supporting social and emotional health in a covid-19 ......individual’s response to a distressing...
TRANSCRIPT
Supporting Social and Emotional Health in a
COVID-19 Environment
Gain strategies for
self-care
Build healthy relationships
Recognize the role of safety,
belonging, and mattering
Presenter
Presentation Notes
Melanie 1 min. Say: These are our outcomes for today. You’ll notice how they overlap, and that is intentional. Social-emotional learning does not come with a checklist. As individuals, we have unique needs and learning styles, and those needs and styles apply to SEL just as much as they do any other learning.
(Back-to-School Blueprint | Rennie Center, 2019)
TRAUMATIC EVENT CHARACTERISTICS
• sudden and unexpected onset• extreme circumstances surrounding it• unpredictable & feels out of our control• a real or perceived threat to life
TRAUMATrauma is defined by an individual’s response to a distressing event, rather than by the event itself. When a distressing event or series of events overwhelms one's ability to cope, a person experiences a trauma response which includes a loss of sense of self and feelings of safety.
Presenter
Presentation Notes
Melanie 1 min. Say: Read the definition of Trauma – pause 15 seconds. Event Characteristics (animated, click to enter) The characteristics of events that make it likely for someone will experience trauma: The event has a sudden and unexpected onset Extreme circumstances surrounding it Event is unpredictable & feels out of our control There is a real or perceived threat to life All can cause us to develop symptoms of trauma or chronic stress Ask: Which of these characteristics apply to Covid-19? (type question in chat box but ask for verbal response – don’t linger long) When we think about the emotional and psychological effects on ourselves, our coworkers, the youth and families in which we serve, we have to think about adapting and using social-emotional practices, let's think about using them as a way to support trauma-informed practices. Trauma is an individual's response to an event. By meeting an individual's social and emotional needs, we can support trauma needs. However the two are not one in the same.
Characteristics of Equity
All stakeholders are viewed as
assets
Value
All stakeholders get what they
need to succeed
Success
All are accepted and
represented as part of the community
Belonging
All stakeholders are actively
involved
Engagement
Presenter
Presentation Notes
Melanie 1 min. Say: It is important to think about equity when we begin to work on meeting the social and emotional needs of others. It is intentional. I need to ask myself: How are my efforts/strategies/plans ensuring belonging, value, success, and engagement? These equity characteristics will help people be successful both personally and professionally.
Culturally Conscious SEL Strategies
Individualistic Cultures Collectivistic Cultures
(“Key Considerations for Promoting Culturally Relevant SEL During COVID-19,” 2020)
| Assumed Norms |
Presenter
Presentation Notes
When we say culture, we are referring to a groups assumed norms. For example, think about the way your family celebrates Thanksgiving. Most of us have some assumed norms or expectations for how Thanksgiving will go every year. My sister brings corn casserole and sweet potato pie every year, my parents cook the turkey, my brother brings and ham, and his wife takes care of dessert. After we eat, we sit around, watch football, and are super lazy. Some families, play football in the yard, others go on hikes, there’s all kinds of assumed norms. This is where we want your brain to be when thinking about culture. We have a culture in our family, our classroom, our community, our building. Part of establishing a sense of belonging and value is recognizing that we all come from different cultures that have different assumed norms. Individualistic cultures are characterized by emphasizing values that place the individual at the center of experience and prioritize personal goals over communal goals. Collectivistic cultures are characterized by emphasizing values that prioritize the needs of the group and place communal goals over personal ones. Ask: Why is this important? (verbal chat) Answer: Culture shapes how we view the world around us by influencing how we view ourselves in relation to others. Therefore, understanding those different cultures around us is an important first step to adapting healthy social and emotional practices. How can we respond to the cultural differences among those in which we work and serve? Two common social-emotional challenges that students are facing as a result of COVID-19, and that likely vary across cultural backgrounds, are stress and loneliness. Chronic Stress. Chronic stress refers to the constant activation of our sympathetic nervous system in response to repeated exposure to stressful situations and can hinder brain functioning. This type of stress prevents people from being engaged in their work. Some may be learning to cope with chronic stress as a result of health concerns, financial hardship, or restructuring family roles and obligations. Some strategies that can support coping with stress promote mindfulness practices (to promote self-awareness and emotion regulation) and self-regulated learning (to promote goal-setting and self-monitoring).11 However, these practices privilege an independent cultural model over an interdependent model, as they conceptualize stress as a personal problem that stems from personal situations, and which must be tackled by the individual.12 Stress is expressed and conceptualized differently for members of collectivistic cultures. For example, members of some collectivistic cultures describe stress and other forms of psychological distress in terms of physical symptoms, such as headaches or upset stomachs, rather than psychological ones.13 Additionally, some Asian and Pacific Island cultures, which tend to endorse collectivistic values, view personal stress as a familial or communal responsibility. As a result, those from collectivistic cultures may be less likely to share their feelings with others.14 Loneliness. Social distancing efforts have separated many people from their primary social support networks: their peers. The loneliness that can ensue as a result of this isolation could lead to reduced social-emotional competence (SEC), or the ability to positively interact with others, regulate one's own emotions and behavior, and problem-solve.15 It may also lead to an increased risk for psychological issues, workplace disengagement, and risky behaviors. It is important to focus on building social competence and include promoting collaboration among peers as well as help-seeking behaviors.17 Whereas members of individualistic cultures are more likely to be lonely when they experience an absence in peer-to-peer interactions, members of collectivistic societies are more likely to be lonely when they experience an absence of familial interactions.
