Mind-Body Tools to Manage Anxiety and Difficult Emotions

mind body tools webinar

"No problem can be solved from the same level of consciousness that created it." -Einstein

There are many circumstances over which we don’t have control. However, with understanding, awareness, and practice, we have a surprising amount of agency over our reactions and the overall experience. This three-part series of 1-hour online workshops includes mind and body-based exercises to help you better understand your experience of situations which create agitation, upset, and a sense that there is something wrong. You will learn practices that help restore a sense of acceptance and being okay in the midst of difficulty.

Workshop 1: Supportive Practice to Restore Calm
Workshop 2: Supportive Practice to Stabilize Mood
Workshop 3: Supportive Practice for Focus

Workshop 1: Supportive Practice to Restore Calm
This workshop will highlight practices which support the ability to “be with” one’s experience, to notice and feel.
 
After this workshop, you will understand:
  • The nature of a typical emotional disturbance you may experience
  • How to support the mind to restore calm
  • How to support the nervous system with simple yoga-based practices
Workshop 2: Supportive Practice to Stabilize Mood
This workshop will highlight practices to manage negative thinking and balance your mood.
 
After this workshop, you will understand:
  • The nature of the negative thinking you experience
  • How to support the mind to restore peace of mind
  • How to balance the nervous system with simple yoga-based practices
Workshop 3: Supportive Practice for Focus
This workshop will highlight practices that help manage distraction and support intentional attention.
 
After this workshop, you will understand:
  • The nature of your experience of distraction
  • How to support the mind to bring focus to your intention
  • How to practice yoga-based techniques that support focus
What to expect:
The online workshops are experiential and include both process-focused exercises to support the mind to better understand one’s experience and body-based exercises to support the nervous system. You are welcome to attend one or all three workshops.
 
Who these workshops are for:
Adults (18 and older) interested in learning to support their emotional wellbeing with practical mind-body tools they can practice in their daily lives. 
 
Please note, this programming is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical or mental health advice, diagnosis or treatment. Please seek the advice of your physician or mental health care provider if you are not sure if a class like this is indicated for you. This programming may involve observing negative feelings mindfully such as anxiety and may provoke feelings of distress. The class may not be appropriate for persons experiencing recent grief or trauma, serious mental or physical health challenges, chemical dependencies or suicidal feelings. Should you determine that the workshop is not appropriate at this time, you will receive a full refund.
 
Additional course resources:
After each workshop, we will provide an electronic handout with practice activities and supplemental readings and videos.
 
Outcomes:
By the end of series, you will have learned and applied mind-body tools to support your emotional wellbeing.

Sliding Scale Pricing 

The Earl E. Bakken Center for Spirituality & Healing is deeply committed to the wellbeing and flourishing of all communities. In order to make our programming accessible to a broader audience, we have implemented a sliding scale fee structure.

The suggested registration fee for this program is $15. We also offer a scholarship rate of $10 and a supporter rate of $20 for those who would like to contribute toward making this programming accessible to all.

We do not want cost to be a barrier to participating in our programming. If you are not able to pay one of the listed registration fees, you are able to take the program at no cost.

This series is sponsored by the University of Minnesota Earl E. Bakken Center for Spirituality & Healing and the Integrative Psychiatry & Wellness Program.

A series of online workshops 
May 3, 10, and 24
Noon to 1 p.m. Central
Registration fees $0-20.

Register

University of Minnesota Employees and Spouses: Earn 200 wellbeing points per workshop through the University of Minnesota's Wellbeing Program. Learn more about other UMN Wellbeing Program offerings through the Earl E. Bakken Center for Spirituality & Healing.

instructor debbie cohen

Debbie Cohen, M.Ed, M.APP, is a mind-body trainer for the University of Minnesota Integrative Psychiatry & Wellness Program. In her teaching, she incorporates yoga, mindfulness and positive psychology. She developed a 6-week Positive Psychology course as part of the Marsh’s Mindfulness Based Living Program and also taught in the Positive Psychology class with Tal Ben Shahar at Harvard University. Deborah has been teaching hatha yoga since 1996 and offers in-person and virtual classes.