Creative, Caring Conversations and Community Connectedness Amid COVID-19
Creative, Caring Conversations and Community Connectedness Amid COVID-19
In this course, Ingrid Ozols - M.A., MMHW, Master (Suicidology), Director, Mental Health at Work - elaborates on ways to create caring conversations and a sense of connectedness in communities, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. Highlighting the skills of compassion and empathy and drawing on notions of a Wellness Thermometer, Ozols underscores the importance of being in touch with our own feelings and using language carefully if we would support others.
About this course
In this course, Ingrid Ozols - M.A., MMHW, Master (Suicidology), Director, Mental Health at Work – explains how compassion begins with oneself. Using her three-zone Wellness Thermometer, Ozols estimates that most people are between the cautionary “THINK” zone and the well-balanced “GO” zone: a precarious position from which many may have slid down during COVID-19 restrictions. An acronym is offered to help people cope with both inner and outer events during the pandemic, and the importance of language is highlighted. Ozols offers pointers on creating empathy and compassion - and thus connectedness - in relationships, and she outlines ways to support and connect with one another in order to build community. Support referral pathways are named and the talk finishes with a question and answer session.