Soft Skills Workshops

Concept of the topic: How can methods of connecting to intuitive intelligence enable creative thinking, problem solutions outside the box, and decision-making more effectively? Through the work of guided imagination, creative art, and analyzing dreams - we go through the language of the archetypes of our deeper knowledge, the one that lies behind rational thinking. This method is taken from Carl G. Jung's approach. This workshop is designed to improve participants’ ability to find solutions and make decisions in a unique way, by offering practices that are designed to connect to intuition taken from the Jungian approach. We refer to dreams, art, and symbols, as cues and learn how to analyze their symbols. The rationale of the course is to go through the process of first experiencing something different in our understanding – usually through the guided-imagination journey, and creative arts, and then learning the language of our intuition – the language of analyzing symbols.

One of our greatest challenges is producing much in a short time, and there is a great need in finding organizational cues for the best ways to keep the right habits allowing high productivity. This workshop is designed to improve participants’ well-being by offering coping strategies for mindful organizing and self-management. Exercises from the worlds of positive and organizational psychology, as well as life coaching exercises, are taught and practiced here, in order to allow participants to learn about models of motivation, tricks to prevent procrastination, analyzing their relationship with time, and setting realistic goals. Learning objectives: Participants will be equipped with the toolset and an understanding of their own personal emotional regulation needs and practices, regarding: Procrastinating Mindful scheduling. The components that are needed for motivation. The different personal tendencies for different motivational styles. The theory and practice of time management How to set realistic goals

Western living sometimes lead to great distress and malad working environments. We may find ourselves working alongside someone who is experiencing a mental health issue or emotional distress, and the pandemic raised the rates of mental distress. Psychologic-First-Aid is a model of the help provided to a person who is developing mental distress, experiencing a worsening of an existing mental health problem, or in a mental health crisis. This seminar offers skills-based training for identifying, understanding, and responding to a colleague or student in need. Alongside, allowing participants to acquire soft skills for managing their own distress or other negative emotions; coping better, and increasing competencies. Learning objectives: Participants will be able to identify, cope and prevent mental distress among colleagues and students. Participants break the stigma about mental illness and develop an empathic attitude, which can prevent in many cases un-needed conflicts.

How to recognize cognitive biases, and how to cope with ruminating thoughts? By learning about the nature of our brain and cognition and by filling out self-analyzing papers from the worlds of CBT (cognitive behavioral therapy), participants are getting to know their automatic thoughts, and how to replace them with the work of internal strengthening voices. Various practices, such as awareness of thoughts & cognitive diffusion, allow participants to learn about the nature of negative thoughts and emotions, and how to cope better.

Mindfulness refers to a quality of attention, in which you focus on being present in the moment in a non-judgmental state. It is one of the leading evidence-based practices for enhancing mental resilience, improving attention abilities and thus performance under distress. This workshop is designed to improve participants’ well-being by offering coping strategies specifically for academic life. It is a practical, experiential, and participatory class in which participants learn useful self-help skills. The rationale of the course is to go through the process of first understanding what mindfulness is and how to practice our attention and awareness. Then participants learn about self-compassion and cultivating a non-judgmental attitude. In the third phase, the emphasis is on how to create change, by breaking the automatic conditions and biases that produce mental suffering and replacing the mind traps with beneficial mental attitudes. Learning objectives: Introducing the theory and practice of mindfulness that apply to both personal resilience and professional skills related to academia and well-being. Participants will be equipped with tool set and an understanding of their own personal emotional regulation needs and practices.

On this seminar/workshop/course - data from neuroscience and a variety of exercises are taught in order to increase our control over our attention spam and focusing ability. Some of the topics discussed: - Neuroscience and the nature of attention, executive functions, and regulation. - Monotasking - how to allow "Deep-work". - Exercises for extending focused attention - Using the body for regulation through different practices such as - breathing, progressive muscle relaxation, mindful movement, and yoga.

Tools from social psychology and life coaching are applied to enable participants to change and maintain desired habits. At the beginning of this process, participants get a better understanding of their own needs by filling out self-questionnaires and thus analyzing personal tendencies and motivations. Then, by using exercises of guided imagery and other mind games, participants focus and define their personal and career goals. On the last part, the participants learn of effective ways of changing and maintaining habits and are learning how committed actions are taken.

Nowhere is mindfulness more useful than during our communication interactions. Our relationships with others are both one of our greatest sources of joy but also suffering. One of academia’s specific stressors is steaming from the relationship between researchers and supervisors. Effective communication with those whom we disagree with is extraordinarily difficult. In this seminar, participants will learn to identify their own fall-back strategies, other and better conflict-managing styles, and the model of harmonious communication. Marshall Rosenberg's Non-Violent Communication (NVC), will be introduced and practiced, to allow scientists to adopt the respectful language that allows give and accept criticism in a growing way.

