# data[].attributes.body
*Final Check-In

Jacobson's Relaxation Technique

Understanding Stress & Stress Responses

Mindfulness

Body Scan Meditations

Our Best Practices & Projects

Gratitude & Praise Jars

One Word

Certificate Celebration!

# data[].attributes.body
Improv Activities (Dragon's Tail, Passing the Energy, and "I am a Tree!" Statues)

Check-In: Anything/Something Else & One Word

Padlet/Cards/Mobility Forms

Praise & Gratitude Jars

Understanding Trauma

Deepening our EI/EQ: Making Space for Grief

Ways of Council

World Cafe - Best Practices

Dance Church?

Jacobson's Body Scan Relaxation Meditation

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Pesso Boyden System Psychomotor (PBSP) is an interactional, body-based group therapy that enables one to recreate past experiences in order to compensate for emotional deficits earlier in life. Dev…

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
8 Brocades Qigong | Daily Qigong Routine for Health | Ba Duan Jin

# data[].attributes.body
LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/viceversacz/
Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/ViceVersaCZ
Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/viceversacz/

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
We have a passion for active and innovative learning methods such as game-based learning, theatre and storytelling.

# data[].attributes.headline
MBSR: Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction by Jon Kabat-Zinn

# data[].attributes.subject
MBSR: Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction by Jon Kabat-Zinn

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
This survey has been moved, click the new link below

# data[].attributes.body
Grounded Tree

One Word

Padlet/Cards/Mobility

Mental Health Cafe (Active Listening Practice)

Mental Hygiene for me is...

Values Exercise

Anatomy of Trust (homework)

B.R.A.V.I.N.G.

Presentations!

# data[].attributes.headline
 Vice Versa: Czech Europass Branch, info and follow us! :)

# data[].attributes.subject
 Vice Versa: Czech Europass Branch, info and follow us! :)

# data[].attributes.body
MONDAY:

⛪morning: Intro City Tour

📖Sessions: 2:00pm - 7:00pm (with coffee and dinner breaks)

TUESDAY - FRIDAY:

📖Sessions: 2:00pm - 7:00pm (with coffee and dinner breaks)

SATURDAY (optional):

⛪ Trip to Kutná Hora (coming back around 16:00)

# data[].attributes.headline
PADLET WITH TIPS:  Prague Inspiration: what to see, where to eat etc.

# data[].attributes.subject
PADLET WITH TIPS:  Prague Inspiration: what to see, where to eat etc.

# data[].attributes.headline
Introduce yourself. Tell us your name, where you're from, what you teach and one or two funfacts about yourself 

# data[].attributes.subject
Introduce yourself. Tell us your name, where you're from, what you teach and one or two funfacts about yourself 

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
300+ Erasmus Courses
for Teachers
All Over Europe

Here you will find your high quality teacher training course and a reliable Erasmus+ partner

Why Europass Teacher Academy?

The Largest Variety of Teacher Training Courses in Europe

Europass offers a unique opportunity for teachers from around the world to exchange best practices, grow their skill set, and discover innovative teaching and learning strategies for greater student achievement and engagement.

If you are looking for professional development opportunities, why not come to one of Europe's most spectacular cities? Explore landmark cultural heritage sites, get inspired, and tap into your full creative potential as an educator.

Our Main Teacher Training Locations

All Erasmus Locations

Request information about our courses

Chosen by 5.000 schools
every year

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Teacher Training Courses - Europass Teacher Academy

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
With 300+ Erasmus Plus KA1 Courses for Teachers, Europass offers you the largest variety of teacher training courses in Europe

# data[].attributes.body
1. Magical Picnic

2. Padlet Review/Cards/Mobility Forms

3. Speed Friending!

What is the story of your name?

One happy moment?

What is one of your superpowers?

What gives you pleasure?

What is your favorite place?

Who is your favorite person?

What do you want to be when you grow up?

Who do you want to be when you grow up?

4. Choose a card that represents....

5. School Presentations!

6. One word...

# data[].attributes.headline
Check-in: What does my body feel like? What do I still want to learn?

# data[].attributes.subject
Check-in: What does my body feel like? What do I still want to learn?

# data[].attributes.body
Make a list of what matters most to you and why.

Padlet/Cards/Mobility Forms

Praise & Gratitude Jars

Check-In: if you were something from nature today, what would you be and why. Can you draw it? Drawing Activity.

Emotional Intelligence & the Feelings Wheel

Dragon's Tail

Homework Review: Our Values & Connected Behaviors

Causes & Consequences of Mental Health Issues.

Co-Regulation & Self-Regulation

Presentations!

Poly-Vagal Theory BASICS

# data[].attributes.body
trauma

/ˈtrɔːmə,ˈtraʊmə/

noun

noun: trauma; plural noun: traumata; plural noun: traumas

1. 1.

a deeply distressing or disturbing experience.

"a personal trauma like the death of a child"

emotional shock following a stressful event or a physical injury, which may lead to long-term neurosis.

"the event is relived with all the accompanying trauma"

Similar:

shock

upheaval

distress

stress

strain

pain

anguish

suffering

upset

agony

misery

sorrow

grief

heartache

heartbreak

torture

disturbance

disorder

jolt

ordeal

trial

tribulation

trouble

worry

anxiety

burden

adversity

hardship

nightmare

2.

Medicine

physical injury.

# data[].attributes.headline
Trauma Informed Care as a Universal Precaution

# data[].attributes.subject
Trauma Informed Care as a Universal Precaution

# data[].attributes.body
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ViceVersaCZ

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/viceversacz

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/viceversacz

Google reviews

https://g.co/kgs/XdeeCi8

# data[].attributes.headline
Bodyscan meditation: 3 scripts and resources

# data[].attributes.subject
Bodyscan meditation: 3 scripts and resources

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
A body scan meditation is a specific form of mindfulness meditation that requires the practitioner to focus all of their attention on the body.

The mind is guided to focus systematically on various parts of the body, redirecting it back to the practice if you become distracted.

The body scan is a mindfulness-based intervention often used as part of a longer mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) program. However, this meditation can be done as a standalone practice and has many benefits, including deep relaxation, reduced stress and anxiety, and improved sleep (Grossman, Niemann, Schmidt, & Walach, 2004).

This article will detail the history and benefits of this practice and provide scripts and resources for using this tool.

Before you continue, we thought you might like to download our three Mindfulness Exercises for free. These science-based, comprehensive exercises will not only help you cultivate a sense of inner peace throughout your daily life, but also give you the tools to enhance the mindfulness of your clients, students, or employees.

What Is Body Scan Meditation in Mindfulness?

The term "body scan" originated with the mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) program introduced by John Kabat-Zinn in the 1970s (Anālayo, 2020).

MBSR is an eight-week program and has enjoyed popularity as an ongoing and successful intervention used in schools and hospitals by teachers and therapists. There is a wealth of research on the program and hundreds of controlled studies demonstrating its effectiveness (Gu, Strauss, Bond, & Cavanagh, 2015).

Although Kabat-Zinn is credited with the success of MBSR and the invention of the body scan meditation as a foundation of the curriculum, the concepts of mindfulness and meditation date back centuries, with their origin in Buddhism.

According to Buddhist scholar Bhikkhu Anālayo (2020), Kabat-Zinn learned meditation from Robert Hover, who taught vipassana meditation retreats in the tradition of U Ba Khin.

U Ba Khin is considered one of the foremost experts in vipassana meditation, teaching the practice in Myanmar and training many teachers who then brought the practice to the West (Vipassana Research Institute, n.d.).

One of the central tenets of vipassana is the recognition of impermanence. It is believed that the acceptance of impermanence can lead to a reduction of suffering. As taught by U Ba Khin, the body scan was a way to meditate on this process.

"In Vipassana the object of meditation is anicca [impermanence], and therefore in the case of those used to focusing their attention on bodily feelings, they can feel anicca directly. In experiencing anicca in relation to the body, it should first be in the area where one can easily get his attention engrossed, changing the area of attention from place to place, from head to feet and from feet to head, at times probing into the interior."

U Ba Khin, 1997, p. 5-6

Kabat-Zinn's decision to secularize these meditation practices stemmed from his desire to introduce them as therapies for pain reduction (Helderman, 2019).

MBSR gathers traditions and practices from various Buddhist sources and strips them of their spiritual discourse. In this way, they may be taught in settings like schools and hospitals and enjoyed by people of all walks of life, regardless of their religious affiliations. As such, MBSR is not taught as a Buddhist practice, but rather as a mindfulness-based intervention.

Kabat-Zinn defines mindfulness as paying attention, on purpose, to the present moment, without judgment (Kabat-Zinn & Hahn, 2009). The body scan meditation applies this concept to the body.

The meditator is directed to sweep their attention over the body, resting on various parts of the body systematically. Importantly, there is no direction to change the state of the body; this is not a relaxation exercise. The body scan is merely a mindfulness exercise, designed to bring the mind to rest in the present.

That the body scan does not require the meditator to do anything is an important point that bears repeating. There is a popular technique, known as progressive muscle relaxation (PMR), where the participant is instructed to focus on different parts of the body and then clench and release each muscle. This is a very different practice than the body scan.

Both practices, the body scan and PMR, have a progression of attention over the body, and both practices focus on releasing emotions and judgment of the body. But PMR is an active practice where the participant is working with the body, and eventually the goal is relaxation (Dreeben, Mamberg, & Salmon, 2013).

In contrast, body scan attempts to stay with whatever sensations arise in the body and allow them to come and go on their own (Dreeben et al., 2013).

This level of acceptance is where the power of the body scan lies. This practice has allowed many people to learn to live with chronic pain. The practice can help clients recognize that their pain is not constant but ebbs and flows, and like all things, it is also impermanent.

3 Benefits According to Research

Although MBSR has been studied extensively as a program and shown to have multiple benefits for both physical and mental health, body scan meditation has been studied less as it is only a tool used within the MBSR program.

Nervous system response to body scan meditation

Generally, research studies of mindfulness include the entire program (Grossman et al., 2004).