Relationships • Self-Care
Social and Emotional Support for All
Presenter
Presentation Notes
Cathy 1 min. We’ve just spent some time talking about why we need to focus on social and emotional health, now let's focus on how to to this by exploring 2 critical elements: building healthy relationships and self-care. Both of which align with the 5 competencies we looked at.
Think about a time when you intentionally built a relationship with someone in your building or on your team. What intentional efforts did you focus on? Annotate on the slide.
Presenter
Presentation Notes
Cathy 3 min. Say: (Before sending to Breakouts) Share a personal story about how you have intentionally built a relationship with someone in your building. Send participants to breakout rooms for 2 mins. When you click stop it will provide one more minute for discussion. When participants return, ask: 1-2 people to share their conversation; follow up with: Let’s think more deeply about what they just shared. What was the strategy that you used to actually build that relationship? Respond: Yes, those are absolutely relationship building strategies. Let’s look at a few more examples.
Relationship Skills
establish and maintain healthy and rewarding relationships with diverse individuals and groups
• communicate clearly• listen actively • cooperate
• resist inappropriate social pressure• negotiate conflict constructively• seek and offer help when needed
Presenter
Presentation Notes
Relationship skills is one of the core competencies of social and emotional health. Consider their definition with these associated abilities. I want you to think about the story you just shared. In that intentional moment, how were you helping someone increasing these abilities? (chat box) Say: In order for us to continue to build healthy, rewarding, and diverse relationships, as adults, we must continue to grow as we interact in these ways. This will not only build relationships in and among our work teams but will also provide a genuine model for those youth and families that we serve. It takes intentionality. Reimagining, adapting and designing experiences that build the relationship skills.
Relationship Builders• Ask/Validate/Listen• Get to know home culture• Involve families• Notice and build on assets • Provide space for youth, families, and
staff to ask questions, share thoughts or concerns, and give opinions
• 2 x 10 strategy
Presenter
Presentation Notes
Building relationships in the COVDI environment means that we have to recognize that need for (1) purposefulness in building relationships, and (2) creativity in building those relationships – no matter if face to face or in a virtual space. With this intentionality comes the importance of validating what is on the other person’s mind. So often, our tendency is to try to solve the problem we hear but taking time to simply listen is so valuable. Social and emotional learning support us as listeners. One of the goals should be to empower people to navigate challenges on their on. Is anyone familiar with the 2x10 strategy? (If so, have them summarize it) The 2x10 strategy is identifying a particular person (student, teacher, staff member) with whom you will spend 2 minutes a day for 10 days in a row allowing that person to discuss whatever is on their mind. What do you have in place in your buildings? How are you planning to adapt to a virtual environment?
Our Social Brain
(Safety, Belonging and Mattering - SmartTribes Institute, 2018)
Rational BrainLanguageIdeasAbstract ConceptsArtistic Visions
Limbic SystemFeelingsEmotions
Reptilian BrainInstinctSurvivalDominance
Am I safe?
1
Do I belong & matter?
2
What can I learn?
