pathways through which stress-related sensations may develop into symptoms and stress-related disorders, including anxiety, depression, cardiovascular disease, metabolic disorders, and chronic pain conditions.
• Explain stress accumulation and the principles of Allostatic Load Theory.
• Describe the role of sociality and social relationships in stress regulation.
• Describe Polyvagal Theory, including its main postulates, potential usefulness, and areas of consensus and controversy.
• Explain individual differences in stress sensitivity and resilience.
• Describe the impact of childhood and adult trauma on stress sensitivity.
• Present a neurobiological definition of resilience.
• Identify characteristics of resilient individuals and factors that protect against long-term stress.
• Describe features of modern society that may contribute to excessive stress and challenge human health and functioning.
• Describe the three main categories of interventions – top-down, bottom-up, and contextual –and provide examples of each.
• Discuss how schools, workplaces, and clinical practice may benefit from insights from the science of stress and resilience.

Workload: The full workload of the course is expected to be 32 hours.

Content: Stress, defined as a state of physical and emotional disequilibrium, influences our daily experiences, functioning, and health far more than is commonly recognized. This course explores the neurobiological foundations of stress, focusing on subconscious processes such as energy budgeting, predictive coding, and emotional impulses rooted in both personal experience and evolutionary history.

Participants will examine how stress shapes perception, behavior, and social interactions, and how it may undermine psychological safety. We will explore the mechanisms through which chronic stress can accumulate and contribute to adverse health outcomes, including anxiety, depression, cardiovascular disease, metabolic disorders, and chronic pain.

The course also addresses the question of resilience. Drawing on contemporary neuroscience and psychophysiology, we will examine how resilient functioning emerges and how specific behaviors, practices, and social contexts may promote positive emotions, support autonomic balance, and enhance well-being and health.

Throughout the course, participants will engage in reflections, practical exercises, and discussions. We will also consider how insights from the science of stress and resilience may inform clinical practice, education, workplace interventions, and other settings concerned with human health, performance, and well-being.

Instructors: 0

Venue: Aarhus University, Aarhus (other)

Participation in the course is without cost for:

• PhD students, Health Research Year students from Aarhus University
• PhD students enrolled at partner universities of the Nordoc collaboration
• PhD students from other institutions in the open market agreement for PhD courses

Course dates:

• 03 May 2027 10:00 - 16:00
• 04 May 2027 10:00 - 16:00
• 05 May 2027 10:00 - 16:00