There have been a few studies that attempted to specifically examine the effects of body scan meditation. The purpose of these studies was to clarify the benefits of specific practices within the MBSR model and show the effectiveness of standalone practices.

One such study compared body scan meditations with three conditions: PMR, sitting quietly for 20 minutes, and a control group. They found that after four weeks of a daily 20-minute practice, the group of body scan meditators had a significantly greater increase in parasympathetic activity (Ditto, Eclache, & Goldman, 2006).

When we are stressed and our body is in fight-or-flight mode, this is an activation of the sympathetic nervous system. Ditto et al. (2006) found that regular body scan meditations mediated that response, allowing the participants' bodies to spend less time in fight or flight (sympathetic) and more time in rest and digest (parasympathetic).

Body scan meditation for managing anxiety

In one study examining the effects of MBSR on mental wellbeing, the researchers could assess the benefits of body scan meditation alone by correlating practice time with outcomes (Carmody & Baer, 2008). They found body scan practice time was positively and significantly correlated with decreased anxiety and increased non-reactivity.

Another study that correlated body scan practice time with outcomes in breast cancer survivors found similar results. Body scan practice time correlated with significant improvements in anxiety, depression, and stress (Lengacher et al., 2009).

Finally, in a study examining the effects of various relaxation techniques during a smoking cessation program, researchers found that participants in the body scan group experienced less irritability, restlessness, and tension while quitting smoking than groups using other relaxation techniques (Ussher, Cropley, Playle, Mohidin, & West, 2009).

Can body scan help with sleep?

Considering the relaxing effects that body scan meditation has shown on the nervous system (Ditto et al., 2006), it is logical to conclude that it would aid in sleep, and research seems to support this conclusion.

One study examined the effects of mindfulness practices as part of a cognitive-behavioral treatment for insomnia (CBTI) in adolescents. Researchers wanted to see if mindfulness practices had any discernible increase in benefit. All the teenagers received CBTI, but only half of the group performed body scan meditations (de Bruin, Meijer, & Bögels, 2020).

Results showed that while all the participants experienced significant improvements in sleep, the body scan group showed better sleep quality and less irritability than the non-meditation group (de Bruin et al., 2020).

Similar to the smoking cessation study, where participants in both groups showed improvements overall, the body scan meditation seems to help with subjective feelings of reactivity, stress, and irritability (de Bruin et al., 2020; Ussher et al., 2009).

Finally, a study in Thailand examined the effects of deep breathing paired with body scan meditations on sleep quality in older adults (Nanthakwang et al., 2020).

Researchers found that outcomes on their sleep quality index increased significantly in the body scan meditation group when compared to a group that listened to music before bed. They also showed that participants' measures of quality of life improved. This is in line with other results that show that mindfulness-based interventions reduce stress and enhance overall quality of life (Gu et al., 2015).

How to Do Body Scan Meditation

The traditional body scan meditation as taught in MBSR lasts about 30-45 minutes. In this practice, the meditator is lying down. Kabat-Zinn purposely decided to have the practitioner lie down because many of his first patients were in too much pain to complete a 30-minute seated meditation (Anālayo, 2020).

For the complete length of time, the meditator is instructed to maintain awareness of their body. If at any point the awareness shifts away and the participant becomes distracted, they are instructed simply to return to a part of the body and begin again.

The meditation begins at the feet, noticing any sensations present in the toes. Then the meditator slowly moves awareness to the heels, ankles, and upward. The direction is simply to notice and be aware of any sensations that are present.

After moving in this way systematically through the entire body, the meditator is then instructed to link the parts together and feel the body in its entirety.

3 Scripts for Guided Body Scan Meditation

Here is a brief and helpful body scan script from Kabat-Zinn's (2009, p. 155) bestseller Wherever You Go, There You Are: Mindfulness Meditation in Everyday Life:

TRY: tuning in to your breath when you find yourself lying down. Feel it moving in your entire body. Dwell with the breath in various regions of your body, such as the feet, the legs, the pelvis and genitals, the belly, the chest, the back, the shoulders, the arms, the throat and neck, the head, the face, the top of your head. Listen carefully. Allow yourself to feel whatever is present. Watch the sensations in the body flux and change. Watch your feelings about them flux and change.

Koru Mindfulness is a mindfulness program created at Duke University for young adults. The program introduces a body scan meditation in the first session. Here is the script from their handbook Mindfulness for the Next Generation (Rogers & Maytan, 2019, p 77-78). For this practice, the meditator is seated.

In our guided meditation today, we'll be focusing our attention on different body sensations. Today we will use the sensations in our body to help anchor our awareness to our present-moment experience.

You will find that your mind frequently wanders away from your anchor, which is also known as the "object of meditation." See if you can notice when your mind has wandered and without making judgments about yourself or your ability to do this, gently bring your attention back to the sensations in your body.

It is the nature of the mind to think, and we're not trying to stop the mind from thinking. We're just training the mind to focus better by learning to notice when it has wandered away and gently bringing it back, over and over to our present-moment experience.

[pause]

Let's again get into our meditation position. Let your feet rest on the floor, hands resting in your lap, eyes closed. See if you can keep your spine straight while your muscles relax around it. Listen for the sound of the bell...

[pause]

Let's begin by bringing our awareness to the bottom of our feet as we notice the feeling of our feet resting against the floor. See if you can just notice the sensations in your feet where they rest against the floor...

[pause]

Now, as you continue to watch the sensations in your feet, allow yourself also to become aware of your breath moving in and out of your body. See if you can imagine your breath moving in and out through the bottom of your feet...

[pause]

With each inhalation, allow your awareness to sharpen; with each exhalation, allow tension and tightness to be released from your feet. Breathing in, focus your attention; breathing out, release tension...

[pause]

(allow a brief period of silence before moving on to the next body part, to allow the students a chance to practice focusing their attention)...

The body scan continues in this way as you move up the body. Adjusting for time as needed, you will usually focus on the thighs, hands, belly, arms, back, shoulders and neck, jaws, muscles around the eyes, and the forehead. This meditation can be lengthened by adding more parts of the body or done fairly briefly by just picking a few.

Of course, the original source of all Buddhist meditation practices are the teachings of the Buddha. There are many texts that describe his teachings, but one that has referenced a practice similar to the body scan is found in the Satipatthana sutta (Anālayo, 2020). This sutta is used by vipassana teachers and considered the first description of sati, or what is now called mindfulness.

The Four Foundations of Mindfulness in Plain English by Bhante Gunaratana (2012) is a wonderful book that outlines this sutta in clear language and guides the reader through several practices.

Gunaratana (2012, p. 58) states that the purpose of meditation on the body is "accepting our body as it is right now, without our usual emotional reactions. It helps us overcome pride and self-hatred and regard our body with the balanced mind of equanimity."

One body scan meditation outlined in this book considers the "thirty-two parts" of the body. These parts are:

Twenty parts belonging to the body's earth element

Head hairs, body hairs, nails, teeth, skin

Flesh, sinews, bones, bone marrow, kidneys

Heart, liver, diaphragm, spleen, lungs

Large intestines, small intestines, contents of the stomach, feces, brain

Twelve parts belonging to the body's water element

Bile, phlegm, pus, blood, sweat, fat

Tears, lymph, saliva, mucus, joint fluid, urine

The meditation script continues:

Begin meditating by cultivating loving-friendliness towards all beings. Remind yourself that your intention in meditating on the 32 parts of the body is to overcome pride and self-hatred for your own body and lust and loathing for the bodies of others. You want to regard all bodies and their parts with the balanced mind of equanimity (Gunaratana, 2012, p. 63).

The instructions begin with the first five parts and focus on how changeable they are. For example, the hair on our head is constantly growing, and as we age, it changes texture and color. It is impermanent. The meditator is instructed to focus on these thoughts with each of the parts.

Continue adding each group, meditating on the first 10, then 15, then 20.

Keep in mind that simply repeating the names of the body parts does not do any good. Use your imagination to visualize those parts that are hidden under the skin. Consider each with thoughts similar to those we used for the first five (Gunaratana, 2012, p. 63).

As the meditation continues, more and more parts are added, until the practice includes all 32 parts. Instructions say that the length of time spent on each part and the meditation overall varies. "Some people take longer than others to achieve mindfulness and clear comprehension" (Gunaratana, 2012, p. 64).

Remember that your aim is to recognize that each of the thirty-two parts of the body is impermanent. Because it is subject to growth, decay, disease, and death, it cannot give you lasting satisfaction. Finally, recognize that each is 'not mind, not I and not my self' (Gunaratana, 2012, p. 64).

4 Helpful Meditation Apps to Download

To take your body scan meditations further, consider installing any one of these meditation apps.

Best overall

Our favorite overall meditation app is Insight Timer.

This meditation app has thousands of free meditations by teachers all over the world. One charming aspect of the app is that when you log in, you can see a map of all the people meditating at the same time as you.

Insight Timer has over 2,000 body scan meditations available. This may seem like an overwhelming number, but you can narrow your search by the length of the meditation and other filters. There are body scan meditations that last anywhere from 5 to 45 minutes.

Best for beginners

Headspace has been used by millions of people to learn the basics of mindfulness.

It is a great app for beginners because unlike Insight Timer, it can lead the user through one clear course. Their 10-day beginner course is free and has helped many to get started on the path of meditating every day.

Best for sleep

Calm is a popular app for folks who are looking for help with insomnia.

The app contains many relaxing meditations, as well as sleep stories and relaxing soundscapes. There are a handful of body scan meditations. In order to have access to all the meditations, a subscription is required.

Best for mood

MyLife Meditation opens by asking you how you are feeling and what you'd like to focus on.

Then it will give recommended activities based on your response. It's an intuitive app that allows users to set goals based around reducing anxiety or stress, improving sleep, and other wellness objectives. This app has many free meditations as well as a monthly subscription to access all the benefits.

Resources From PositivePsychology.com

PositivePsychology.com has many other blog posts on the benefits of mindfulness. If you'd like to learn more about the general practice, here are excellent places to start:

In addition to great mindfulness articles, we also have many worksheets to help coaches and therapists incorporate mindfulness into their practice. Here are two good introductory worksheets:

3 Steps to cultivate mindful awareness

This worksheet gives the reader a brief mindfulness exercise to practice when time is limited. It is also an excellent tool for those brand new to mindfulness.

