The HeadStart Service is based in resilient therapy using the Resilience Framework. A core pillar of this is about our coping skills, using evidence-based approaches to support children and young people to develop a ‘toolbox’ enabling them to cope and manage well with daily challenges and maintain good emotional health.
This week we’re inviting you to reflect on your own coping skills as a professional in education. How do you support yourself when you are having a difficult day? What are the healthy habits that keep you feeling good? How are you talking to yourself – with kindness or criticism? At HeadStart we talk about ‘Ordinary Magic’ – that resilience is made of ordinary rather than extraordinary processes.
In relation to staff wellbeing ‘Ordinary Magic’ relies on every day social interactions to foster a supportive and sustainable school culture. This could be micro-affirmations and peer to peer connections-small, specific and genuine acts of acknowledgement. This creates a sense of belonging and builds a resilient team. These interactions are highly effective because they tap into our basic human needs for connection, belonging and feeling valued.
Here are some coping tips taken directly from the Resilience Framework:
- Understand your own boundaries and keep within them.
Boundaries help us to feel safe and set clear rules for others about how to treat us. We are all unique and have individual and personal needs.
- Being brave.
Sometimes we need to get our brave pants on and step outside of our comfort zones. This can help us to face uncomfortable feelings and use our personal power to feel more resilient.
- Solving problems.
There can be many challenges as well as rewards working in education and it can sometimes feel overwhelming. How we think about the problem can make a big difference – what is the size and type of the problem and what can you do about it? This can help us to be more action oriented.
- Putting on rose-tinted glasses.
This is not about toxic positivity but more about having an objective view of an event that can help to make sense of it in a more positive way. Even in more difficult times there can be something good as a result or something to be grateful for and this can make a big difference to your mindset and resilience.
- Calming and self-soothing.
Having self-awareness about your own emotions is key -what are your triggers? What are your habitual responses? Is there something you could change that is better for your own health, wellbeing and peace of mind? Relaxation is a skill and something we all need to learn to do and can help us to self-soothe.
We invite you to choose one that resonates with you most to improve your wellbeing and keep remembering that you matter too!
Published: June 19