G.R.I.T. Resilience Training
Tuesdays, September 26 to November 14, 2017 (8-part series)
12:00 - 1:00 p.m.
Room 1107, Mona Campbell Building
Resilience is not something that we’re born with – it develops over time as we acquire knowledge, perspective and self-management skills.
I Promise Performance and Vendura Wellness have proudly partnered to create an exciting new resilience program for workplaces. We address thinking traps, catastrophic thinking and practical skills that can be applied in everyday life to strengthen an individual's ability to overcome adversity and challenges, adapt well to change, manage stress, and thrive in their personal and professional life.
Participants will learn important resilience skills such as:
- Developing a purpose and vision
- Reducing anxiety through techniques for controlling intrusive thoughts and images
- The importance of, and how to have, strong relationships with friends and family
- How to amplify positive emotions and how to recognize when negative ones are out of portion
- How to maximize your Physical health through sleep, meditation and other life skills
- Heightening awareness of “Red Flags” (knowing the triggers and markers of low resiliency)
- Having a series of go-to “Fire escapes” (strategies to address low resiliency)
Our program includes a one-of-a-kind G.R.I.T. assessment tool that gives participants a deep look inward at their current level of resilience. Participants will receive reflections on our unique scales that combine to produce each resiliency score.
Program Format: G.R.I.T. group meetings take place every Tuesday at noon from September 26 to November 14 (8 weeks). A "building block" approach will be used to help you develop more effective habits each week. You will complete the G.R.I.T. assessment at the beginning and end of the program to track your progress and participate in activities between meetings to help you incorporate your learning. Those that complete the program receive a certificate of completion.
Past participants say:
The biggest thing I find is in general I more optimistic and positive. I step in when I see signs of my battery depleting and correct before it gets too far.
I’m really enjoying these classes. Am grateful that Dal is supporting this kind of professional development.
The key takeaway from this program for me are that I may not have control over my job situation, but I, and only I alone, have control over my life and no one else.
I really enjoyed the program, I would recommend this to everyone. I believe we should all have mindfulness and resilience in our lives, whether we think we need this or not.
I felt the course was excellent and putting numerous resources together for assessing [ourselves]. Although many times we feel we are resilient in our lives, these reminders, presentations, tips, hints and exercises pulled it all together. The readings, personal examples and exercises in class were valuable.
The survey tool was great. To be able to actually visualize and see the information in front of me was very helpful. I will be interested to see the one from the end of the program.
Our Presenters:
Karen Furneaux (MSC, HeartMapCertified) is a 3-Time Olympian and 2-Time World Champion and winner of over 50 International Medals. Karen is a 2-time Finalist for Canada’s Female Athlete of the Year and 4-Time winner of Nova Scotia Female Athlete of the Year and has been honored with the Queen Elizabeth Golden Jubilee Medal, is the 2013 recipient of the Progress Women of Excellence Award for Health and Wellness, and is winner of the Charles Yatzman Award for Sports Person of the Americas. Karen completed her Masters of Science Degree from Dalhousie University in Kinesiology, with specialization in Sport Psychology. In 2010, Karen founded a pro-active corporate health and wellness company, I Promise Performance, Inc., to help strengthen Atlantic Canadian companies through improved health.
Darren Steeves (MSC, CSCS, CEP) is passionate about improving the total health of our community. Darren is a professional Exercise Physiologist and Co-Owner of Vendura Wellness started after working at Dalhousie University for 12 years. He has consulted with Olympic Medalists, World Champion athletes, and within corporations for over 20 years. Darren has written for Men's Health, Canadian Living and numerous media outlets, as well as appearances on CBC-TV, CBC-Radio and CTV.