The three-step process helps you to return to the present quickly, which can reduce acute stress in the moment and, when done regularly, reduce overall stress and anxiety.

Right Here, Right Now

This is a brief and simple exercise that will guide you into the present. The worksheet asks us to name what we can see, hear, feel, smell, and touch right now. This exercise is excellent for children and adults alike and can foster a feeling of groundedness.

Toolkit tools

Our Positive Psychology Toolkit© contains hundreds of useful resources for practitioners. One of the activities includes a lesson for leading clients in a body scan meditation.

The toolkit provides both a PDF of the script as well as a 20-minute audio meditation that leads you through the body scan. It begins by asking the listener to lie down and close their eyes. Then, similar to the scripts above, it takes a gradual approach, inviting the listener to breathe into each body part and attend to each sensation without judgment.

Because this tool is designed with practitioners in mind, there is also advice on how to lead clients through a body scan. Some reminders include letting go of judgment around how successful you are at staying present and releasing the goal of not getting distracted.

17 Mindfulness & meditation exercises

If you're looking for more science-based ways to help others enjoy the benefits of mindfulness, check out this collection of 17 validated mindfulness tools for practitioners. Use them to help others reduce stress and create positive shifts in their mental, physical, and emotional health.

A Take-Home Message

Mindfulness meditation is an incredible tool for increasing mental and physical health (Carmody & Baer, 2008). Body scan meditations are a simple and effective way to begin learning mindfulness meditation.

Introducing mindfulness through a body scan meditation can help those new to meditation by giving them a familiar object to focus their attention on.

Body scan meditation, whether alone or part of a longer mindfulness course, can help calm the nervous system, reduce stress and anxiety, and improve sleep (de Bruin et al., 2020; Ditto et al., 2006; Nanthakwang et al., 2020).

If you'd like to develop your self-compassion and release judgment about your body, or if you would just like to reduce the effects of stress, try a body scan meditation. Research has shown the incredible benefits; try it for yourself.

We hope you enjoyed reading this article. Don't forget to download our three Mindfulness Exercises for free.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
How to Perform Body Scan Meditation: 3 Best Scripts

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
This article will detail the history and benefits of body scan meditation and provide scripts and resources for using this stress reduction tool.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Note:

This tool uses an informal approach to assessing burnout. While it may be intuitively useful, it has not been validated through controlled scientific tests and must therefore not be used as a diagnostic technique.

Please, therefore, interpret the results with common sense. Also, make allowances for any recent events that may have a disproportionate influence on your mood at the time you take the test!

If you prefer rigorously validated tests, then the Maslach Burnout Inventory may be useful. This was developed by Christina Maslach, one of the leading researchers in the field of burnout. Copies can be purchased at this site.

If you want to reproduce this quiz, you can purchase downloadable copies in our Store.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Burnout Self-Test - Checking yourself for burnout

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Are you overdoing it at work, and are you at risk of burning out? Find out with this interactive self-test.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Students' Mental Health & Well-Being_May 2025_Prague

# data[].attributes.body
To use public transport, you can buy one-way ticket (30 minut/30 CZK, 90 minuts/40 CZK) or 1 day pass (120 CZK) or (as our participants usually prefer) 3 day pass (330 CZK) in any newsagent/tobacco/info center. When entering the first means of transport, remember to stamp it in the machine (only once).

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Tickets in Prague | Prague Integrated Transport

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Complete information about public transport tickets in Prague. Information about all discounts and special offers.

# data[].attributes.body
Free online courses on: https://online.teacheracademy.eu/
password: back2school

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Online Courses
for Teachers

Deepen your teaching knowledge
with 30+ MOOCs led by expert trainers.

Testimonials

Frequently asked questions

What is included in each course?

Depending on the course you will find presentations, videos, quizzes or other resources

Will I get a certificate?

At the end of the course, you will receive a certificate of completion.

Can I purchase courses for multiple teachers?

Yes, please write us and we will provide you with the necessary information.

I purchased a course, but I do not want it anymore. Can I ask for reimbursement?

Yes, absolutely. You have up to 14 days to ask for your money back.

Most popular courses

Request information about these courses

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
30+ Online self-paced courses for teachers (Free & Paid)

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Join more than 30 MOOCS on a wide range of topics. Discover our free and paid self-paced online courses for educators.

# data[].attributes.body
https://www.va.gov/WHOLEHEALTHLIBRARY/docs/Script-Body-Scan.pdf

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The 5-Step Protocol The 5-step Protocol The 5-Step Protocol is a simple, effective method for managing emotional distress and physical reactions during times of stress or crisis. Designed by experts in trauma and resilience, this evidence-based approach helps individuals regain calm, build resilience, and support others.

# data[].attributes.body
The activities will take place at Rosmarin Bussiness Center (Dělnická 12, Praha 7 – Holešovice, 5th floor).

www.rosmarin.cz/en/contact/where-to-find-us/

or use GoogleMaps - in Prague they always show the public transport options. (information about transport is in the Prague section)

# data[].attributes.headline
Basic travel info about the Czech Republic

# data[].attributes.subject
Basic travel info about the Czech Republic

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Before travelling to a destination you have never been to before, it is advisable to get hold of some basic information in order to avoid unpleasant surprises. We have prepared a summary of everything a foreigner might need in the Czech Republic. We will advise you on what clothes you should take with you, how to connect to the Internet in the Czech Republic, what the Czech crown exchange rate is, which credit cards can be used, and also what sort of tips should be given in restaurants...

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Before travelling to a destination you have never been to before, it is advisable to get hold of some basic information in order to avoid unpleasant surprises. We have prepared a summary of everything a foreigner might need in the Czech Republic.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Courses Search Results

Location

Length

Category

Topic

Reset fields

Coaching and Mentoring to Support Teachers

Barcelona, Budapest, Ghent, Prague 6 confirmed dates

One-Week course

Creating Storyworlds to Foster Students’ Engagement and Learning

Athens, Nafplio, Prague, Rome, Strasbourg

One-Week course

Creative Drama to Foster Participation Among Young Adolescents (9 to 13-Year-Olds)

Athens, Florence, Helsinki, Nafplio, Prague 2 confirmed dates

One-Week course

Digital Storytelling: Apps and Softwares for Creative Writing

Barcelona, Prague, Split, Tenerife 2 confirmed dates Basic ICT proficiency required

One-Week course

Discover the 7Cs: Learning for Life (and Work) in the 21st Century

Barcelona, Budapest, Helsinki, Prague 6 confirmed dates

One-Week course

Drama Games to Foster Participation in Primary Schools

Amsterdam, Athens, Florence, Nafplio, Prague

One-Week course

Drama Techniques: Developing Self-Expression, Communication and Social Skills for All Students

Athens, Dublin, Florence, Nafplio, Prague 5 confirmed dates

One-Week course

Effective Pedagogies for 21st-Century Learning

Amsterdam, Helsinki, Nice, Prague 6 confirmed dates

One-Week course

Enough Theory, Let’s Play! Fun Games for Developing the Whole Child

Florence, Nice, Prague, Tenerife 3 confirmed dates

One-Week course

Game-Based Learning and Gamification in the Classroom

Athens, Florence, Nafplio, Prague, Valencia 6 confirmed dates

One-Week course

Global Education and Critical Media Literacy: Essential Elements in Contemporary Teaching

Dublin, Ghent, Helsinki, Prague 3 confirmed dates

One-Week course

Playtime and Downtime for Teachers and Students: the Psychology of Time to Feel Good and Do Good!

Barcelona, Cefalù, Florence, Prague 1 confirmed dates

One-Week course

Promote 21st Century Skills with Board Game-Based Learning

Florence, Prague, Rome, Split 1 confirmed dates

One-Week course

Public Speaking for Teachers: Building Charisma and Confidence

Florence, Ghent, Prague, Tenerife 3 confirmed dates

One-Week course

Public Speaking with Humor and Comedy for Teachers and Educators

Amsterdam, Dublin, Palma de Mallorca, Prague 2 confirmed dates

One-Week course

Soft Skills for Strong Teachers

Amsterdam, Dublin, Florence, Prague 8 confirmed dates

One-Week course

Storytelling for Education and Learning

Athens, Barcelona, Florence, Nafplio, Prague 4 confirmed dates

One-Week course

Stress Relief and Well-being Strategies for Teachers

Budapest, Ghent, Palma de Mallorca, Prague 8 confirmed dates

One-Week course

Take the Best Teacher out of Yourself

Florence, Ghent, Prague, Valencia 2 confirmed dates

One-Week course

Using Drama Pedagogy to Teach Inclusion and Democratic Values

Athens, Florence, Helsinki, Nafplio, Prague 2 confirmed dates

One-Week course

Video Games in Education: Innovative Gamification and Game-Based Learning Techniques

Athens, Florence, Nafplio, Prague, Tenerife Intermediate ICT proficiency required

One-Week course

# data[].attributes.headline
Action for Happiness (you'll find the calendar with small tasks)

# data[].attributes.subject
Action for Happiness (you'll find the calendar with small tasks)

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Prioritising happiness and kindness influences how we approach everything - including our personal lives, families, communities, schools and workplaces. It also shapes our views on public policy and helps us to consider the wellbeing of future generations too.
We have no religious, political or commercial affiliations and welcome people of all faiths (or none) and all parts of society. Our members make a simple pledge: to create more happiness and less unhappiness in the world.

Our patron is The Dalai Lama.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Action for Happiness is a charity that promotes a happier and more caring society. We promote how to be happy, kindness, connection & wellbeing

# data[].attributes.body
As an emotionally informed teacher, understanding the difference between mental health and mental illness is key to supporting students with empathy, clarity, and appropriate boundaries. Here's a concise breakdown:

🌱 Mental Health

Definition:
Mental health refers to a person’s overall emotional, psychological, and social well-being. It influences how individuals think, feel, and behave, as well as how they handle stress, relate to others, and make choices.

Key Points:

Everyone has mental health, just like physical health.

