Nurturing Your Emotional Health

Week of May 6, 2023

A Mindful Approach to Stress
During this time of unprecedented change and uncertainty, we have come to accept that stress is a part of daily life, yet many people struggle to understand that stress can be both a positive and motivating force as well as a detriment to physical health and emotional wellbeing. This presentation offers a mindful approach to navigating change and challenges — participants will learn about signs of stress related to four dimensions of personal energy: physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual. Research in the field of positive psychology will be highlighted and participants will be introduced to several natural antidotes to stress as well as pathways to cultivating joy and meaning.

Natural Pathways to Well-Being
The pursuit of happiness is a fundamental right mentioned in the Declaration of Independence; however, it is left to individuals to determine the meaning of happiness.  Researchers have provided varying definitions of what it means to be happy, but many people struggle to feel a sustained sense of overall well-being. The COVID-19 pandemic added a new appreciation for the importance of engaging in self-care – feelings of anxiety, depression, isolation, and loss became more common than ever. This presentation will focus on providing strategies to not only cultivate meaning and purpose, but to mindfully navigate change and improve your physical health and emotional wellbeing. Evidenced based benefits of expressing gratitude, engaging in acts of kindness, and the importance of connection will be illuminated. Participants will learn ways to develop a growth mindset – leaving the session with a sense of empowerment to approach the challenges of life with emotional fortitude.

Boosting Resilience
Resilience is the ability to successfully bounce back from adversity or misfortune – the past few years have certainly been a time to tap into one’s capacity to persevere. How successful have you been in navigating the stress and uncertainty of the pandemic, the social and political unrest, personal losses…? When people face adversity whether big or small, they need to apply their mental, physical, and emotional energy to adjust to new circumstances. A set of five characteristics have been associated with people who adapt well to stressful situations and life-altering events. These five attributes will be reviewed, and participants will have an opportunity to assess their current level of resilience and evidenced-based strategies for boosting resilience will be presented.

How Emotionally Intelligent Are You?
What is emotional intelligence? How does it impact your relationships with family and friends, partners, and colleagues? During this session, you will learn about the components of emotional intelligence (EQ) and participants will complete an EQ assessment to determine their areas of strength as well as areas for skill building. The benefits of increasing your EQ will be highlighted and strategies for strengthening your EQ will be provided.

 

Gyll Turteltaub, PsyD is a clinical psychologist in San Anselmo, California. She works for Kaiser Permanente as the Senior Director of People & Culture for The Permanente Federation. The Permanente Federation LLC is the national leadership and consulting organization for the eight Permanente Medical Groups (PMGs). Gyll is responsible for developing and providing strategic leadership for PMG People and Culture initiatives including equity, inclusion, and diversity, leadership development, engagement and training, and Physician Health and Wellness. Additionally, Gyll maintains a private practice, providing psychotherapy for individuals and couples. Her areas of specialty include compassion fatigue, burnout, improving mindful living and work/life balance and treating anxiety and depression. Gyll has presented workshops internationally on a variety of topics including mindfulness, resiliency, communication effectiveness, burnout, and emotional intelligence.