The climate of the team and the support of the group often predict the satisfaction and the motivational level and thus is important for performance and competence. Nature connectedness is a factor that increases well-being and social abilities. In this workshop, several social challenges are created in an adventurous atmosphere, allowing teams to better connect. In a playful amusing atmosphere, participants learn to see their partners from new perspectives. These workshops were designed as part of my partnership with The Center for Compassionate Mindful Education. We gave these workshops in hundreds of psychological, and educational organizations and were all found as very successful in bringing group[ cohesion and a positive encouraging atmosphere to teams and organizations. Goal: Increasing the group's resilience, competence, and positive climate. Improving the social spirit of the group and the wellness and welfare of participants.

How to act in a way that reflects our values? In this seminar/workshop, participants clarify their values, to help them move forward on important committed actions in their life. According to Prof. Steven Hayes, father of ACT, commitment is defined as action in the direction of what you care about even in the presence of obstacles. In this definition, action is supported when the obstacles that impede commitment are helped by acceptance, contacting the present moment, self-as-contact work, and defusion.

Mindfulness refers to a quality of attention, in which you focus on being present in the moment in a non-judgmental state. It is one of the leading evidence-based practices for enhancing mental resilience, improving attention abilities and thus performance under distress. This workshop is designed to improve participants’ well-being by offering coping strategies specifically for academic life. It is a practical, experiential, and participatory class in which participants learn useful self-help skills. The rationale of the course is to go through the process of first understanding what mindfulness is and how to practice our attention and awareness. Then participants learn about self-compassion and cultivating a non-judgmental attitude. In the third phase, the emphasis is on how to create change, by breaking the automatic conditions and biases that produce mental suffering and replacing the mind traps with beneficial mental attitudes. Learning objectives: Introducing the theory and practice of mindfulness that apply to both personal resilience and professional skills related to academia and well-being. Participants will be equipped with tool set and an understanding of their own personal emotional regulation needs and practices.

Academic living may be very stressful due to some specific characteristics, such as work-life balance, relationship with supervisors, meeting deadlines, the lack of constructed schedules, and more (Tsai, & Muindi, 2016). Graduate students are more than 6 times as likely to experience depression and anxiety as compared to the general population (Evans, Bira., Gastelum, Weiss & Vanderford, 2018; Loissel, 2020). This seminar is built in a way that allows participants to acquire soft skills for managing their attention, stress, coping better with negative emotions, and increasing competencies. Some of the topics discussed and learned here are: - Self-compassion as a major resilient factor (Neff, 2003) – components, conceptualization, and practice strategies to better accept ourselves. - Coping with negative thoughts, self-doubts, and imposter syndrome: How to recognize cognitive biases, and how to cope with ruminating thoughts. - Stress, anxiety, insomnia, stage fright – how to better cope and relax. - Pathways to increase attention Learning objectives: - How to identify and deal with positive and negative emotions, balancing and relaxing physical tensions, using guided imagery and other practices. - A variety of methods from the field of cognitive-behavioral therapy - CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy) to deal with stressful situations. - How to behave with thoughts, with emotions of high intensity - How to interpret reality empathetically-assertively. - The importance of social support and how to use it. - Introducing mechanisms of stress and coping styles. - Participants will be equipped with toolsets and an understanding of their own personal emotional regulation needs and practices.

On this seminar/workshop/course - data from neuroscience and a variety of exercises are taught in order to increase our control over our attention spam and focusing ability. Some of the topics discussed: - Neuroscience and the nature of attention, executive functions, and regulation. - Monotasking - how to allow "Deep-work". - Exercises for extending focused attention - Using the body for regulation through different practices such as - breathing, progressive muscle relaxation, mindful movement, and yoga.

Academics sometimes find themselves working alongside someone who is experiencing a mental health issue or emotional distress. In fact, scientific work exposes one to some specific stressors, such as work-life balance, relationship with supervisors, meeting deadlines, the lack of constructed schedules and more (Tsai, & Muindi, 2016). Graduate students are more than 6 times as likely to experience depression and anxiety as compared to the general population (Evans, Bira., Gastelum, Weiss & Vanderford, 2018; Loissel, 2020), and the pandemic raised the numbers of mental distress, especially for internationals. Psychologic-First-Aid is a model of the help provided to a person who is developing mental distress, experiencing a worsening of an existing mental health problem, or in a mental health crisis. This seminar offers skills-based training for identifying, understanding, and responding to a colleague or student in need. Alongside, allowing participants to acquire soft skills for managing their own distress or other negative emotions; coping better, and increasing competencies. Learning objectives: Participants will be able to identify, cope and prevent mental distress among colleagues and students. Participants break the stigma about mental illness and develop an empathic attitude, which can prevent in many cases un-needed conflicts.

How to act in a way that reflects our values? In this seminar/workshop, participants clarify their values, to help them move forward on important committed actions in their life. According to Prof. Steven Hayes, father of ACT, commitment is defined as action in the direction of what you care about even in the presence of obstacles. In this definition, action is supported when the obstacles that impede commitment are helped by acceptance, contacting the present moment, self-as-contact work, and defusion.