Good mental health means being able to cope with the normal stresses of life, work productively, and contribute to one’s community.

Mental health can fluctuate depending on life circumstances, stress, and support systems.

🧠 Mental Illness

Definition:
Mental illness is a diagnosable condition that significantly disrupts a person’s thinking, feeling, mood, ability to relate to others, and daily functioning.

Examples:
Depression, anxiety disorders, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, eating disorders, etc.

Key Points:

Not everyone with poor mental health has a mental illness.

Mental illness may require medical treatment, therapy, and/or ongoing support.

Students with mental illness may appear high-functioning or may struggle visibly; stigma can prevent open discussion.

📚 Why This Matters for Teachers:

Awareness: Recognize changes in student behavior or engagement as possible signs of mental distress—not laziness or defiance.

Boundaries: You are a support, not a therapist. Know your role and when to refer.

Empathy: Mental health challenges are often invisible. A calm, consistent, and compassionate approach can make a big difference.

Normalization: Promote open dialogue about well-being to reduce stigma.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.keywords[]
honestguide honest guide prague janekrubes honzamikulka janek rubes "janek rubes" "kluci z prahy" "honest prague guide"

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
We want to make sure you enjoy travelling like a local, scam-free, and explore things that are unique and actually interesting. Without the classic touristy bullshit and Wikipedia-like boring commentary. We're the Honest Guides, Janek & Honza, Prague based journalist New videos every Sunday Like what we do?

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
There are a number of benefits to using a trauma-informed approach, not only for patients but also for providers and staff. Many patients with trauma have difficulty maintaining healthy, open relationships with a health care provider. For patients, trauma-informed care offers the opportunity to engage more fully in their health care, develop a trusting relationship with their provider, and improve long-term health outcomes. Trauma-informed care can also help reduce burnout among health care providers, potentially reducing staff turnover.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Learn about how trauma-informed care shifts the focus from "What's wrong with you?" to "What happened to you?"

# data[].attributes.body
All necessary information

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Log into Facebook to start sharing and connecting with your friends, family, and people you know.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Kutná Hora, the city of silver, is deservedly attributed the other name “national treasury”. This is to say that its wealth helped to ensure the boom of the Czech Kingdom. The centre of the city was included in the UNESCO world heritage list in 1995 thanks to its historical importance and architectural gems. All of the streets, houses and churches exude a long history full of important events. The symbol of Kutná Hora is the unique late Gothic Cathedral of St. Barbara.

# data[].attributes.body
RELAX:

Extended Exhale (4-6)

Quiet Your Mind, relieve stress

BALANCE:

Equal Breathing (4-2-4)

Relax, be more present

RESTORE:

Deep Belly Breathing (5-5)

Strengthen your body, restore energy

FOCUS

Box Breathing (4-4-4-4)

Concentrate, improve your focus

ENERGIZE

Energizing Breath (4-2)

Boost your energy, alert

# data[].attributes.headline
Stress & Mental Health: A Cause & Consequence

# data[].attributes.subject
Stress & Mental Health: A Cause & Consequence

# data[].attributes.body
Stress is closely connected to mental health issues, both as a cause and a consequence. Here's how:

1. Triggering Mental Health Disorders

Chronic stress can contribute to the development or worsening of mental health conditions such as:

Anxiety disorders – Long-term stress can keep the body in a heightened state of alert, leading to excessive worry or panic attacks.

Depression – Persistent stress can alter brain chemistry and reduce levels of neurotransmitters like serotonin and dopamine, increasing the risk of depression.

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) – Severe or traumatic stress can lead to PTSD, especially if the stressor is extreme or life-threatening.

2. Affecting Brain Function

Chronic stress can physically alter brain structures and functions, particularly:

Hippocampus (memory and learning) – stress may shrink this area.

Amygdala (emotion processing) – becomes more active and reactive.

Prefrontal cortex (decision making and regulation) – may weaken, impairing judgment and control.

3. Disrupting Daily Function

Stress can lead to:

Poor sleep

Changes in appetite

Fatigue and concentration issues
These in turn can create a cycle that worsens mental health.

4. Reducing Coping Ability

Stress depletes emotional and physical resources, making it harder to manage other challenges and leading to feelings of hopelessness or helplessness.

5. Influencing Behavior

Chronic stress can drive unhealthy coping mechanisms like substance abuse, social withdrawal, or aggression, which further affect mental health.

Would you like strategies for managing stress to protect mental health?

# data[].attributes.body
nicole@hardtobehuman.us

https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicolejadelmanhtbh/

https://soundcloud.com/nikkij11

+1 420 777 117 409

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Nicole Adelman - Hard To Be Human | LinkedIn

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Hard To Be Human is an international Performance/Public Speaking/Leadership training… · Experience: Hard To Be Human · Location: Prague · 500+ connections on LinkedIn. View Nicole Adelman’s profile on LinkedIn, a professional community of 1 billion members.

# data[].attributes.headline
Nicole J. Adelman_Prague Europass Teacher

# data[].attributes.subject
Nicole J. Adelman_Prague Europass Teacher

# data[].attributes.body
Originally from Chicago, IL in the USA:

1. I lived and worked in Yellowstone National Park.

2. I surfed in the waters of Morocco.

3. I play guitar and write songs. :)

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Teacher Trainer in Prague

Born and raised in Chicago, IL (USA);

Studied Politics and Theater at American University in Washington, DC;

Transferred to and graduated from New York University (NYC) to study the Classics, 20th Century British and American Drama, and Performance Writing;

Thesis and life focus being Theater as a Vehicle for Social and Political Change;

Professional Leadership Facilitator, Actor, VO Artist, Producer, Director, Performer, Public Speaker, Activist;

TEFL certified and living and working in Prague since 2015;

Artistic Director of CATNIP Divadlo since 2016;

Founder and CEO of Hard To Be Human, a public speaking, brand communication and Leadership Training agency since 2018;

The co-host of True Story, an interview podcast series about everything having to do with Eastern and Central European documentary film, from 2019;

English VO for the National Museum in Prague since 2021;

Brené Brown, Dare to Lead trained and certified since 2021 focusing her work for Non-Native English speakers, young learners - specifically young women and girls - and international and intercultural communication;

Femme Palette Mentor & Ambassador since 2022;

Crafting A-Level communicators, activated storytellers, performers and empowered speakers, utilizing empathy and compassion as guiding forces, and inspiring others' understanding, growth and transformation in the realm of humanity and human evolution is her passion;

Teacher Trainer at Europass since 2023.

# data[].attributes.headline
Kozmutza Flora Special School for the Deaf- Cluj Napoca, Romania

# data[].attributes.subject
Kozmutza Flora Special School for the Deaf- Cluj Napoca, Romania

# data[].attributes.body
I.Irén, D.Mónika, and G.Crista are proud to introduce their school: Kozmutza Flora Special School for the Deaf.

Anytime you're in Cluj Napoca, Romania, pay us a visit :)

# data[].attributes.body
1. Originally from Austria (Styria)

2. Teaching Maths, Design and Technology and Arts

3. I like to collect worms for my chicken

# data[].attributes.body
MS Lebring... - VideoLink

A short film with some impressions from our school but unfortunately spoken only in German

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Place for learning - Place for development - Place for living

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Description

Concept by Emilia Frantsi

Mental health is part of our overall health, and its influences on our well-being should not be underestimated. In fact, all of us suffer from mental health-related problems from time to time.

Mental health-related issues have also been on a significant rise among our young students. However, very often, mental health-related problems are confronted with fear and stigma.

This doesn't have to be the case! With knowledge and skills, mental health can be well-supported and nourished.

Teachers who possess relevant knowledge concerning mental health will strengthen their capacity to support students, as well as the teacher's own well-being.

This course opens up the concept of mental health from a salutogenic perspective, meaning that mental health is approached from the perspective of health promotion.

Mental health is approached with curiosity and openness in a way that you will gain a thorough understanding of what mental health is (and what it is not).

You will also find practical ways to apply the knowledge and skills you learned in this course in your everyday life as a teacher.

Learning outcomes

The course will help participants to:

Identify what mental health and mental health promotion means in the school context;

Recognize more deeply how relationships and connectedness are so vital in the support of mental well-being;

Strengthen their emotional skills and knowledge of feelings and emotions;

Deepen their understanding of stress and its connectedness with mental health problems;

Acquire hands-on methods and tools on how to support mental health in school surroundings;

Discover the meaning of trauma, resilience, and how to connect with their own survival skills in difficult life situations;

Create a project combining all the matters studied during the week to best support mental health in school surroundings.

Tentative schedule

Day 1 - Introduction to the course

Introduction to the course, the school, and the external week activities;

Getting to know each other;

Presentations of the participants' schools.

Day 2 - What is mental health?

What does mental health mean to me;

Difference between mental health and mental illness;

Stress and its connection to mental health-related problems.

Day 3 - How emotional skills support teachers work

Feelings and emotions as a part of mental health;

Activities how to introduce emotional skills as an everyday part of teaching;

Relationships and community are a great support for mental health.

Day 4 - Life struggles and survival skills

Trauma - trauma information for teachers;

Resilience;

Planning the project around supporting mental health.

Day 5 - Forward progress

Presenting the projects;

Steps forward.

Day 6 - Course closure and cultural activities

Course evaluation: round-up of acquired competencies, feedback, and discussion;

Awarding of the course Certificate of Attendance;

Excursion and other external cultural activities.

Please note

Certificate: Participants who attend at least 80% of the course will receive a Certificate of Attendance either on Friday or Saturday.

Schedule: Classes take place in the morning or afternoon, at the provider's discretion. The schedule outlines may differ significantly depending on participants' requests and on the trainer, who has discretion over any changes. If you want to discuss a specific topic, you should indicate it at least 4 weeks in advance as the definitive schedule will be sent 2 weeks before the course.

Cultural activities: The majority of cultural activities are planned for Saturday. However, if these activities include tickets to museums, city cards, or visits organized with an external tour operator, you may choose to use these earlier in the week. Please note that if you decide to use these options before Saturday, there will be no additional activities. We recommend checking the webpage of the location you are choosing for more details.