3
hiding, fighting,
gossip, rumorsback talk, yelling,
isolating
arrogance, condescension,not appreciated
increase resilienceincrease empathydecrease anxiety
Presenter
Presentation Notes
Let’s look at the neuroscience of why relationships are so important. Research shows that the brain learns best in community with others, but at the most basic level, if we – as humans – do not feel safe, then our instinctual goal is to get to a place of safety. Once we feel safe, we make sure we actually belong there. When we feel we belong, our brain will then switch out of survival mode and into learning mode which allows us to increase in resilience, gain empathy for others, and decrease anxiety. (animated blue box) For the purpose of calibration or common understanding, when we say... Safety (click for description box) – we are referring to what is taking place in the reptilian brain: when someone doesn’t feel physically or emotionally safe, we might see survival or dominating behaviors such as hiding, fighting, gossip, rumors, spreading fear or discontent Belonging & Mattering (click for description box) – we are referring to what is taking place in the limbic brain: when someone feels he doesn’t belong we might hear back talk, sass, yelling, you may see him withdrawing, or isolating and not responding; along those same lines, if someone feels his contributions don’t matter you will may hear arrogance, condescension, shutting others down, you might even talk about not being appreciated or valued Building relationships nurtures safety, belonging, and mattering so that our neocortex (our rational brain) is ready to accept new things.
Safety: talk about concerns, validate concerns, offer help
Belonging: involve in decisions, ask for and use ideas, express happiness
Mattering: recognize key strengths, opportunities to lead, communicate their value
Foster Safety, Belonging, and Mattering
(Safety, Belonging and Mattering - SmartTribes Institute, 2018)
2
Presenter
Presentation Notes
A person will not experience success and engagement if we don’t first attend to the brain’s needs. This is why relationships are so important. Our relationships with each other and our students provide safety and help model coping behavior which is an active ingredient in building resilience. You’ll notice overlap with belonging. Once the brain knows it belongs, the individual can engage and make meaning. This is how we foster safety, belonging, and mattering. How does this connect to how we provided support? (Facilitators: Let participants provide ideas. Fill in gaps with statements below) We nurture safety by talking about each others concerns, helping each other understand that it’s OK to feel a certain way, and offering to help a person navigate out. We nurture belonging by involving people in our projects, asking for and using their ideas, and simply telling people you are happy that they are here. We nurture mattering by recognizing people’s key strengths, allowing them to lead, and talking about their value. Animation: Stop and Jot Say: At this point, we are going to stop for a minute or two to give you time to jot down some possible applications for your campus. How are you going to intentionally focus on relationship building?
Take rest; a field that has rested gives a bountiful crop.- Ovid
Presenter
Presentation Notes
Melanie 1min. Say: So far, we have examined the importance of healthy relationships and how intentionally building relationships support one’s social emotional needs. The second strategy is self-care. We will focus on the importance of maintaining our own self-care and modeling self-care for others.
Know Yourselfo Recognize
o Reframe
o React
Protect Yourselfo Tracker / Planner
Recharge Yourselfo Manage Your Assets
o Identify Capacity for Resilience
Self-Care Toolbox
Presenter
Presentation Notes
Melanie 1 min. Say: In order to care for ourselves, we need to know ourselves, protect ourselves, and recharge ourselves.
Know Yourself
RecognizeReframe
React
Recognize
Label Emotion
Interpret Trigger
Reframe
Challenge Reason
React
Thoughts
Actions
Presenter
Presentation Notes
Self-awareness and self-management are not complicated, but it does take time and effort. Let's give ourselves grace as we work to gain these skills. Let's examine these three components through a real-time example. RECOGNIZE: First, we must start recognizing our emotions and labeling them. We also need to identify the trigger or the activating event. It is important to accept emotions for what they are – don’t judge yourself for feeling one way or another; simply interpret the reason behind the emotion… “disrespectful of my time; weren’t thoughtful; made excuses; prioritized other things…” (I am completely frustrated) REFRAME: Once we have labeled emotions and determined the trigger, then we can begin to reframe our logic by challenging the reason… “what could be another reason; is my emotion alerting me to something; how much does it really matter; where is the miscommunication” (Why are you so mad...I am working from home. Is that the real reason? No...I am having a hard time communicating with others that I work with) REACT: Finally, we need to take control of our thoughts and actions… “how would I rather feel; to take control, remember a time when I successfully handled the emotion. (even if it was a different situation)" (How am I going to react / how would I rather feel? At ease...To do this, I will have to de-escalate my anger/emotion so I can problem rationally?)
