Employees are constantly “on”. There is very little escape from the constantly frantic 24/7 world. The result can be burnout – both physically and mentally. Long term activation of our sympathetic nervous system (or ‘fight, flight, freeze’ stress response) can be detrimental to our health. This sympathetic drive can take its toll on the body causing adrenal fatigue, systemic inflammation in the body and chronic disease. Sympathetic overdrive for employees can manifest itself as lack of energy, increased conflict, lack of job satisfaction, poor morale, decreased ability to handle stress, a compromised immune system and memory lapses.

Challenges and difficulties in the workplace cannot be avoided, but we can build our resilience to them. A successful way to build resilience in the workplace is to teach employees the skills and tools they need to identify and maintain healthy levels of stress and self-regulate in order to quickly recover from challenging situations when they arise. Teaching staff how to anchor themselves amidst the pull of turbulence in their lives helps them build the capacity to accept, tolerate and transform painful mind and body states without reacting so intensely to them.

Through combined mindfulness-based stress reduction and cognitive therapy practices, employees can learn how to elicit the relaxation response. This is a key component of our programs, not only for reducing stress, but also for reducing blood pressure, pain, tension and muscle tightness. Suppression of the sympathetic nervous system and physiological stress response is very effective in improving focus, productivity, digestion, increasing energy levels, and improving flexibility, blood flow and circulation.

Here is an example outline of our 4 Week Stress Resilience Program.

*Each workshop will be approximately 1-1.15 hours in duration.

Week 1

Introduction to Attention Training

• What is mindfulness?
• Awareness- how to create self-awareness.
• Using the breath as an anchor to calm the mind.
• Minimising internal distractions.

Week 2

Neuroplasticity & Habits

• The brain & the science behind mindfulness practice.
• Hard-wiring happiness.
• The importance of pleasant awareness, kindness, positivity and gratitude.

Week 3

The Stress Response

• Learning how to self-regulate and reduce reactivity.
• Understanding the role of the amygdala.
• Identifying early warning signs of stress & anxiety.
• Neurobiology of emotions.

Week 4

Self-Care & Resilience Tools

• Outsmarting the stress response.
• Eliciting the relaxation response.
• Dealing with difficult emotions/ pain/ sensations.

Bookings are available now for 2019. Please contact Engage Health for further information https://www.engagehealth.com.au/contact-us/