Equipment: Depending on the course, you may be required to bring your own laptop.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Erasmus Course: Students' Mental Health and Well-being Introductive Course

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Discover the meaning of trauma, and resilience, and strengthen your emotional skills and knowledge of feelings and emotions.

# data[].attributes.body
1. Transylvanian specialty- half Romanian, half Hungarian

2. Special education teacher- passionate about teaching and educating adolescents.

3. Loves and fosters dogs and cats- and sings in a choir.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.authors[].name
Administration for Children and Families (ACF)

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Co-regulation: What It Is and Why it Matters

# data[].attributes.body
Hello, my name is Móni, and I am a special education teacher in Cluj, Romania.

I like animals, flowers and handmade craft.

# data[].attributes.body
I am Vasiliki.

I am from Greece.

I teach English as a Foreign Language.

I love playing with my daughter, reading, dancing and travelling.

I enjoy renovating my old furniture and then constantly moving it around in my flat when I am bored (in fact I think my alternative career would be interior decorator).

# data[].attributes.body
I'm Greek but I was borned in the U.S.A.

Teaching music in all classes of primary school

I like singing in a choir, goind out with my friend and travelling around the world.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
ΦΩΤΟ ΠΡΟΦΙΛ.JPG

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
It's been almost five years since I've started to dissect the PolyVagal Theory and... I realize that I have never really presented the BASICS of PVT.

I immediately made the connexion between PolyVagal Theory and my expertise, the physiology of stress and burn-out, which I deepened, dissected, illustrated...
I made lots of links, explored other reading keys, brought the prism of PVT on many subjects, yes BUT I miss an article on the fundamentals of the TPV.

AND I miss an article about PolyVagal Theory in english too...

What if I took the opportunity to update my first shares, and my first videos?
What if I took this opportunity to translate a first article in english, and share it to the Polyvagal Institute?
If you want to read this article in French it's here,
otherwise let's go for a story about PVT!
So here are: PolyVagal Theory basics, according to its father Stephen W. Porges and the one who translated the PVT into practice in coaching and therapy, the well known Deborah Dana.

And what will be nice, for me who loves trilogies, is that I have a trilogy of trilogies for you to go around the subject:

A trilogy of states

A trilogy of principles

A trilogy of elements

And to explore the subject you have a trilogy of options:

A (relatively) short 2.0 video that covers the basics of the updated PVT, just below (and with english subtitles)

The article that goes a little further, and illustrates the different principles: you're on it 😉

A 3.0 masterclass video that goes much further and gives you an overview of what I can offer in POWER, also below 🙂

NB: if you choose to watch the 3.0 masterclass, you don't have to watch the 2.0 basics, which is an extract from it, it would be redundant 😉

PolyVagal Theory 2.0: the basics, a relatively short updated video (english subtitles)
ERRATUM : "co-regulation" is only when a person in secure ventral vagal makes another person safe (ventral vagal), when an insecure person transmits their sympathetic or dorsal state to another person we say that they dysregule them.

PolyVagal Theory 3.0: a masterclass video to go way further in EfferveScience (in french)
ERRATUM : "co-regulation" is only when a person in secure ventral vagal makes another person safe (ventral vagal), when an insecure person transmits their sympathetic or dorsal state to another person we say that they dysregule them.
(in the case of Sadness turning memories blue in Inside Out it's a disregulation, not a coregulation)
A trilogy of states

If you follow me, you already know them: they are the dorsal vagal, the sympathetic, and the ventral vagal.

But let's go back to the beginning: why POLY-Vagal Theory?

It's the story of a nerve that we rediscovered, and which hasn't stopped being talked about ever since: I named the vagus nerve.
The vagus nerve is the tenth and longest of the twelve cranial nerves, and innervates almost all the organs, from the brain to the intestines, including the lungs, heart, stomach, liver, spleen...
It is the main player in the parasympathetic system and... but what is the parasympathetic system?

Let's go back one more step:
Nervous system, old version It is the Autonomic Nervous System, or ANS, that will interest us here.
The nervous system, all of the nerves in our body, is divided into the Central Nervous System (the brain and the spinal cord) and the Peripheral Nervous System, which radiates throughout the body.
This peripheral nervous system is divided into the Somatic Nervous System, which directs consciously controlled movements, and the Autonomic Nervous System, which is as its name suggests autonomous, and most often unconscious, and includes the sympathetic, parasympathetic, and enteric (from the intestines) nervous systems.

The Autonomic Nervous System will automatically and unconsciously ensure the proper functioning and balance of the body (or homeostasis).
The ANS connects and regulates the internal organs which are the heart, the lungs, the blood vessels, the stomach, the intestines, the liver, the bladder, the genital organs, but also the pupils and certain muscles of the face.
In doing so, it controls internal physiological processes such as heart rate, respiratory rate, blood pressure, body temperature, digestion, metabolism... but also the stress response.

The stress response has long been explained as the balance between the two main branches of the Autonomic Nervous System:

On one hand, the sympathetic nervous system, an accelerator which will mobilize your resources in the face of stress, which will activate the action and allow you to respond to aggression, by fleeing or fighting. It's the adrenaline, noradrenaline and cortisol team.

On the other, the parasympathetic system, a peacemaker that will ensure the return to normal after stress. This is the vagus nerve pathway, along with acetylcholine and oxytocin (among other hormons, I'm simplifying as regards the actors involved).

We were satisfied for a long time with this binary reading of the response to stress, and yet there remained a paradox: fight and flight are not the only responses to stress, there is also freezing, which can go as far as dissociation, and is associated with a particularly intense parasympathetic response. We can therefore also respond to stress mobilizing the parasympathetic system...
THE answer came to us from the work of Stephen W. Porges: the vagus nerve counts double!
Another point: we also observe individuals who will react to a situation perceived as stressful and remain in a state of confidence and adaptability which does not require the mobilization of the sympathetic... but how?!
All the researchers, doctors and scientists who have studied the mechanisms of stress have torn out their neurons listening to the TEDx " How to make stress your friend " by Kelly McGonigal, the one who demonstrates that it is not stress but our perception of stress that kills us... and that we can react to stress through oxytocin and the search for collaboration, but how?!

There is not ONE but TWO pathways associated with the vagus nerve, and that changes everything:

At a time when we see more and more books on the vagus nerve and its role in good health, with a super anti-inflammatory power and an overall calming role, I can only regret that only a few books share the latest discovery about the vagus nerve: it actually has TWO distinct pathways!
Nervous System 2.0: a polyvagal perspective
And so if we update the general diagram of the nervous system, it gives this (ok that's a lot of diagrams but we MUST start displaying this updated version):

In fact, we speak of a "vagus" nerve because its starting point in the brainstem is not the easiest to observe, anatomically. This surely explains why we have long missed its second branch. But not anymore.

We know today, thanks to the work of Stephen Porges, that it is no longer one but two nuclei that will give rise to the vagus nerve at the level of the brainstem-one dorsal and the other ventral, forming the branches of the same name: dorsal vagal, or old, and ventral vagal, or new.

And it changes the family picture!

So we welcome the new kid on the block, Mister Vagal Ventral!

And now, introductions!
So we have from left to right:

Mister Ventral Vagal, the security and social engagement mode

It's the "new kid on the block": the path of confidence and resilience that activates when you feel safe, with no cue of danger on the horizon.

You feel confident, everything seems simple, accessible, you have easy connexion with others and life smiles on you: a true game master!

In geek mode, it would be the "Rec" button (record) because you are calm, attentive, receptive to external signals and to the facial and bodily expressions of your interlocutors.
Some great thinkers would say you're aWare, with a double V as in Vagal Ventral.

You can even have a "boost effect" where you will mobilize your energy very punctually without going through the sympathetic system and the rise of adrenaline and cortisol. This is allowed by the vagal brake which allows you to make the transition between the different states, and which has as much a role of brake when it mobilizes as of booster when it relaxes punctually. This is called "vagal flexibility", and it's valuable for handling stressful situations.

Mister Sympathetic, the fight or flight mode

We have known him for a long time: it is the action mobilization system.

It activates when you feel in danger, stressed, threatened.
It allows you to mobilize your resources to defend yourself, or flee, in front of a situation perceived as stressful or threatening.

It is an adaptative mode that puts your senses on alert, very useful, but which can quickly become exhausting if it lasts too long.
Unfortunately, this is somewhat the default mode in our era of infobesity and hyperstress.

In the geek version, it's the acceleration button, whether it's forward for the fight ( aggressive sympathetic), or backward for flight ( fleeing sympathetic).

It is also the mode of taking action when it is chosen and not automatic, the play and motivAction mode.

Mister Dorsal Vagal, the "Mister Freeze" mode
It's the stop button, everything stops.
This is inhibition: you become immobilized, unable to move, you "play dead".
And it is appropriate: the dorsal vagal pathway is activated in the event of mortal danger, and allows you to preserve your energy while waiting to be able to fight or flee.
So here are our three states.
You feel threatened, helpless, exhausted, you don't want to do anything, you feel unable to move.

It is also the withdrawal mode dear to introverts when it is chosen, which allows them to recharge their batteries and regenerate.
It is essential and a little too neglected in our time when it is difficult to slow down to recover and just rest, press pause and do S.T.O.P...

And THE most important point:

There is no better state than another.
All states are OK and there to preserve us.

Our states will activate autonomously depending on the level of perceived danger.

But how are our states activated?
And how do we perceive the danger?

Good news, that's what we're going to see right after 🙂
There are three founding principles of the PVT:
A trilogy of principles

If I played A LOT with the states, their personal files, their connection with emotions, their role in our relationship to the body, their links with the parts of the Internal Family System or with the states of the Transactional Analysis I do have not detailed the founding principles of the PVT in details.

Let's go for our second trilogy!

Hierarchy

Each state has its role to play, and we have seen that the states will be mobilized automatically depending on the level of danger.

And the first founding principle of the PVT is that the states will activate according to a predefined and immutable order: we speak of hierarchy.

We therefore move from one state to another in an orderly fashion, starting by mobilizing social engagement to find an "amicable solution" (like asking a spider to leave, or trying to give directions to a fly to find window open-yes, admit it, we've all done it once).

