Building Resilience and Optimizing Wellness Through Stress Management Techniques at Work

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This workshop provides an overview of how to monitor the emotional stress responses, and possible signs of physical and cognitive impairment, that individuals may experience when exposed to chronic and acute stressors; and, will provide a variety of evidence-based strategies and resources they can use while at work to assist in managing their stress and facilitate resilience.

    • The difference between acute and chronic stress and trauma

    • The warning signs associated with chronic stress and burnout

    • The importance of stress management in one’s personal and professional life

    • The multiple dimensions to wellness

    • Evidence-based stress-reduction tools and techniques to optimize wellness and increase resiliency

Charting Your Path Towards Wellness: Creating a Holistic and Sustained Practice

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Building on concepts and techniques introduced in “The Cost of Caring: How to Build Resilience and Optimize Wellness through Stress Management Techniques at Work” this workshop guides participants in developing a comprehensive wellness plan that focuses on optimizing one’s wellness and facilitating resilience over the entire life-course. Participants will engage in interactive activities that will explore different evidence-based strategies designed to enhance one’s well-being in each of the following domains: physical, emotional, social, psychological, spiritual, and professional.

    • Understand the connection between a comprehensive wellness practice as a protective factor to mitigate symptoms associated with chronic stress. 

    • Develop an individualized and comprehensive wellness plan that includes short, medium, and long-term strategies as well as multiple dimensions of self-care

    • Learn evidence-based stress-reduction strategies to foster resiliency and improve general well-being

Understanding the Neurobiology of Trauma

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This workshop explores the body's reaction when exposed to trauma. When our brain perceives danger, it shifts into “survival mode” (e.g., fight, flight, freeze) and our body release stress hormones that significantly alters our physiology (how the body operates), our cognitive functioning, and our ability to regulate emotions. It is not until we feel safe, physically and/or psychologically, that our brain send signals to reset. Understanding and recognizing trauma responses can aid in our ability to help reestablish a sense of safety, for ourselves or others, as well as teach us how to avoid retriggering the survival brain.

    • Prevalence of trauma in the community

    • Definition of trauma and its different types

    • How trauma is processed in the brain and the body, and characteristics (e.g., symptoms) of the ‘survival brain’

    • Consequences of unacknowledged and/or unaddressed trauma

    • Strategies/techniques to help ground an individual who is operating in ‘survival’ mode.

Applying Trauma-Informed Principles in Organizations

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This workshop explores the prevalence and scope of trauma in our communities and discusses the consequences when trauma is not acknowledged and/or addressed. Participants are introduced to evidence-based trauma-informed principles and provided guidance on how to leverage those principles to facilitate better connections when interacting with individuals in the immediate aftermath of a traumatic event, as well as provide more effective support for individuals with a trauma history.

    • How to Question, Persuade, and Refer someone who may be suicidal

    • How to access help for yourself or someone else in crisis

    • The common causes of suicidal behavior

    • Behavioral, verbal, and situational warning signs of suicide

    • How to take the first steps in supporting a person at risk

    • Scenario-based roleplays for practicing QPR skills with:

      • A peer or colleague who may be struggling

      • Individuals encountered in the field who show signs of crisis

    • How to apply supportive, stigma-reducing communication strategies in challenging or fast-moving situations

    • A deeper understanding of the four core principles of suicide risk—
      desire, intent, capability, and buffers—and how they shape the risk picture

    • Practical tools for recognizing escalating risk and determining appropriate next steps

    • Ways to reinforce a culture of support, wellness, and early intervention within professional teams

QPR Gatekeeper Program - Recognizing and Responding to Suicide Risk

This evidence-based course provides participants with practical tools to recognize warning signs of suicide, engage in supportive conversations, and connect individuals to appropriate care. QPR Gatekeeper Training c is designed for use across a range of settings and professions and is delivered in a concise, accessible format to build confidence in early intervention. The training expands upon the standard QPR Gatekeeper curriculum by offering participants opportunities to strengthen their confidence and competence through guided practice and deeper conceptual understanding of suicide. While QPR Gatekeeper  provides the foundational intervention model, this module focuses on application, real-world scenarios, and a structured framework for understanding risk.

    • Interpersonal and organizational practices that compound the effects of trauma

    • The six trauma-informed principles (TIP) that promote connection, engagement, and compliance when working with individuals with a history of trauma, and help to facilitate their healing

    • Examples of how to apply TIP strategies at the individual and organizational level

Believe it! Leadership Lessons from Ted Lasso

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Leading personnel in high-stress, high-stakes public safety roles requires steady communication, trust, and a strong culture of support. Drawing on the approachable, people-centered leadership style popularized by Ted Lasso, this training introduces managers and supervisors to principles and practices that help to build trust, foster psychological safety, and inspire their teams to stay mission-focused under pressure. Participants will learn practical strategies for supporting resilience, navigating critical incidents, and strengthening everyday teamwork and accountability.

    • Apply the “Believe” philosophy – maintain optimism and inspire hope in challenging public safety environments

    • Foster Psychological Safety – create a team culture where team members feel safe to take risks, admit mistakes, and share ideas.

    • Lead with Curiosity – ask questions and seek to understand officers’ perspectives before making judgments

    • Communicate with Empathy – use emotional intelligence to connect and motivate individuals, even during high-stress situations

    • Build Trust and Rapport – implement strategies for building strong relationships with team members based on authenticity and vulnerability

    • Start with Why – articulate the purpose and values that drive their team’s work, aligning individual efforts with organizational goals

    • Embrace Imperfection – recognize that leadership is a journey, not a destination, and learn from setbacks with resilience and humor.

Contact Us

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