Balance Formula - take care of your mental health
Free consultations with psychologists and psychotherapists, lectures on mental health, stress management training and relaxation workshops - from 15th to 16th November 2024, the project "Balance Formula - take care of mental health" was implemented at the Silesian University of Technology. More than 50 people participated in the event.
“Balance Formula – take care of mental health” is a two-day event aimed at increasing awareness of mental health prevention among the entire academic community of the University. It is also a response to psychological problems observed by specialists, especially among students, resulting from, among others, the effects of isolation during a pandemic, inability to cope with long-term stress, as well as the lack of ability to establish and maintain relationships and understand one’s own emotions.
On the first day, on Friday, November 15th, free psychological consultations were held, while the second day was full of workshops, lectures, which ended with a relaxing concert of crystal bowls.
“The Balance Formula is probably the most difficult formula to draw out, hence the initiative to jointly look for ways to find life balance, the title balance, to pay attention to mental health prevention, to increase social awareness in this area, and above all to give participants support and specific tools that will allow them to better cope with everyday challenges,” says Anna Świderska, the originator and organizer of the event. – “The aim of our event was to strengthen mental resilience, on Friday individually during consultations with psychologists, which were mainly used by young people, and on Saturday together, in a friendly atmosphere during workshops that integrated various environments.” – adds Anna Świderska.
On Saturday, November 16th, on the second day of the event, workshops were held, which were preceded by the lecture entitled “Strengthen mental immunity in yourself and in your loved ones”. Classes were conducted by psychotherapists Katarzyna Janowicz-Pielecka and Małgorzata Zielińska.
During the lecture, we focused primarily on skills such as the ability to support ourselves in difficult life situations and showed how to react when someone close to you experiences a crisis in life, has a low mood and where to look for help. In the workshop part, participants learned how to deal with stress and emotions and how to take care of good relations with loved ones - said Katarzyna Janowicz-Pielecka, a psychotherapist.
Constant pursuit, stress, excess of duties and the breakdown of interpersonal relationships have a negative impact on our psyche. Unfortunately, we are not taught how to deal with emotions in difficult situations and how to positively relieve stress.
We should be taught the techniques of coping with stress or our emotions from an early age After all, emotions accompany us all our lives, they are our allies, we should understand and listen to them. Unfortunately, sometimes we try to escape from them or drown them out. And this is a simple way to all kinds of addictions – emphasizes psychotherapist Małgorzata Zielińska.
The event was attended by students, PhD students, employees of the Silesian University of Technology and residents of the region. More than 50 people in total. - Very high attendance, despite the short time of promotion and the impressions of the participants quickly gathered, show that both among the academic community, as well as the inhabitants of the city and region, such initiatives are very necessary - emphasizes Katarzyna Śnitek from the Silesian University of Technology Library, where classes were held.
Many universities around the world pay special attention to the mental health aspect of the academic community. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), depression is one of the leading causes of disability and inability to work in the world and will be the most commonly diagnosed disease in the world by 2030. The “Balance Formula” event perfectly fits into the implementation of one of the Sustainable Development Goals – good health and quality of life. That is why I am glad that we could host such a much-needed event, and I hope that this initiative will continue. We want the Silesian University of Technology Library to be associated not only with books, but also to be a friendly, inclusive, and responsive to the needs of the academic community a place of meetings and exchange of experiences – adds Katarzyna Śnitek.
Projects such as “Balance Formula” fit perfectly into the so-called Third Mission of the University, whose goal is to reach recipients from outside the academic environment with the offer. It aims at social and professional activation and prevention of social exclusion.
- I am grateful to the Silesian University of Technology that I was able to take part in these classes. During lectures and workshops, I could gain valuable knowledge. I think that such events are very necessary because each of us at some stage of our life needs or will need support. Unfortunately, we Poles do not know how to ask for help. We are ashamed to talk about our emotions, we are ashamed to go to a psychiatrist or psychologist. In addition, no one teaches us how to cope in difficult situations and we accumulate various emotions, and these may explode in an undesirable way – said Klaudyna Wolniakowska - one of the participants.
During the workshops, participants also learned how to talk about difficult situations and how to seek support. The classes were also an opportunity to work in a group.
- Lectures and practical classes were conducted at a very high level. The group, despite the fact that it was professionally and age-diverse, cooperated very well, which was very encouraging. I believe that the knowledge we could gain here can support our daily functioning – emphasized Baltazar, a psychology student at the University of Silesia.
- It was a unique, very valuable experience both in terms of the emotional path, which, however, had to go through, as well as the knowledge that was presented here - adds Paulina, a student of the Silesian University of Technology.
After the psychological workshops, breathing exercises were conducted by Ewa Bobrowska from Anahata yoga studio.
The breathing techniques I presented allow us in difficult situations to regain balance and communication with ourselves. Watching TV or looking at the cell phone will not relax us but will distract us for a moment. However, the relaxation technique I presented allows us to look inside ourselves, to confront our feelings or emotions. During conscious breathing, we can feel our body tense and consciously relax it. Such techniques can bring us great benefits, relax us, and relax – emphasizes Ewa Bobrowska.
The event ended with a relaxation workshop with elements of music therapy, i.e. a concert using crystal bowls.
The event took place on as part of the City-Region-Academy Projects of the European City of Science Katowice 2024. It will also result in a publication, a kind of compendium of knowledge in the field of public health prevention, which will be published in December and will also be available online on the website of the Promotion and Communication Centre in the projects tab, “Pattern for balance.”