Mind
AffirmationsMeditate Read Rest
Heart
Kindness Joy Time with Family Time with Pets
Soul
Balance CreateGratitudeMe TimeMusic
Body
Exercise / Yoga Fresh Air Hydration Nutrition Skin Care
Protect YourselfSelf-Care Tracker
Schedule It Track It
Be Consistent
Presenter
Presentation Notes
The second component of self-care is protecting yourself. We have examined knowing yourself and recharging yourself, so now let's look at specific strategies to protect ourselves – mind, body, heart, and soul. Just like educating the whole child, we have to protect our whole self. In a time when we tend to be focused on other people, we also have to remember that protecting ourselves through our own self-care is equally as important. We want to acknowledge the stress and demands to “perform” are extensive at this time. In your role, it is crucial to be transparent with those you support about how you are taking care of yourself. For example, allow yourself to stop and embrace vulnerability and honesty. That’s how we build authentic, healthy relationships like we talked about earlier. You know yourself best. Whatever you choose to do, schedule it – track it – and be consistent– Your example invites others to prioritize and take care of themselves in order to be as effective as possible. Maybe you currently have a strong sense of how you practice self-care or maybe this is a next step for you. Whatever the case may be, it will be critical to schedule time and stick to it.
Recharge YourselfStrengths Reflect Personal Coping
Strategies
Question: What is the best & healthiest thing you have done so far to cope with challenges related to COVID-19?
Presenter
Presentation Notes
Cathy 3 min. Say: As we move into the self-care component of recharging ourselves, let’s share the best & healthiest thing you’ve done so far to cope with recent challenges. (annotate using text) Look at all of these fantastic ideas. You all are doing so much right already. I see your strengths being reflected in these coping skills. Let’s talk about personal strength for a minute. (next slide)
Strength noun –anything that makes
you feel strong; allows you to consistently produce positive
outcomes
5-6
Presenter
Presentation Notes
Cathy 5 min. Say: A strength is anything that makes you feel strong; it allows you to consistently produce positive outcomes. Think about something that is naturally a strength to you. If you have done the Strengthsfinder assessment, type in the chat box one of your top strengths. Say: So, what is the connection to self care? In addition to self-awareness and self-management, it is important to leverage our strengths because that supports our capacity for resilience. All of us have all 34 strengths, but some come more naturally than others. Using a strength that comes most natural to me is my method of self-care. For example, one of my strengths is achiever. I feel really good when I have accomplished a task. When I am particularly stressed on a day, I will accomplish something – completing a work out at the gym, planting a flower pot on my deck, organizing my pantry. Your strength might be empathy. Spending time with a loved one or pet might do the trick for you. The important thing is to lean into something that makes you feel strong. This will help you be resilient.
1. I am at my best when I am...
2. You can count on me to…
3. The value I bring to the team is…
4. What I need from you is…
Self-Awareness Statements
Presenter
Presentation Notes
Cathy 4 min. (including stop & jot) Say: Self-care is knowing myself, protecting myself, and recharging myself. This self-awareness allows me to bring my best self to the community and build honest, trusting, healthy relationships with other community members. 4 Statements: 1. I am at my best when I am... 2. You can count on me to… 3. The value I bring to the team is… 4. What I need from you is… Ask: How would these 4 statements benefit you and those with whom you work? (chat box or verbal response) Animated: Stop and Jot enters on click. Ask: How are you currently practicing self-care?
Next Steps on Your Team
How will you build and/or strengthen relationships?
How will you engage in self-care and model it for others?
Presenter
Presentation Notes
Cathy and Melanie 1 min. Say: Today we have examined various strategies that will allow us to provide support to our students, staff, families, and ourselves. These include the importance of healthy relationships and self-care. During each segment of the session, we have taken a few moments to stop, reflect, and jot ideas focused on how we might utilize these strategies within our own context/role. Please take some time to reflect on these questions through the lenses of self (first), students, staff, and families. (15 seconds of silence to think about questions)
Melanie Hammack, Director of Professional [email protected]
864.787.2893 (cell)www.thinkshops.org
Presenter
Presentation Notes
We hope you will check us out on our website shown here. This will give you a broader understanding of who we are and how we can serve you. Thank you!