Stress in adult learners is a neglected topic, despite practitioners observing that their adult learners often display psychological discomfort. We address the effects psychological stress has on learning, then define the constructs of stress, trauma, resilience, and psychological distress. Twenty-three adult learners reading at elementary levels completed measures of stress, trauma, resilience, and psychological distress. Procedural details for how we administered the measures to promote feasibility and acceptability in this population are provided. Results indicated that the sample's levels of stress, trauma, and psychological distress were disproportionately high, and levels of resilience were relatively low, compared with the general adult population. Limitations, lessons learned, and practical implications for instructors and administrators are provided.