Transformative Professional Development: Outcomes of the Inner Life Renewal Program

2006 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 57-62 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mary Jo Kreitzer ◽  
Lixin Zhang ◽  
Michelle J. Trotter
Keyword(s):  
Professional Development ◽  
Health Professionals ◽  
Professional Growth ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Self Awareness ◽  
Listening Skills ◽  
Inner Life ◽  
Program Evaluations ◽  
Renewal Program ◽  
Development Outcomes

Health professionals have jobs that are inherently stressful and most have had little opportunity or encouragement to focus on self-care. Over the past 10 years, professional development programs such as the “Courage to Teach” have been developed for teachers in primary and secondary schools. Reported outcomes include personal and professional growth, increased satisfaction and well-being, and renewed passion and commitment for teaching. Based on this model of transformational professional development, a program was developed for health professionals, the Inner Life Renewal Program. Four cohorts of health professionals have completed the program. This brief report provides descriptive information regarding the structure, format, and process of the program and evaluative data based on program evaluations and participant interviews. Outcomes reported by participants include an increase in self-awareness, improved listening skills and relationships with colleagues, and an increased ability to manage or cope with stress.

The science of well-being: evidence of Eastern therapies enhancing the character traits associated with well-being- well-being psychiatry

2011 ◽  
Vol 26 (S2) ◽  
pp. 1711-1711
Author(s):  
R.F. D'Souza
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Health Professionals ◽  
Health Professionals ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Research Centre ◽  
Self Awareness ◽  
Human Beings ◽  
Interpersonal Neurobiology ◽  
Happy Life ◽  
Self Transcendence

Northern Psychiatry Research Centre, Melbourne University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia Mental health professionals and their patients are increasingly aware of the basic need of all human beings for a source of meaning that is greater than one's self. This growth in awareness is driven by the professional's practical goal of reducing disability from mental disorders and by the heart felt wishes of the suffering for their therapists to recognize of the need for self transcendence. This has resulted in mental health professionals and the general public's growing awareness of the need to foster spirituality and well-being in clinical practice. We now see a groundswell of professional work to focus on the development of health and happiness, rather than merely to fight disease and distress.This presentation will consider the practical necessity to reduce disability, and understanding the science of well-being including the stages of self-awareness on the path to well-being. Considering the interpersonal neurobiology view of well-being. Ultimately discussing the developing of well-being through therapies such as Cloninger's “The happy life- Voyages to well-being” and D'Souza's Evidence based East-West Spiritually Augmented Well-being therapy. seven catalylectic exercises for each day of the week. This allows attention to spirituality based on principles of psychobiology with roots in compassion and tolerance, rather than on the basis of dogmatic judgments that are rooted in fear and intolerance. Thus only by addressing spirituality in a scientific and non judgmental manner can we make psychology and psychiatry into a science of well-being that is able to reduce stigma and disability of psychological disorders

Mindfulness training for school administrators: effects on well-being and leadership

2018 ◽  
Vol 56 (6) ◽  
pp. 602-619 ◽  
Author(s):  
Julia Mahfouz
Keyword(s):  
Professional Development ◽  
School Administrators ◽  
Development Program ◽  
Care Program ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Emotional Reactions ◽  
Professional Development Program ◽  
Self Awareness ◽  
Social Emotional ◽  
Content Type

Purpose Based on a need to utilize strategies and develop social-emotional competency skills of school administrators, the purpose of this paper is to explore the influence of Cultivating Awareness and Resilience in Education (CARE), a mindfulness-based professional development program, on the leadership and well-being of 13 school administrators. Design/methodology/approach The empirical data consist of in-depth interviews with 13 administrators before and after the implementation of CARE program, observation notes from shadowing their activities during school time and attending the CARE program as a participant observer. Employing the pro-social classroom model (Jennings and Greenberg, 2009) as a theoretical foundation, the paper is based on an ongoing, iterative data analysis process, following the coding and interpretive techniques of grounded theory. Findings The positive outcomes that emerged from the data relate to improved leadership skills, such as increased self-reflection, better relationships and attendance to self-care. These skills are tied to increased self-awareness, self-management and self-compassion. Participants also reported an improved ability to recognize their emotional reactions, which enabled them to better understand their leadership roles in shaping their school climates. Research limitations/implications The findings reveal significant insights about the implementation of social-emotional, mindfulness-based professional development with school administrators and potential outcomes. Implications for professional development that fosters school administrators’ social-emotional competencies are discussed. Originality/value As a study of one of the first implementations of mindfulness-based professional development programs among school principals, this research illuminates the specific benefits of such programs for school leaders and how mindfulness could be integral in their lives and education. Specifically, this study is one of the first to reveal how the CARE professional development program influences principals’ well-being and leadership.

scholarly journals 'It's not the form; it's the process': A phenomenological study on the use of creative professional development workshops to improve teamwork and communication skills