Nowhere is mindfulness more useful than during our communication interactions. Our relationships with others are both one of our greatest sources of joy but also suffering. One of academia’s specific stressors is steaming from the relationship between researchers and supervisors. Effective communication with those whom we disagree with is extraordinarily difficult. In this seminar, participants will learn to identify their own fall-back strategies, other and better conflict-managing styles, and the model of harmonious communication. Marshall Rosenberg's Non-Violent Communication (NVC), will be introduced and practiced, to allow scientists to adopt the respectful language that allows give and accept criticism in a growing way.

How to recognize cognitive biases, and how to cope with ruminating thoughts? By learning about the nature of our brain and cognition and by filling out self-analyzing papers from the worlds of CBT (cognitive behavioral therapy), participants are getting to know their automatic thoughts, and how to replace them with the work of internal strengthening voices. Various practices, such as awareness of thoughts & cognitive diffusion, allow participants to learn about the nature of negative thoughts and emotions, and how to cope better.

One of the greatest challenges in scientific life is the ability to produce many sorts of activities in a short time: conducting research, managing people, writing, publishing, creating social networking, presenting, and performing. There is no structured schedule and there is a great need in finding organizational cues for the best ways to keep the right habits allowing high productivity. This workshop is designed to improve participants’ well-being by offering coping strategies specifically for academic life, taken from the worlds of positive and organizational psychology, as well as life coaching exercises. On these courses, participants learn about models of motivation, tricks to prevent procrastination, analyzing their relationship with time, and setting realistic goals. Learning objectives: Participants will be equipped with toolset and an understanding of their own personal emotional regulation needs and practices, regarding: Procrastinating Mindful scheduling. The components that are needed for motivation. The different personal tendencies for different motivational styles. The theory and practice of time management How to set realistic goals

Tools from social psychology and life coaching are applied to enable participants to change and maintain desired habits. At the beginning of this process, participants get a better understanding of their own needs by filling out self-questionnaires and thus analyzing personal tendencies and motivations. Then, by using exercises of guided imagery and other mind games, participants focus and define their personal and career goals. On the last part, the participants learn of effective ways of changing and maintaining habits and are learning how committed actions are taken.

The climate of the team and the support of the group often predict the satisfaction and the motivational level and thus is important for performance and competence. Nature connectedness is a factor that increases well-being and social abilities. In this workshop, several social challenges are created in an adventurous atmosphere, allowing teams to better connect. In a playful amusing atmosphere, participants learn to see their partners from new perspectives. These workshops were designed as part of my partnership with The Center for Compassionate Mindful Education. We gave these workshops in hundreds of psychological, and educational organizations and were all found as very successful in bringing group[ cohesion and a positive encouraging atmosphere to teams and organizations. Goal: Increasing the group's resilience, competence, and positive climate. Improving the social spirit of the group and the wellness and welfare of participants.

Concept of the topic: How can methods of connecting to intuitive intelligence enable creative thinking, problem solutions outside the box, and decision-making more effectively? Through the work of guided imagination, creative art, and analyzing dreams - we go through the language of the archetypes of our deeper knowledge, the one that lies behind rational thinking. This method is taken from Carl G. Jung's approach. This workshop is designed to improve participants’ ability to find solutions and make decisions in a unique way, by offering practices that are designed to connect to intuition taken from the Jungian approach. We refer to dreams, art, and symbols, as cues and learn how to analyze their symbols. The rationale of the course is to go through the process of first experiencing something different in our understanding – usually through the guided-imagination journey, and creative arts, and then learning the language of our intuition – the language of analyzing symbols.

What are the challenges and solutions uniquely describing families of global nomads? What is the resiliency model and how to apply to my family? What do we know about parental styles and how is this changed when relocating?

Models of parenting styles and the model of mindful parenting. I have conducted a research review on this subject, and published it here .

Background, tools and leading concepts from the worlds of Mindfulness and ACT (Acceptance and Commitment Therapy) are being taught and practiced, in order to apply to either therapeutic or educational work.

In this workshop, we'll explore the benefits of connecting with nature and how to incorporate it into your daily life. Led by experienced entrepreneurs and educational psychologists, Ori Harel and Ravid Bogaire, we'll present our model of mindfulness in nature and share the latest research on its impact on mental health and well-being. Through participatory and fun activities, we'll guide you in discovering the power of nature and how it can be used as an educational and therapeutic tool. You'll learn social-emotional learning exercises, mindfulness techniques, and practical ideas for incorporating nature into your daily routine. Our workshop is designed for anyone interested in increasing their resilience and well-being, from educators and mental health professionals to individuals seeking personal growth and development. Don't miss out on this unique opportunity to connect with nature and boost your mental resilience! Visit our website to learn more about this workshop and other nature-based programs. You can also check out Dr. Ori Harel's article summarizing the research review and guidelines for using the protocol here.

Group work for enhancing Social-emotional skills (SEL), either outdoors or with nature connectedness, and mindfulness.