If we are unable to manage the situation in Ventral Vagal we will descend into the mobilization sympathetic, to activate the fight or flight.
This is the second level, which will activate when we have the necessary resources to manage the situation perceived as dangerous or stressful.

But it happens that the danger is perceived as too great, deadly, or at least beyond our resources: we will then switch to the Dorsal Vagal of immobilization and withdrawal if we have no solution to operate.

And it works both ways, which also means that to get out of a state of freezing, you will have to go up the scale from the Dorsal Vagal to the Ventral Vagal, going through the reactivation of the sympathetic.
There is always an impulse that triggers action and mobilization, putting things back into motion.

It is this path that will allow resilience, and which translates a good vagal flexibility to navigate between states and go up from the dorsal or sympathetic states towards the ventral vagal which will allow us to reconnect to a perception of security, once the danger has passed.

We therefore have a hierarchy of states which forms a ladder on which we will navigate according to the levels of danger.
And there again each state is ok and there to protect us... provided that it is adapted to the situation, and temporary.
But how do we know which state we are in?
It is therefore important, when we talk about the hierarchy, that we find there again the notion of vagal flexibility, with this ability to go up from the dorsal or the sympathetic towards the Ventral Vagal once the danger has passed.

Otherwise we will lock ourselves in a state that will no longer necessarily be adapted to the situation, and risks becoming suffered and chronic, and cutting us off from the world and from ourselves...

Let's talk about neuroception!

Neuroception

Neuroception is the nice word coined by Stephen W. Porges to describe our ability to unconsciously 'perceive' cues of danger and safety, whether internal, environmental or relational.

It is a whole new meaning that is played out at the bodily and unconscious level, at the level of the interoceptive receptors of the Autonomic Nervous System (and in particular of its fascias).

Our receptors will constantly interrogate the environment in search of danger and safety signals, to activate the state most suited to the situation.

This is how we can, for example, feel an impression of threat, of danger, without necessarily identifying the cause.
We will feel his pulse quicken, his alertness increase, his muscles tense, possibly his hands become sweaty: here we are in sympathetic mode.

It is by observing these changes in perception, and their associated physical manifestations, that neuroception will allow us to focus our attention on the state that is activated: mission observAction!

Depending on the state that will be activated, we will be more or less in full confidence and in possession of our means in the face of the situation, and our organism will be mobilized differently:

Vigilance and social engagement for the Ventral Vagal state

Fight or flight for Mister Sympathique, and his mobilization of action

Inhibition and immobilization for the Dorsal Vagal state, waiting for a better moment to act

We can then question the relevance of the activated state according to the danger situation.
But above all our states by activating will completely change our perception of the situation:

Thus, by observing the evolution of our perception of the world, we will be able to detect changes in states.
It is the first level of awareness of the autonomous activity of our nervous system: observAction (I put the "Action" because in English we speak of "awareness" and not of "consciousness", it is active attention)
We come into the world wired for connection...at least in the beginning.
Indeed our past experience will influence our responses to the environment, and our level of sensitivity to danger.
If we have not been secure in childhood, we may have more difficulty regulating ourselves in ventral vagal.

If we cross-reference the Polyvagal Theory with Bowlby's attachment theory, here is how our perception of safety (or not) in childhood will influence our default state:

Then we experience different attachments that will influence our dominant states:

Secure organized is a state of trust that favors the Ventral Vagal

Ambivalent organized corresponds to the parents with the changing attitude which will cause a lack of self-confidence and the sympathetic state

Avoiding organized: attachment figures that are not very present will lead to a lack of trust in others and Dorsal Vagal

And I pass over the disorganized nervous system which corresponds to traumas and certain psychiatric pathologies, which come under therapy

An important point about trauma, however: trauma, chronic stress and other "Adverse Childhood Experiences" (ACEs) are all past experiences where we did not feel safe. and in connection with our attachment figures.
These experiences will condition our ability to feel safe and fluidly activate the Ventral Vagal branch as we grow.

In all of these situations of trauma and/or chronic stress, the autonomic nervous system's sensing system can become faulty, constantly signaling danger even when we are safe.
When there has been trauma, our nervous system can no longer tell the difference between our dangerous past and our safe present, keeping us locked in a state of chronic sympathetic or dorsal.
A friendly meeting can then become stressful, a work meeting threatening, speaking in public paralyzing.

Our negative childhood experiences, our traumatic experiences, and/or our chronic stress can therefore prevent us from connecting to others, which is problematic because as a child our priority to survive is to engage ourselves to people who take care of us.

What can we do when our autonomic nervous system is out of whack, and the alarm is constantly on?
How can we recover from trauma and develop a healthy, regulated, and resilient nervous system?

Fortunately, we can re-train our nervous system to feel safe again, and it's best done with the help of others.

This is called co-regulation.
The best way to restore a healthy nervous system is to connect with people who are safe in the present, resourceful people who make us feel good, peaceful, safe.
Co-regulation

Each of us has a nervous system that constantly communicates with the states of others.
We autonomously reflect the states of those around us, which we unconsciously capture thanks to neuroception (mirror neurons may be be part of this, this would not surprise me).
Better: we can influence the state of our interlocutor, and transmit our feeling of security, our ventral vagal.
This is called co-regulation.

Beware, however, of the energy cost of co-regulation, for those who play the role of resource person, who will then have to find their own way of co-regulation, as this pretty animation shows:

I wanted to change from the traditional " I am therefore you are" a french short film that I put in each article to illustrate co-regulation 😉
It should be noted here that the dog has also become deregulated from his day of solitude,
but that both are mutual resources for each other.

So co-regulation is when we transmit our security (our ventral vagal) to a person who is in sympathetic or dorsal vagal state: we secure him, we bring him back to the ventral vagal BUT we can also transmit our insecurity, as is the case in "" I am therefore you are", and there we would rather speak of deregulation ("co-deregulation" sounds good but it does not exist).

This deregulation is when we are faced with someone in a sympathetic state (angry or afraid) or dorsal (frozen, sad and/or complaining), and we are not secure enough not to being "contaminated" by the state of the other person (see the dark balls in "I am therefore you are"). Here it is the neuroception of the other's insecurity which will deregulate us in insecurity, when the person in front of us is TOO negative, and/or we are TOO insecure (this is what I call "energy vampires" in the videos).

This is for interactions with our fellow human beings: co-regulation is necessarily between two people, but we also have tools to regulate ourselves when we are alone...

We also begin to understand that many of the activities that we intuitively know make us feel better and rejuvenate (like being in nature, doing yoga, dancing, singing, helping others, etc.) are activities. which can help our nervous system become more regulated and resilient.
Hence the importance of being clear about your rejuvenating activities and practicing them as often as possible to feel calm and safe: this is self-regulation.
The first, and main, is breathing.
It is important to understand that we will only be able to self-regulate, i.e. return to ventral vagal through revitalizing activities and practices if we have already experienced co-regulation, and the conscious neuroception of this return to the ventral (otherwise we will lock ourselves in a chronic state of survival).

And I am responding here to THE criticism that was made to me on my first video: yes the Autonomic Nervous System is... autonomous, BUT there are ways to act to regulate it, and to activate the ventral vagal state.

Let's not forget that the lungs are innervated by the vagus nerve, and it is THE organ on which we can consciously influence the rhythm.
(great yogis can also play on the heart rate, but it's next level)

A means well known for its soothing effects: cardiac coherence, presented here and optimized there by Eric Marlien.
But there is also intentional sighing, yawning, gargling, other breathing practices, meditation, visualization, movement, hugs, our pets... in short, so many resources that will serve co-regulation and self-regulation, if we take the time to explore what works for us.

And precisely, we are now going to explore the last trilogy, that of the elements which make the well-being, and help the autonomic nervous system to be anchored in the safety and the regulation.

But first, a little pedagogeek interlude with the excellent animation of the Trauma Fondation, which sums up these first two trilogies, and the impact of trauma on our autonomic nervous system:

Trauma and the nervous system: a polyvagal perspective

A trilogy of elements

This part is more recent, it comes from " Anchored ", the latest book by Deborah Dana, which presents, among other things, the three essential elements for our well-being and our regulation towards greater safety:

When these three elements are present, we more easily find the path of regulation.
But with just one absent, we can end up with a deregulated nervous system and a form of discomfort.

Let's go for a final trilogy, with a high added stress-defense content!

Context

The context reflects the need to gather information on how, what and why a particular situation.
Gathering information about a situation or experience helps to deal with it, and to respond to it.

We will collect cues of danger, or safety, from the explicit communication on the contextual information of the situation.
Otherwise, we are more likely to feel insecure and enter into a protective pattern based on our past experiences.
Our neuroception will seek to identify danger and safety signals through the C.I.N.E. of stress:
Typically, it is the C.I.N.E. of stress, as described by the Center for Studies on Human Stress (in french):

Stress is C.I.N.E.

In english we would talk about "VUCA" situations:

The more clues there are in favor of these four indicators, either CINE or VUCA, and the more we are sensitive to them, the more we will feel a sense of threat, and the more we will withdraw into states of sympathetic or dorsal survival.

While when the situation is clear, well framed, and without all that C.I.N.E. or VUCA to make films, then we can manage it in complete safety, in complete serenity, and in the confidence of our Ventral Vagal.

Choice

Second element for a regulated nervous system: choice.

With the choice we have the possibility to decide if we will remain static or move, approach or avoid, connect or protect ourselves: in short, we have the POWER to choose, and that changes everything.

And for that we not only have the "choice" between our 3 states, when they are available independently (which is not always the case, we can for example be cornered and unable to flee, or hindered unable to fight), but you can also combine them:
Even in the simplest daily activities, we are therefore more likely to remain in a state of safety and regulated ventral vagal if we have several options.
When choice is limited or absent, or when we feel like we're stuck and without options, and we'll start looking desperately for an escape.
In this quest for survival we can feel the activation of the action of the sympathetic and its high energy, with sometimes a form of anxiety, anger or panic, or the collapse in dorsal vagal, with its low energy and its stillness.
Hierarchy of autonomic and "chosen" states
We saw it with the situation suffered from lock-down: martial discourse could activate the sympathetic, when confinement could awaken the dorsal, faced with a situation where we had little choice, and all the criteria of the C.I.N.E. or VUCA to maintain stress.