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anita Acai ◽  
Sydney A. McQueen ◽  
Christine Fahim ◽  
Natalie Wagner ◽  
Victoria McKinnon ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Professional Development ◽  
Communication Skills ◽  
Health Professionals ◽  
Performing Arts ◽  
Phenomenological Study ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Communication Styles ◽  
Visual And Performing Arts ◽  
Positive Effects ◽  
The Arts

Introduction: Past research has demonstrated the positive effects of visual and performing arts on health professionals’ observational acuity and associated diagnostic skills, well-being, and professional identity. However, to date, the use of arts for the development of non-technical skills, such as teamwork and communication has not been studied thoroughly. Methods: In partnership with a community print and media arts organization, Centre[3], we utilized a phenomenological approach to explore front-line mental health and social service workers’ experiences with a creative professional development workshop based on the visual and performing arts. Through pre- and post-workshop interviews with participants and post-workshop interviews with their managers, we sought to examine how participants’ perceptions of the workshop compared to their pre-workshop expectations, specific impacts of the workshop with respect to participants’ teamwork and communication skills, and changes in their perceptions regarding the use of the arts in professional development. Results: Our workshops were successful in enhancing teamwork skills among participants and showed promise in the development of communication skills, though observable changes in workplace communication could not be confirmed. The workshop facilitated teamwork and collegiality between colleagues, creating a more enjoyable and accepting work environment. The workshops also helped participants identify the strengths and weaknesses of their communication skills, made them more comfortable with different communication styles, and provided them with strategies to enhance their communication skills. Conclusions: Participation in the arts can be beneficial for the development of interpersonal skills such as teamwork and communication among health professionals.

scholarly journals SELF-ASSESSMENT CRITERIA OF TEACHER’S WELL-BEING

2012 ◽  
Vol 48 (1) ◽  
pp. 81-90
Author(s):  
Diana Liepa ◽  
Aija Dudkina ◽  
Maruta Sile
Keyword(s):  
Professional Development ◽  
Job Performance ◽  
Professional Growth ◽  
Teaching Effectiveness ◽  
Professional Competence ◽  
Daily Life ◽  
Personality Development ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Educational Process ◽  
Self Assessment

Our dynamic life brings changes not only into our daily life, but in thinking and the way to work and to learn as well. We have to be faster and more flexible in order to develop our professional, social and civic competencies. Education helps to develop the attitudes, skills and knowledge necessary to make informed decisions for the benefit of themselves and others, now and in the future, and to act upon these decisions. That is why teachers have to find the best ways in acquiring professional competencies and in developing their individual qualities. The teacher’s role in the educational process has always been vital. Especial significance is being attached to the teacher’s personality and professional growth, the teacher’s satisfaction with the life in general and their abilities’ conformity to the demands of the profession. The teacher’s satisfaction serves as a motivation factor in order to advance the educator’s professional competence (high mastery). The teacher’s as a professional’s advancement is closely connected with his personality development. The human’s personality in general influences positively the professional adaptation, promotes professional creativity, safeguards from professional obsoleteness. The teacher’s personality maintains the professional expertise, promotes professional competences’ advancement. There are relationships between aspects of teacher’s well-being and student’s learning, job performance or other aspects of teaching effectiveness. The teacher’s well-being influences the effectiveness of student’s learning. Key words: compensation, dissatisfaction, professional development, satisfaction with work.

Psychotherapy Expertise in Singapore

2016 ◽  
pp. 127-154
Author(s):  
Len Jennings ◽  
Vilma D’Rozario ◽  
Michael Goh ◽  
Ashley Sovereign ◽  
Megan Brogger ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Professional Development ◽  
Therapeutic Alliance ◽  
Qualitative Methods ◽  
Professional Growth ◽  
Personal Characteristics ◽  
Cross Cultural ◽  
Self Awareness ◽  
Research And Practice ◽  
Strength Based ◽  
Multicultural Context

Personal characteristics, developmental influences, and therapy practices of nine peer-nominated expert psychotherapists practicing in the diverse country of Singapore were identified using qualitative methods. Sixteen themes were organized within four categories: (1) personal characteristics (empathic, nonjudgmental, and respectful), (2) developmental influences (experience, self-awareness, humility, and self-doubt), (3) approach to practice (balance between support and challenge, flexible therapeutic stance, empowerment/strength-based approach, primacy of the therapeutic alliance, comfortable addressing spirituality, and embraces working within a multicultural context), and (4) ongoing professional growth (professional development practices, benefits of teaching/training others, and challenges to professional development in Singapore). Cross-cultural comparisons between this study and Jennings and Skovholt’s 1999 study of Minnesota expert psychotherapists found considerable overlap of themes. Implications for research and practice of psychotherapy are offered.

