Mindfulness Stress and Resilience – Dee Hennessy Master Facilitator Mindfulness

This will be a virtual event over four days;

Date: 19th/26th October & 2nd/9th November

Time: 10.30 am till 12 noon

Cost: €20 SCI Members/ €80 Non members

Social care Ireland are delighted to welcome back Dee Hennessy who has provided training for us in the past. During 2020 Dee developed some meditation & mindfulness training courses specifically for the human care workplace and the particular challenges of the worldwide pandemic. These interventions come from a place of deep understanding of human care work and are simple, practical and accessible to all. With the fast pace of life these days, many of us can feel overwhelmed and under pressure. Studies show that stress can negatively affect our decision-making skills, creativity, as well as our ability to work well with others. The current worldwide pandemic has further catapulted many individuals, teams and organisations into much higher levels of stress, overwhelm and anxiety, than even this fast-paced environment of working with others is used to. It is more critical than ever now that those working in social care are supported to develop strong self-regulation, and resilience skills. By learning evidence-based mindfulness practices individuals, teams and whole organisations working in the area of human care will know how to respond more wisely rather than reacting to stressful situations. They will know how to remain strong and grounded, while also having clear boundaries and a commitment to self-care

Learning Outcomes: During these four workshops participants will learn practical tools and resources to better manage stress and to strengthen wellbeing and resilience. Each 1.5 interactive workshop will be in a small group setting each session will include one hour on a particular theme and thirty minutes group coaching on specific challenges in the workplace as identified my group members.

Session One – Understanding and Managing Stress and Anxiety. Themes explored through short inputs and practices:

• Managing Stress – sustaining our wellbeing
• Understanding Stress
• Building the skill of managing stress through taking a ‘pause’
• Practices – One minute breathing space
• Three Step Breathing Pause

Session Two – Self-Care as a hard-core resilience practice

• Self Care to Resilience
• We cannot pour from an empty cup
• Self care as hard core resilience skill
• Building the skill of strengthening our own resilience, step by step.
• Practices – Mindfulness of Body and Breath
• Mindful Movement

Session Three – Managing Difficult Emotions- how to strengthen our self-regulation as leaders

• The neuroscience behind self-compassion and kindness.
• The evidence-based impact of self-compassion and kindness practices on
  our physical and mental wellbeing
• Practice Metta or Friendship Practice

Session Four – The science behind gratitude and kindness practices as key ways to both manage stress and anxiety, and strengthen our physical and mental wellbeing.

Each workshop will include a short pdf and a downloadable short practice on the session theme.

Facilitator: Dee Hennessy professional background is in Social Care work where she had many years’ experience working initially as a front-line worker, then team leader and manager, and later as an external consultant across a wide range of human care organisations. Her initial explorations in mindfulness began with her own experience coming close to burnout as a result of her commitment to and passion for this human care work. So, she has been there. Dee has since completed an Msc in Mindfulness Based Interventions including an analysis of the emerging meta studies showing how mindfulness is a skill which can be learned even in a fast-paced work environment, and which has been shown to be very impactful in managing stress.