Staff Groups & Courses

If you are interested in joining one of the groups or workshops listed below, please see the contact information below or speak to your counsellor if you are already being seen in the Service.

For general information about groups at the Counselling Service, please follow this Groups & Workshops link.

Date of information: 30th August 2011

Reflective Practice Groups for Departmental Administrators

Reflective Practice Groups are run by the University's Staff Counselling Service for staff who could benefit from:

• Meeting together with others doing similar work
• on a regular basis
• with an independent facilitator
• in a confidential environment

in order to

• Support each other
• Discuss the rewards/demands of their work
• Share skills, experience and beliefs
• See things from a different perspective
• Challenge each other
• Look at complex issues together

It is part of normal professional life to reflect on how you can work at your best, and to seek to overcome difficulties inherent in the work that you do.

Reflective Practice Groups for Departmental Administrators

The Staff Counselling Service realises that the job of a Departmental Administrator can be complex and demanding. We are aware of the pressures and demands of the role, and the importance of being able to step back from the work, reflect on experience and gain perspective.

We currently run two groups at lunchtimes on Tuesdays or Thursdays. A counsellor from the Staff Counselling Service facilitates each group, which meets monthly for 1 hour at the Counselling Service.

If you would like to join one of these Reflective Practice Groups, please contact Jill Collins, Senior Staff Counsellor, email jac75, if interested.

Well-being at work

Workshops on different topics each aimed at increasing knowledge and skills in key areas relevant to achieving and maintaining health and well-being both at work and in life in general.

To book places on the Mindfullness and the Working on Well-being courses go to the CPPD website. You do not need to book for the drop-in laughter sessions.

Drop-in Laughter for Well-being Club

Workshop leader: Rosemary Parkinson

Venue:  Bramwell Lounge, University Sports and Social Club, Mill Lane.

Time  :  12:15pm - 12:45pm

This is a fortnightly opportunity to have a laugh through a number of tutor-led exercises. In a relaxed but structured session you will have a chance to get away from the daily grind, let off steam and go away feeling energised.  Laughter has a huge range of benefits from boosting the immune system to actually making you more beautiful.  Go on, give it a go.

Tuesday 4th October
Tuesday 18th October
Tuesday 1st November
Tuesday 15th November
Tuesday 29th November

Working on Well-being

Workshop leader: Alison Gibson

Venue:  Counselling Service, 2/3 Bene't Place, Lensfield Road, CB2 1EL

Date  :  Tuesday 29th November, 9:30am - 12:30pm

A half-day workshop to help sustain and develop well-being. This is one of a series  of workshops – in addition to  Mindfulness and a Laughter Club - being offered by the Staff Counselling Service over the next year. This workshop is suitable for staff who already have attended the Stress, Relaxation and Coping Day or who would like to learn more about well-being. The workshop will consider how to approach our own well-being and consider how to sustain this in our relationships and the workplace.

Participants will have the opportunity to learn about and practise various skills, such as relaxation, and to consider different responses to enhance well–being.

Mindfulness

Workshop leader: Sarah Parkin

Venue:  Merton Hall Farmhouse http://www.gsm.cam.ac.uk/chaplaincy/merton-hall-farmhouse/
Dates :  Fridays 10th and 24th February 2012,  9:30am - 12:30pm

Mindfulness helps us become conscious of the intricacies of all that is happening both within us (physical sensations, thoughts, emotions etc) and outside of us (smell, sound, sight etc) in any given moment.  It is a way of being with our self and the world, which brings us into direct contact with our present moment experiencing. Research has shown that it can have a positive effect on our physical and mental wellbeing.

An individual discipline of specific mindful practices need to be established to develop a more mindful way of being.  This includes mindful meditation, mindful movement and mindful attending to the body.   

This linked pair of workshops (attendance is for both) will help you to start and develop these practices.   Focus will mostly be on the doing but there will also be opportunity to explore some of the concepts of mindfulness. Further information on mindfulness can be found at http://www.counselling.cam.ac.uk/selfhelp/leaflets/mindfulness.

Please wear comfortable clothing and bring something to lie on.

Please contact  Sarah Parkin (sdp32@cam.ac.uk) if you would like to discuss anything further or have any questions.