Anyone working with people will have the opportunity to test themselves on the professional burnout scale to see what their stress status is. The evaluation method (Herbert Freudenberger scale) is used, which measures the four phases of professional burnout – enthusiasm, stagnation, discouragement and apathy. The various responses to stress - physiological, emotional, behavioral and cognitive - will be explored to see how stressors affect the whole body and mental life of a person. A major focus in this training will be on coping mechanisms and how their use improves the quality of life of employees. Copings will be considered as group (team) and individual and what are the consequences of their application. There will be many discussions about how to improve the psychological climate in the workplace and how to change the organizational environment to prevent some human factor stressors. Managers of organizations will have the opportunity to examine their management styles and way of communication (which lead to an increase in tension) with their colleagues and take stock and make choices to change their behavior (attitude). The training also includes a module for providing psychological support to a colleague who has experienced stress. Participants will be taught how to use techniques such as active listening, questioning skills, empathy, encouragement and more to improve the state of the stressed person. If there are more advanced participants in the group, we can raise the level by teaching them to provide crisis intervention.

WHO IS THE TRAINING FOR:

The training is aimed at teachers; school psychologists; pedagogical advisers; employees of educational institutions; representative public authorities; NGO leaders; trainers of adults and youths; people working with other people who want to improve their skills in becoming more resilient and successful in managing their stress.

A balance between theory and practical exercises will be achieved throughout the training. Interactive learning methods will be used - brainstorming, discussion, story-role games, simulation games, psycho-dramatic sketches, use of projective techniques, working in small groups, working with case studies, sharing personal experiences; the "Aquarium" method; the "diffusion and debriefing" methods and others. Through these methods, we will make the participants learn through experience and commit more seriously and responsibly to their health. The training allows participants to present their case studies and problems related to experiencing professional stress and its consequences - professional burnout. For mental health professionals, school psychologists and educational counselors, it will give them the opportunity to apply their knowledge among their colleagues in educational institutions. If they wish, they will be offered an adapted methodology for conducting short trainings for pedagogical specialists.

TRAINING RESULTS

Participants will learn:

• what is stress and reactions to stress;
• appropriate psychological knowledge for each participant to diagnose their stress status and coping skills for own stress;
• will acquire skills for providing psychological support to colleagues in need who have experienced stress;
• what are these cognitive biases that increase the risk of burnout
• they will learn to communicate sparingly with other colleagues, so as to reduce the prerequisites for increasing psychological tension from "bad" communication.
• they will be able to recognize the reactions that are a consequence of stress, they will be able to recognize the phases of professional burnout and others
• they will know their level of professional burnout and that of their colleagues and will know what measures to take
• to identify the different phases of traumatic and occupational stress;
• use various individual and group defense mechanisms (coping) to manage stress

LANGUAGE

The course can be conducted in English and/or Bulgarian.

REGISTRATION

Please, enroll here. A minimum of six participants is required for a course. 

PROGRAM

Training activities include an introductory online meeting + 5 days of face-to-face training

Online introduction: General overview of stress management program capabilities. Objectives and what learners can expect. Getting to know the trainers. Preliminary questions from the trainees to the trainers.

DAY 1

Presentation of the program

Expectations from the seminar

Introduction to the phenomenon "Stress"

Types of stress

Definitions of stress

Stress reactions - Physiological; Emotional; Behavioral; Cognitive

Establishing the individual "stress status" of each participant - test

DAY 2

Analysis and recommendations of the individual "stress status"

Study of the causes of stress - types of stressors

Phases of Traumatic Stress:

• The shock
• The reactions
• The processing
• The reorientation

DAY 3

Professional stress.

Phases of professional burnout - enthusiasm, stagnation, discouragement, apathy.

Behavioral reactions to occupational burnout:

• Verbal
• Non-verbal

Consequences of professional burnout - personal and professional

The role of cognitive biases in increasing occupational burnout.

DAY 4

Defense mechanisms - coping mechanisms

• Individual - positive and negative
• Group - positive and negative
• Practical exercises
• Individual – autogenic relaxation; breathing exercises and others
• Group techniques for coping with stress
• Keeping an anti-stress diary

DAY 5

• The role of psychological support in a work environment
• What is immediate psychological support
• Psychological reactions and responses of people under stress
• Assessment of needs. Issues in working with the needs of people who have experienced stress
• Using different techniques to provide psychological support
• Psychological support for loss and grief
• Ideas for creating your own work-life balance programs.

DAY 6

Cultural visit including local implementation and impact of Erasmus+ projects.

DAY 7

Departure of the participants