Head of School Bob Whelan and GFA faculty welcomed back Coyle Scholar Dr. Lisa Damour virtually today for her presentation on Managing Anxiety and Stress Under COVID-19. Damour provided a frame for faculty to think about the mental health aspect when it comes to working alongside students and families this fall.
With themes of connection and calm, Whelan explained how Damour’s expertise can even further assist faculty in “bringing the best version of ourselves every day in a way to most effectively serve our students.”
Dr. Damour began with three steps to help students, themselves, and families through the stress and anxiety of the present moment. “Step one: calm the physical reaction. Breathing works,” she said. “Step two: reframe the emotion and finally, step three: combat anxious thoughts.”
She recommended, “Ask your students to talk to you about how they feel. Talk about the worst-case scenario and then say okay, what could you to do to handle this situation? How can you make yourself feel safe?”
Damour reminded faculty “not all coping is created equal,” and further explained the differences between negative coping (i.e. emotional retreat, junk habits, mistreating others) and positive coping (i.e. social connection, happy distractions, self-care, caring for others). “The bottom line,” she said, “positive coping strategies are the key to getting through this pandemic intact. School gives students a sense of purpose, class and advisory time offer connection, and learning is a happy distraction.”
While Damour explained she constantly receives questions on how to try and eliminate stress and anxiety, she encouraged faculty to lean in. “Just like psychologists are OK with anxiety, we are OK with stress. Stress is healthy — because it means we are adapting to new situations, and adapting to something new is growth giving.”
For more information on Dr. Lisa Damour and for a number of helpful resources, please visit her website.