Purpose: The purpose of the study was to document the stages of learning reflected through student journaling during a self-directed experience in stress management, and the relationship of those stages to a historical model. Methods: College students participating in a full-semester course in stress management theory were required to select a single stress management technique, learn and practice the technique in a self-directed fashion, continue practice of the technique for an eight-week time frame, and journal about the experience twice each week. Results: Over a five-year period, 111 student journals were collected. Journal entries were individually coded. Qualitative review showed patterns in experience reflecting a skill-acquisition process matching Haring's Stages of Learning. Conclusions: The acquisition of stress management skills during self-directed practice may take an extended time, allowing for the participant to work through appropriate stages of learning new skills. Students may not be able to retain, and thus benefit from, random, single-session institutional offerings in stress management. Recommendations: Those teaching stress management who want their students to develop a specific skill set should allow for an extended time of practice and reflection in order for students to more fully develop the skills necessary to successfully incorporate the technique into their lives.