Framework for 21st Century School Nursing Practice: Framing Professional Development

2017 ◽  
Vol 32 (3) ◽  
pp. 159-161 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ann Allen-Johnson
Keyword(s):  
Professional Development ◽  
Academic Success ◽  
21St Century ◽  
Professional Growth ◽  
Nursing Practice ◽  
Development Program ◽  
Well Being ◽  
School Nurse ◽  
Professional Development Program ◽  
School Nursing

The NASN Code of Ethics upholds that it is the responsibility of the school nurse to maintain competency and pursue personal and professional growth. Designing professional development activities that are relevant and support the needs of the school nurse can be a challenge. The Framework for 21st Century School Nursing Practice provides a model rooted in evidence-based standards of practice that can be utilized to assess an existing professional development program and identify gaps in learning opportunities. Nurse leaders can use the Framework for 21st Century Nursing Practice to provide a roadmap toward a professional development program that will be meaningful to school nurse staff, help restore or maintain joy in their practice, and allow them to achieve the goal of advancing the well-being, academic success, and lifelong achievement and health of students.

scholarly journals Authentic Leadership Education: An empirical discussion from Pakistani higher education

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dian Ekowati ◽  
Fendy Shuairidi
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Workforce Development ◽  
Professional Growth ◽  
Authentic Leadership ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Leadership Education ◽  
Theory And Practice ◽  
Self Awareness ◽  
Professional Issues ◽  
Shed Light

Abstract The authentic style encourages leaders to be mindful of their strengths, weaknesses, and emotions, using practical methods for improving their leadership abilities. Identifying an authentic leader is a description of those who have positive beliefs, lead from the heart, set the highest standards of ethics and morality, and go beyond their interests for their followers' well-being. It is critical to understand where one stands on important moral and professional issues to become an authentic leader and then act on that knowledge. Authentic leaders, although specific characteristics, such as positive psychology, self-awareness, morals and ethics, and a person, transparency, and balanced processing; this study explores authentic leadership strengths and weakness empirically. The link between theory and practice applied settings and helps practitioners add value to professional growth has been discussed. The study also shed light on the importance of workforce development action plans, but the ties outlined herein show that casual relations and additional tests would help confirm the connections.

scholarly journals Experiences of mental health professionals supporting front-line health and social care workers during COVID-19: qualitative study

BJPsych Open ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jo Billings ◽  
Camilla Biggs ◽  
Brian Chi Fung Ching ◽  
Vasiliki Gkofa ◽  
David Singleton ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Health Professionals ◽  
Health Professionals ◽  
Professional Growth ◽  
Social Care ◽  
Clinical Pathways ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Front Line ◽  
Care Workers ◽  
Health And Social Care

Background The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is having a well-documented impact on the mental health of front-line health and social care workers (HSCWs). However, little attention has been paid to the experiences of, and impact on, the mental health professionals who were rapidly tasked with supporting them. Aims We set out to redress this gap by qualitatively exploring UK mental health professionals’ experiences, views and needs while working to support the well-being of front-line HSCWs during the COVID-19 pandemic. Method Mental health professionals working in roles supporting front-line HSCWs were recruited purposively and interviewed remotely. Transcripts of the interviews were analysed by the research team following the principles of reflexive thematic analysis. Results We completed interviews with 28 mental health professionals from varied professional backgrounds, career stages and settings across the UK. Mental health professionals were motivated and driven to develop new clinical pathways to support HSCWs they perceived as colleagues and many experienced professional growth. However, this also came at some costs, as they took on additional responsibilities and increased workloads, were anxious and uncertain about how best to support this workforce and tended to neglect their own health and well-being. Many were professionally isolated and were affected vicariously by the traumas and moral injuries that healthcare workers talked about in sessions. Conclusions This research highlights the urgent need to consider the mental well-being, training and support of mental health professionals who are supporting front-line workers.

Self-care and Well-being in Mental Health Professionals: The Mediating Effects of Self-awareness and Mindfulness

2010 ◽  
Vol 32 (3) ◽  
pp. 247-264 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kelly Richards ◽  
C. Campenni ◽  
Janet Muse-Burke
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Health Professionals ◽  
Health Professionals ◽  
Self Care ◽  
Clinical Work ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Self Awareness ◽  
Mediating Effects ◽  
Care Practices ◽  
Significant Mediator

Because mental health professionals are susceptible to impairment and burnout that may negatively affect clinical work, it is ethically imperative that they engage in self-care. Previous research has found direct effects of self-care on self-awareness and well-being (e.g., Coster & Schwebel, 1997). Likewise, mindfulness has been found to positively affect well-being (Brown & Ryan, 2003). However, no studies currently available demonstrate a link between self-awareness and well-being. Mindfulness may be the link needed to support this association. A survey of mental health professionals (N = 148) revealed that mindfulness is a significant mediator between self-care and well-being. Consequently, mental health professionals are encouraged to explore their involvement in and beliefs about self-care practices.

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