This is the POWER of PolyVagal Theory and its 3 response pathways, but also the possibility, via self-regulation, of moving towards "chosen" states (with a dose of ventral vagal) rather than "autonomic" (and often unconscious):

Be careful though: TOO many options can be overwhelming, and a too rigid schedule paralyzing: think slider, everyone will need their right dose of choice to have the security of a framework that leaves room for a dose of flexibility. Mission adaptAction!

Connexion

Last point to cultivate our well-being and our sense of security: connection.

It is of four kinds:

connection to self

connection to others, and to animals

connection to nature

connection to spirituality

With connection we feel reconnected to our body, connection with others, connection to nature, and in harmony with the spiritual dimension.
Everything that makes fulfillment and well-being 🙂

Conversely, when there is a break in our sense of connection, such as disconnection from body and emotions, tension in a relationship, disconnection from nature, or spiritual wandering, then we will have difficulties to reconnect to our sense of security and to regulate ourselves, with at the lowest a feeling of despair and isolation in dorsal vagal... not top.

The solution ? It exists !
Reconnect with yourself, with others, with nature, with what inspires and drives us, our needs, our values, our talents and our child's soul!

Sounds too good, and too simple, to be true?

As Deb Dana would say:

"It's simple, but it's not easy"

That said... sometimes it's enough to put a little color(s) and game back into our daily lives... DemonstrAction:

"Alike", a short movie by Daniel Martínez Lara & Rafa Cano Méndez

So it's up to you, Game Master, mission régulAction!

And now?

As I said at the beginning of the article, I have LOTS of resources to explore and dissect the TPV... in french, starting with my book " Le POWER du Je(u)" and my formAction-coaching " POWER ", but also lots of freely accessible articles on this site.

Here is an efferveSciente selection, if you want to google translate some of them, or watch the illustrations:

💡 Scientific version, my discovery of the TPV with Ludovic Leroux in 2018 🤓
An article published a trilogy of days after my initial training at the TPV, with homemade drawings, before releasing the famous video on the TPV that I update today via this article.

My first video about polyvagal theory...

💡 General public version, an invitation to live in their house and observe their states according to Deborah Dana's beginner's guide 🏡
A reflection on the links between burnout (my main expertise) and PVT, based on Deb Dana's beginner's guide (which is no longer accessible today), in an efferveScient article and a pedagogeek video:

💡 From emotions to states, and inside-out 🎭
Because states and emotions are connected, an article with illustrated cards to make the links between states and emotions, and choose the reading key that is most accessible to you (for example me, who is in the autism spectrum, I decode states better than emotions) 🙂

💡 The injunction to SuperFormance in Star Wars mode to play with the Force 🤖
An exploration of the impact of restrictive messages, or "drivers", on our states, and how the PolyVagal Theory can help us reconnect with our body and cultivate our Force: a pedagogeek video as I like to propose them, completely out of boxes!

💡 On the urgency to slow down and get out of the overly sympathetic 🙀
A decoding of the physiological mechanisms of burn-out, and how the key to reading the PolyVagale Theory can get us out of chronic suffered states, from the injunction to the chronic sympathetic to the decompensation in dorsal vagal that is burnout.

💡 On the importance of body and movement to gain confidence 👟
Because "Think Positive" no longer really makes sens now that we know that it is our state that writes history... Descartes is overwhelmed, now the body takes power over the mind with the PolyVagal Theory.

💡To play with the FLOW thanks to the PVT 🌊
Because the ultimate level of the PolyVagale Theory is to be able to play with our energy, our motivation and our creativity here is a reflection on the links between the flow state and the states of the PVT 🙂

Without forgetting THE resource that unites them all, but here again in french: my book about PolyVagal Theory that update stress and burnout reading and as a precious resource for playing with your energy and with the flow 📗

Finally, if you want to go even further, if you too have an efferveScient mind and you like to make connections, you will have a blast exploring and dissecting PVT with me in my efferveSciente formAction POWER 💎

And if you want to know what POWER looks like, you can watch the long version video of the article, the masterclass 3.0 : it's a nice overview of the connections I make in POWER, with english subtitles :-):

And to conclude this article on the basics of the updated PVT, here is an introduction to the PolyVagal Theory in music
(because expert American speakers have a sense of showmanship):

Polly Vagal Blues, performed by Robert Schwarz and Michael Reddy

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
PolyVagal Theory: back to basics | EfferveScience

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
It's been almost five years since I've started to dissect the PolyVagal Theory and... I realize that I have never really presented the BASICS of PVT. I immediately made the connexion between PolyVagal Theory and my expertise, the physiology of stress and burn-out, which I deepened, dissected, illustrated...

# data[].attributes.body
I am a general education teacher in primary school.

I like music and specifically vinyl records.

# data[].attributes.body
I delighted to present the school I have spent part of my life teaching

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Improve academical results

Positive School Coexistence(Students,Teachers, Families

Bring families to school

Active Methodologies KEY COMPETENCIES (a necessary transition in Spain)

Aims

Needs

IES Agustín Espinosa educational project (Lanzarote)

Pedagogical solutions

Technical solutions

Improve academical results

Positive School Coexistence(Students,Teachers, Families

Create contexts to facilitate coordination

Projects

Create contexts to facilitate families involvement

Bring families to school

Learning Approach through Active Methodologies (a necessary transition in Spain)

How can we do this?

Aims

Needs

IES Agustín Espinosa educational project (Lanzarote)

MOODLE (virtual lessons)

Additio (teachers sharing resources)

GSUITE

TOKAPP (comunication for families)

Other digital tools for learning (edpuzzle, quizzy, mentimeter,etc)

Technical solutions

How can we do this?

IES Agustín Espinosa educational project (Lanzarote)

IES Agustín Espinosa educational project (Lanzarote)

Cooperative Learning

Service based learning (INCLUSION)

Based learning proyect (BLP)

School Teachers Learning Project: Mentoring, Coordination and working together.

Successful experiences exchange sessions (teachers)

Paired teaching

Pedagogical solutions (KEY COMPETENCIES)

How can we do this?

Evidence

Evidence

School Teachers Learning Project: Mentoring, Coordination and working together.

Successful experiences exchange sessions (teachers)

Special days:

- Open sessions for families:portfolio - Sustainable development goals days - Culture/science weeks
Transition plan PRIMARY - SECONDARY

Coordinations contexts

How can we do this?

IES Agustín Espinosa educational project (Lanzarote)

EVIDENCEA

Open sessions for families

Interactive groups

Families

EVIDENCEA

How can we do this?

IES Agustín Espinosa educational project (Lanzarote)

EVIDENCEA

EVIDENCEA

Crosscurricular projects 1. HEALTH 2 .HERITAGE 3 .EQUALITY AND SEXUAL AND GENDER EDUCATION 4. SOLIDARITY 5. SUSTAINABILITY 6. SCHOOL RADIO 7. POSITIVE COEXISTENCE 8. CREATIVE LEARNING SPACES 9.-ERASMUS +K1O1

EVIDENCEA

EVIDENCEA

How can we do this?

EVIDENCEA

IES Agustín Espinosa educational project (Lanzarote)

# data[].attributes.body
Originally from Lanzarote, Canary Islands , Spain.

Thi is one of the most beautiful islands you should definitely visit. I´ve taught in different islands and have travelled quite a lot over the past 15 years. I love my job.

# data[].attributes.body
1. I live in Zocca, a small town in northern Italy

2. I'm a support teacher at primary school

3. I love colours.... and I'm the queen of karaoke!!

# data[].attributes.body
Nicole’s Class Rules:

Respect. Kindness. We all participate. You are all invited to this special opportunity to share and listen and learn.  Together, we will learn more about ourselves and others.  Learning happens through this sharing, making Collective Knowledge.  Let’s enjoy the ride!  🙂

Feel free to eat, drink, go to the bathroom, etc.

Nicole’s Class Guidelines:

1. Speak with the Heart (Intention)

2. Listen with the Heart

3. Be Spontaneous

4. Speak the Essence

5. Confidentiality (Honor our class as a Gift).  Be Here and Now.  Story sharing; not debate.

# data[].attributes.body
My name is Alena, I am from Slovakia.

I am a physics and vocational teacher at a secondary vocational school .

In the summer I like to cycle and work in the garden, in the winter I like to ski.

Bees are also my passion, I am a beekeeper.

# data[].attributes.body
I‘m a teacher for business management and economics at a vovational/ secondary school in Backnang/ Germany.

I like cycling, love music (listening and playing) and I looking forward for the German Cup Final in Berlin. Not playing by my self, just support my favorit team.

# data[].attributes.body
I am Olga Vlachou

I am from Greece and I am teacher and the headmaster of the 13th Primary School of Patras.

I love travelling, watching movies at the cinema, reading and spend time with my family and friends.

# data[].attributes.body
1.My name is Irén Ilyés . Also from Transylvania.

2.I am a psychologist and I work with children with special educational needs.

3.I love theatre, arts, puppetry. I am always ready to play.

# data[].attributes.body
Get to know our city of Patras located in Western Greece, a seaside city with a long history from ancient times.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
🇬🇷 Patras Greece | Exotic beaches | Top places | Magical Carnival | Peloponnese

# data[].attributes.body
Enrico and Giorgia!!

# data[].attributes.body
Hello! My name is Enrico Laloè, I am 58 years old and I come from Emilia Romagna in Italy. I teach art at the lower secondary school of Zocca and I am an architect. Two special things? I'm very curious: for example to know all the companions of this course; the second one? Aesthetic pleasure causes me a sort of trance, which combines all my sensations with a mood external to me and that surrounds everything

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
An overview of the seven elements of trust: Boundaries, Reliability, Accountability, Vault, Integrity, Nonjudgment, and Generosity. The acronym BRAVING serves as a helpful checklist when rumbling with trust issues with the people in our lives.

