COVID19 has created a profound disruption in ‘normal’ life. We have individually and collectively spent the last six months reacting and adapting to our new reality. Some of the changes have been dramatic and others more subtle but potentially life-changing. We have a minimum of another six months, where we…
Restrictions and challenges due to C19 can make staying healthy and feeling good harder to achieve. Sometimes when we are uncomfortable, we don’t want to go along with changes we did not ask for. Frustration is a normal feeling, but there are ways to make it easier to do the…
Research shows 1 in 2 Australians feel more lonely since C19. Physical isolation does not necessarily have to create loneliness. The authors of this study recommend staying socially-connected while remaining physically apart. In addition to phone/zoom calls and exercising while physically distanced, they suggest letter writing and making a gift…
As we continue to adapt to the world with COVID, some people must quarantine, and others choose to self-isolate to protect themselves and others from potential infection. In some ways, we are all participating in the biggest social experiment in our lifetimes. Scientists are seizing the opportunity to learn more…
Emotional expression is a central component of social intelligence. So what is the impact of wearing a mask? Ursula Hess, a psychologist and expert in the communication of emotion, says masks do not interfere with the expression or ‘reading’ of emotion. She highlights some of the research in a recent…
The news that 900 people in Melbourne ‘hotspots’ refuse COVID-19 testing has confused many and outraged some. It is easy to label people who refuse to test as selfish, but we can and must do better. We must think clearly rather than judge based on limited information or react unwisely…
Do you feel like you are ‘hitting the wall’ with regard to physical isolation? You are not alone. A recent study found that when socially isolated, people crave social interaction the same way a person who is fasting craves food. The brain’s response to wanting social contact is similar to…
The last few weeks of our free webinar series STRONGER THROUGH CHANGE, have focused on emotional regulation. This morning we discussed the role of attention in our ability to regulate emotion in challenging situations. A key take away from the session is: just because our attention is ‘drawn’ to the…
In our ‘Coping with Uncertainty’ webinar this week, we talked about letting go of things that were beyond our control and focusing on the things we can impact. One participant shared how she felt more control and comfort as she was becoming more familiar with her children’s learning due to…