Ongoing Care & Well-Being Sessions

March 3, 2021

Cultivating a Culture of Wellness, Kathleen Sullivan, Philip Tavill 

Achieving a culture of wellness occurs over the years, not days, weeks, or months. Hear from Children First, Inc., Chief Executive Officer, and the Head Start & Early Head Start Director at one of the Best Places to Work in Sarasota / Manatee, on how their organization has created a wellness culture among their staff and families. They will give specific examples of what they have initiated using data to inform their wellness program related to Mental Health, Social-Emotional Well-being, and Staff Health and Wellness.

Intentional Mindfulness: Coping with Everyday Stressors, Natacha Bazin 

Mental health professionals that work with families, children, and staff witness the stress of their daily lives. The current climate also perpetuates anxiety; things that may seem minuscule are becoming some of the most significant stressors for our community. This session will help participants identify everyday stressors and provide coping tips to alleviate stressors. Participants will learn techniques to improve their overall healthier work/life balance, increase mental capacity of setting intentions/mindful mediation, and maximizing social-emotional well-being. These techniques are in alignment with staff health and wellness.

March 4, 2021 

Nurturing the Nurturer: Self-care for Providers & Parents, Debra Sosin, LICSW

In times of stress and crisis, we all need to take care of ourselves. Yet, many people in caring professions and family members neglect their own mental health as they prioritize others' care. This webinar will explore self-care practices for early care professionals and the families they work with. You will be introduced to various self-care strategies and learn why we all need self-care, particularly during extremely stressful times. You will learn how to make the oftentimes difficult shift from nurturing others to nurturing yourself first.

Communicable Disease Prevention in Early Education, Gillian Gansler Michelle Salcedo

Even before the national pandemic, communicable disease prevention was a challenge in early education settings. Young children are naturally curious and do not yet understand basic health procedures like proper handwashing. This session will provide an overview of strategies for reducing the spread of all diseases in early education, including the methods for sanitizing and disinfecting classrooms. We will also review some of the American Academy of Pediatrics guidelines for excluding young children to prevent the further spread of illness.

Keeping Your Spirit Healthy with Music Maryann K Harman

When times get tough, reach for a song. One of music's greatest gifts is touching the human spirit. This session will focus on brain research with its primary focus on how much it helps our mental health and well-being. Attendees will leave with a better understanding of how music can lift the spirit. The presenter will also provide resources for music and activities. If you want to feel energized, come to this session.

March 5, 2021

Building Compassionate Self-Awareness in Early Childcare and Education, Tatiana Larionova

This session will allow staff to develop self-acceptance practices, positive reassurance, mindfulness, stress-coping, and responsive and purposeful interactions with others, including children in their care. By building self-awareness and self-compassion and practicing the skills, staff are more likely to develop emotional resilience and tend with compassion for others.

Cultivating a Culture of Self Care in Uncertain Times, Melissa C. Harrell

The events of 2020 have taxed our mental load. This unique session will allow apace for personal awareness and reflection of how these unprecedented times have impacted individuals and organizations. Participants will gain a deeper understanding of their biological responses to stress, where they are in the burnout cycle, and how to mitigate/ heal with mindfulness skills.