Coping with Emotions

1. Humber Recovery College Coping with Emotions Session 1: An Introduction

2. LET’S JUST DISCUSS A FEW HOUSEKEEPING BITS BEFORE WE BEGIN

3. Non-judgmental • Supportive & respectful • Positive regard • Inclusion • Educational, not therapy • Confidentiality & self-disclosure • It’s OK to be upset • Not achievement-focused – no marking! • Commitment – Give it your best shot! What Can We Expect?

4. By the end of this session, you will have: • Met and got to know group members • An overview of the course content • A understanding of ‘wellbeing’ and what some of the barriers are • Some knowledge of psychological approach to wellbeing • Identified your personal objectives in attending this course Aims of the Session

5. The aim is to meet as many people around the room as you can, including the Facilitators, and see how much of the information you can gather! Ice-breaker

6. On green paper: Write why you wanted to attend • On blue paper: Write what you hope to get out of it Pop them into the hat and we will pull one another’s slips out and share them Why Are We Here?

7. Why Are We Here?

8. Course Overview

9. What does a good day look like to you? What is Wellbeing?

10. What can effect our emotional and mental health? What can effect our wellbeing?

11. What happens when we begin to become unwell? What is ‘Illness’ for us?

12. ACTIVITY: Wellness v Illness

14. What is the ‘psychological’ approach? What makes you you?! And now for the Science bit…

15. Psychology is the study of behaviour and mental processes If we understand what factors affect who we are, we can begin to understand ourselves and others a little better If we understand ourselves and others better, we can foster healthier relationships It stops us from asking ‘Why am I like this?’ and helps us identify how we can tackle the things we have experienced Why look at Psychology?

16. Psychology is made up of several key aspects: • Development (Life experiences) • Biology (Physical body) • Social (Dealing with the world) • Personality (Who we are) • Thought processes (Cognition) ACTIVITY: In groups discuss how these areas can affect your life and well being. Biopsycho-social Model

18. Before you were even born! • Early life experiences • Attachment • Parenting • Socialising • Learning • Growing up: Adolescence • Becoming an adult • Development through the lifespan All of this has an impact on how we cope, relate, behave and think in adult life Development

19. The nervous system (Brain) Biology

20. How we think about, influence and relate to others • We exist in the world, we interact with the world • Our behaviour is a consequence of our experience in the social world (memories) in turn, our behaviour effects others, and this affects how we think about the world and others • You have learned and internalised customs, habits and values Social

21. The Big Five Factors Personality

22. Cognitive-Thought Processes Perception Understanding Awareness Reason Dreaming Intelligence Memory Learning Thinking

23. A little quiz to help you remember the science stuff!

24. Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (Marsha Linehan 1993) “Extraordinarily effective at helping people manage overwhelming emotions” • When people get angry, sad, or scared, it can feel like a powerful wave sweeping you off your feet, and you feel out of control • Some days the force is so strong it completely takes you over • Often, we try NOT to feel the emotions, they are so strong and uncomfortable, but ‘bottling them up’ can make them more overwhelming • Trying to stop your feelings doesn’t work • Research shows DBT strengthens a person’s ability to handle distress Can we learn to cope better?

25. We will learn how to: • Tolerate distress • Read and regulate our emotions • Understand the links between thoughts, feelings and behaviours • Manage overwhelming emotions and thoughts • Better manage our interactions with other • Take better care of ourselves • Use mindfulness to improve our wellbeing On this course

26. Mindfulness Experience the present moment more fully Focus less on painful experiences from the past or frightening possibilities in the future Learn tools to overcome habitual, negative judgments about yourself and others

27. “Life is hard. You already know that. But you are not stuck or helpless in your struggle with your emotions. You can expect, if you really do the work to implement these skills, that how you react to feelings will change. That’s because – regardless of genetics or early pain – the key skills you’ll learn here can affect the outcome of every conflict and every upset and can literally alter the course of your relationships. There is every reason to hope. All you have to do is turn the page and begin the next chapter of your life. Then keep working at it.” Mckay, Wood & Brantley There is Hope!

28. Spend a few moments thinking about your aims in coming on this course • Once you have done this, use the ‘Aims & Commitment’ form to make commitments to yourself about these sessions. • What do you promise yourself in order to ensure that you do achieve your aims? Make a Commitment

29. Course Overview

30. Humber Recovery College Well Done! You’ve completed Session 1!Next Week: Session 2: Distress Tolerance