EMOTIONAL WELLNESS: BUILDING BETTER MENTAL HEALTH

PRESENTER

Billie Smith-Jones

Billie Smith-Jones holds a Masters in Counseling with an emphasis on marriage and family therapy and has been working in the mental health

field since 2006. Billie has extensive experience working in outpatient and inpatient settings and has also facilitated groups on depression,

self-esteem, and providing psycho-education on caregiving.

Billie also received a certification in training from the Association for Talent Development and is currently pursuing her coaching

certification in hopes of inspiring change for those who feel stuck and/or lost and unable to move forward. Billie has been with Workplace Options for 9 years where she began as an intake

counselor and now currently holds the position of Global Training Coordinator. Billie not only trains intake counselors but contributes to the development and implementation of trainings. She oversees

a team of global trainers to ensure that trainings are following standard processes and procedures.

On a personal note, Billie is the proud mother of two children ages 3yrs and 13yrs and strongly believes that laughter heals and

nourishes the soul.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

This session aims to enable you to:

• Learn how to optimize levels of mental health

• Identify ways to manage adversity in a healthy way

• Learn practical stress management strategies

• Develop structured mechanisms for building better mental health

WHAT IS MENTAL HEALTH?

‘A state of wellbeing in which every individual realizes his or her own

potential, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully, and is

able to make a contribution to her or his community.’ WHO (2014)

The Mental Health

Continuum

WHAT IS STRESS?

‘A state of mental or emotional strain or tension

resulting from adverse or demanding circumstances’

Oxford Dictionary

STRESS RESPONSE

• Everyone feels stressed from time to time.

• Stress is a response to perceived pressure such as deadlines, success and failure, others’ expectations and/or threats (animal attack, illness, etc.).

• Stress is how the brain and body respond to any demands, pressures and threats.

• Our body prepares to fight, flee or freeze. We breathe faster and see clearer, and our activity increases—all functions aimed at survival.

TACKLING THE STRESS RESPONSE

Under stress we react to a trigger, rather than choosing how to respond.

Our body is primed to instantly fight or flee from the threat.

Our body is swamped with hormones which shut down every other system in the body.

When we take a moment to breath and become mindful of our environment, we stop the hijack of our bodies.

This gives us the time and space to think with clarity and objectivity.

This allows us to change our physiological state and think calmly how to tackle the situation. The priority is dealing with the

trigger which is advantageous when faced with a physical threat.

It becomes problematic when it is a different kind of trigger, like those we face at work.

DIAPHRAGMATIC BREATHING

• The increase of oxygen into the bloodstream

• Changing your thinking will allow balance with a rational mind

o Sit back in your seat.

o Make your hands comfortable.

o Close your eyes.

o Take a deep breath (inhale through your nose and exhale through your mouth).

o Breathe again – repeat until you feel calm and settled.

A SIMPLE BREATHING ACTIVITY

Source: Mic/Tumblr

STRESS, ENERGY AND RECOVERY

To manage your emotional and mental wellbeing, it is important to manage your stress and energy.

Imagine you start each day with $100. Everything you do to invest in your energy, you gain $10. Every time you do something that drains your energy, you lose $10.

• How many times do you finish your days overdrawn?

• What does that mean for your balance the following day?

POLL

It’s not what happens to us but how werespond to what is happening that has the

strongest impact in our lives.

A. True B. False

RESPONSE-ABILITY: IT STARTS WITH YOU…

Personal accountability isn’t a trait that people are born with, it’s a way of living that you can learn. It is the belief that you are fully responsible for your own actions and consequences.

BEING MORE PERSONALLY ACCOUNTABLE

Know your role

Show humility

Own your mistakes

Manage your time

Ask and Listen

Manage expectations

MANAGING YOUR ENERGY

‘An empty lantern provides no light. Self-care is the fuel that allows your light to shine brightly.’ – Unknown

INVESTING IN YOURSELF

Evidence suggests that a small improvement in wellbeing can

help to decrease some mental health problems and also help

people to flourish.

Source: Aced, J. and Thompson, S. (2011).

Regular physical activity is associated with lower rates of depression and anxiety

across all age groups.

BE ACTIVE

BE ACTIVE

How can you start

to be more active?

Participation in social and

community life has attracted

a lot of attention in the field

of wellbeing research.

GIVE

GIVE

What can you do to ‘give back’ to others

in some way?

Reminding yourself to

‘take notice’ can

strengthen and broaden

awareness.

TAKE NOTICE

‘Intentional awareness: paying attention in a particular way: on purpose, in the present moment, and non-judgmentally’ – Jon Kabat-Zinn

• Improvements to physical and mental health.

• Increased ability to be resilient and manage stress.

• Aim to practice this for 15 minutes once a day

TAKING NOTICE AND BEING MORE PRESENT

There is strong evidence that

indicates that feeling close

to, and valued by, other

people is a fundamental

human need and one that

contributes to functioning

well in the world.

CONNECT

NURTURE YOUR CONNECTIONS

Continued learning through life enhances self-esteem

and encourages social interaction and a more

active life.

KEEP LEARNING

• What are you passionate about in your life?

• What new hobbies or opportunities could you pursue to help expand your mind?

KEEP LEARNING

SHOW GRATITUDE

• What makes you happy?

• What are you grateful for?

• What gives you fulfilment in life?

’Gratitude unlocks the fullness of

life. It turns what we have into enough and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend’

Melody Beattie

EATING TO RELAX

• Sip green tea

• Snack on nuts and seeds

• Include salmon, orange, avocado and spinach in your diet

• Chew gum

• Add honey

SIMPLE WAYS TO SOOTHE YOUR MIND

• Self massage

• Cool down

• Get out in nature

• Dance, sing and laugh

• Breathe in lavender

EMPOWER YOURSELF AND ELIMINATE SELF DOUBT!

• I feel physically and emotionally healthy.

• I feel positive and hopeful.

• I manage stress effectively.

• I am flexible, adaptable.

• I use the tools and resources available.

• I am my biggest fan!

MOVING FORWARD…

• Get support– Sometimes the best way to cope is to reach out and talk to others.

• Put into practice stress management and relaxation techniques.

• Be aware of possible symptoms that may follow time of stress, ex: anxiety, disturbed sleep, constantly recalling the event.

• Actively think of ways you can improve your emotional wellness using the ‘5 a day’.

FOR ADDITIONAL ASSISTANCECONTACT YOUR EMPLOYEE ASSISTANCE PROGRAM (EAP)

WORKS CITED

Aced, J. and Thompson, S. (2011, July 5). Five ways to well-being: New

applications, new ways of thinking. Retrieved September 26, 2019, from https://neweconomics.org/2011/07/five-ways-well-new-applications-new-ways-thinking