Watch Next
Explore All Videos Play Time: 23 minutes

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
SuperSoul Sessions: The Anatomy of Trust

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
An overview of the seven elements of trust: Boundaries, Reliability, Accountability, Vault, Integrity, Nonjudgment, and Generosity. The acronym BRAVING serves as a helpful checklist when rumbling with trust issues with the people in our lives.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Get wild and learn all about the value of playtime at Wellspring this October-or ignite your inner child at a Wanderlust 108 this fall. For Wellspring information click here; for more on Wanderlust 108 click here. Tickets available now!
We all love hearing the cackling, giggling, and uninhibited screams of joy from children who are out and about playing. Seeing children play is a joyous moment in itself-we are often brought back to a simpler time, when life was about having fun and enjoying ourselves.

Play allows us to learn how to be creative and helps nurture critical thinking, personality development, and adaptive pathways for us in childhood. The benefits of play are far-reaching, but we often give up play as adults for more serious pursuits such as our careers, our relationships, and our families-all of which are valid pursuits.

But what if we could tap into play to enhance our life experiences, our professions, our relationships, and our family lives as adults as well?

Play for adults is critical in our stressful go-go-go lives. Play has been shown to release endorphins, improve brain functionality, and stimulate creativity. And it can even help to keep us young and feeling energetic. Studies show that play improves memory and stimulates the growth of the cerebral cortex. Play has also been shown to trigger the secretion of BDNF, a substance essential for the growth of brain cells.

One of the things that may often stop us from playing is that we, as adults, get very set on who we are and the types of activities that we do and do not like. But play is healthy and fun, so it benefits us to figuratively-or literally-roll the dice and allow play back into our lives.

One of the definitions of play, from the Oxford English Dictionary, is to wield lightly and freely; to keep in motion.

Who wouldn't like to experience more moments of lightness and freedom in our days? Play is so key and yet so often overlooked in adulthood. Fortunately we can easily create a play practice in our lives as there are many different ways to play and many different types of play. Stuart Brown, MD, has been studying play for decades and in his book, he outlines the five play archetypes that he has observed during his years of research. He discussed these and more in his TED Talk, titled " Play is more than just fun " (paraphrased and expanded upon below).

Rough-and-Tumble Play

Rough-and-tumble play is a great learning medium for all of us. Diving, batting, tug-of-war, capture the flag, scavenger hunts, kickball, and dodge ball are all ways to play actively. According to Dr. Brown, through this form of play we develop emotional regulation as well as cognitive, emotional, and physical mastery.

Ritual Play

Chess, board games, and activities or sports with set rules and structures all fall into the world of ritual play. It is in ritual play that we can create, strategize, design, and engage in activities that bring people together for a common purpose or goal.

Imaginative Play

Remember when you were a child and had so much fun living out your fantasies and letting your imagination run wild? This is what imaginative play is all about! Coloring, storytelling, painting, drawing, crafting, and acting, as well as comedy and improv classes all foster our imaginations through play.

Body Play

Brown defines body play as a spontaneous desire to get ourselves out of gravity-how much fun is this form of play! Yoga, Pilates, hiking, whitewater rafting, riding roller coasters, mountain climbing, surfing, and snorkeling all fit the mold of body play.

Object Play

This form of play will really bring us back to our childhoods as object play can encompass building with Legos, playing with Jenga blocks, building fortresses, and can even having snowball fights. Manipulation of objects, building, and designing all fall into the object play category.

There are many other ways that we can play and many others categories of play. We've already gone over the positive benefits of playing, so heads-up, the side effects may include (but are not limited to): improved cognitive functioning, being able to deal with stress with greater ease and fluidity, creative thinking, childlike exuberance, and laughing more often. Experiment a bit to find what works for you, as we all could use a bit more play in our responsible, adult lives.

-
Michael Forman is a native of Bronx, New York, and lived in New York City for almost his entire life until he moved to Boise, Idaho with his fiance, Caitlin. He is the executive farm director of Pure Love Organic Farms, an organic, urban farm that he and three other friends created in 2012 from a former garbage dump site. Michael also works as the North American account manager for Totally Green in the sustainable technologies field.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Five play archetypes to help you find your fun as a grown-up.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Nahlédněte do kouzelného světa plného překrásných ilustrací, použijte svou představivost a nechte se unášet na vlnách fantazie!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Compassionate Courageous Engagement… With Ourselves, Each Other, and Our Planet Upcoming retreats & workshops

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Featured Content

From Brené

A primer for navigating the progression of my written work.

By Brené Brown

From Brené

I'm not here to make people comfortable or to be liked. My purpose is to know and experience love. This means excavating the unsaid. In the world and in me.

By Brené Brown

From Brené

Cultivating meaningful connection is a daring and vulnerable practice-and one that isn't possible without being a good steward of the stories we tell and the stories we hear.

By Brené Brown

Conversations with leaders, change-makers, and those who help unlock the deeply human part of who we are.

Books by Brené

Looking to dive deep into reading and resources? Check out the hubs.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Brené Brown is a researcher and storyteller who's spent two decades studying courage, vulnerability, shame, and empathy.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
One Minute Focus: A science-backed method to enhance mental and cognitive focus through visual focusing & breathing.

# data[].attributes.headline
Emotional Intelligence, by Daniel Goleman

# data[].attributes.subject
Emotional Intelligence, by Daniel Goleman

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
1-Page Summary 1-Page Book Summary of Emotional Intelligence

Many cultures, particularly Western ones, place a lot of emphasis on intelligence as a barometer of success. We've even developed tests to measure our intelligence, resulting in a score known as our intelligence quotient, or IQ. But data suggests that IQ accounts for only about 20% of success in life, with the remaining 80% being made up by other factors, emotional intelligence included. And much more research has been done on IQ than on emotions and emotional intelligence, despite the fact that emotions are hard-wired in the human brain and make us the species we are.

IQ is fixed: what we're born with is what remains throughout our lives. But emotional intelligence can be taught and learned-we have the ability to improve upon our emotional intelligence throughout our lives. In this one-page summary, we cover a broad overview of what emotions are, what emotional intelligence is, and how we can use it in a couple different areas of life. The full summary goes into much more detail about each of these categories.

Emotions

What Are They

Emotions are strong impulses that urge us to take immediate action. They're based on fundamental needs (usually survival) and neurologically designed to propel us into action without overthinking: "Run from the tiger before considering options gets us killed!"

There's nothing wrong with feeling emotions -the problems arise when the emotions are out of tune with the situation and when we don't express our emotions productively or safely.

The Science Behind Them

The human brain was built from the bottom up:

The brainstem is responsible for all our basic necessary functions (breathing, eating, sleeping).

The limbic system built on the brainstem, and this system is responsible for our basic emotions. It also gave us the ability to learn things and remember them, which allowed us to adapt to new environments.

Then our neocortex formed on top of the limbic system, and this is our rational mind. This gives us the ability to choose how we respond to our emotions, reflect on our actions, and feel empathy for other people.

We essentially have two minds: a thinking one and a feeling one. Our feeling mind is associative, categorical, absolutist, and individual-and it reacts to information before our thinking mind even gets all the information and has an opportunity to weigh out the best action.

Our feeling mind is more fully-formed at birth, while our neocortex can learn, change, and adjust throughout our lives. This means our emotional reactions to things are formed before we have high-level thoughts to make sense of them. We can't change our emotional reactions to things, but we can learn how to respond to our emotions differently.

Emotional hijackings occur when our limbic system receives the information first and responds with an emergency alert. This sends our body into panic mode and makes it more difficult for our neocortex to control the actions we take based on our emotional impulses.

Emotional Intelligence

Emotional intelligence encompasses the following skills:

Knowing your emotions

Managing emotions

Motivating yourself

Recognizing emotions in others (empathy)

Handling relationships

Knowing Your Emotions

Self-awareness is the ability to recognize a feeling as it's happening to you. Being able to monitor our feelings as they're occurring helps us understand ourselves and our psychology. The more certain we are about our feelings, the easier it is to make personal decisions.

People who know their emotions are aware of their moods as they happen but can be mindful about how they deal with them. They're more sure of their boundaries since they know how they'll feel. They tend towards a positive outlook on life since they know they can manage whatever moods are thrown at them. They don't dwell on bad moods and can get out of ruts faster. They can be mindful of their emotions and manage them successfully.

The goal is to be self-aware in relation to our emotions, but most people deal with their emotions in one of two unhealthy ways:

Engulfed. People who deal with emotions this way aren't aware of what's happening to them. Their moods shift often and overpower them. They do little to change their feelings, and feel out of control often.

Accepting. These people are more clear on what they're feeling, but they also don't feel like anything needs to change. They're either in good moods, so they don't have any motivation to change their moods, or they're in bad moods but are resigned to feeling like there's nothing they can do about it.

Managing Emotions

Once we're aware of our emotional responses as we're having them, we can start to regulate how they influence our actions.

There are three emotions that most people find hard to regulate: anger, anxiety, and sadness.

We get angry when we feel attacked. The worst thing you can do for anger is dwell on it. Instead, try challenging the assumptions that are making you angry, physically cooling off with exercise or distraction, using relaxation techniques, or writing down your angry thoughts to reflect on them.

Anxiety is a form of worrying, a kind of rehearsal of what could go wrong and potential ways we might deal with it. Relaxation techniques can help anxiety, and challenging the anxiety by asking realistic questions (like "Does it actually help to go through these thoughts over and over again?").

Sadness is usually the mood people want to change the most, but they do it in ways that can worsen the sadness: isolating themselves, or dwelling on the sadness under the guise of analyzing it. Try challenging the sad thoughts to find a positive spin on them, scheduling pleasant distractions, or engineering small successes for yourself.

Motivating Yourself

We also need to be able to...

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Emotional Intelligence Book Summary by Daniel Goleman

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The most detailed book summary of "Emotional Intelligence" by Daniel Goleman. Get the main points of "Emotional Intelligence" with Shortform book summaries.

# data[].attributes.headline
More Well-Being Tasks (Classroom Activities)

# data[].attributes.subject
More Well-Being Tasks (Classroom Activities)