In the first session last Oct 10, Dr. Rowena C. Mercado kicked off the Stress Management and Resiliency Training Series by introducing stress coping exercises that were proven effective even by the 9/11 First Responders in the US​. A total of 18 attendees participated in the one hour interactive session. One of the attendees had commented that "The soft belly breathing exercise really helped me a lot! This training session is such a great way to start the week!". In the next session on October 24, the 1-hour training will focus on :Stress Awareness, and Mending Mind and Body. Continue reading to know more about how this could benefit your mental and physical health.

Work-related stress is a growing problem, with many people viewing their job or businesses as the number one stressor in their lives. Research shows that high levels of stress at work can affect mental and physical health. Work stress can also reduce job productivity, increase job turnover, and lead to conflict between coworkers. Fortunately, we can learn tools and skills to mitigate the potential negative effects of stress. This workshop series presents a valuable opportunity to learn some of these tools.

The Stress Management and Resiliency Training teaches self-care practices that help buffer daily stress, making participants less emotionally and physically vulnerable to it. This program is designed to help participants regain control and build resilience through a variety of mind body principles and self-care interventions, leading to reduced medical symptoms and enhanced quality of life.

This program will help participants:

• Understand the connection between stress and physical or emotional problems
• How to recognize their personal responses to stress
• Learn a variety of techniques to elicit the relaxation response, the body's innate stress buffer
• Appreciate the role of positive thoughts and beliefs
• How to change thought patterns and emotional outlook by shifting from stress-based to resilience-based thinking
• Learn the importance of healthy eating, restorative sleep and physical activity

Professionals experiencing or who have experienced the following would benefit from this program:

• Stress-related symptoms
• Anxiety-related symptoms
• Headaches or migraines
• Autoimmune disorders
• Mild to moderate depression
• Chronic pain or TMJ
• Insomnia or fatigue
• Gastrointestinal disorders
• Skin problems
• Asthma or allergies

What to Expect

This program is designed to provide participants different methods to elicit the relaxation response, increase stress awareness and practice adaptive strategies. The first session will go over the physiology of stress and introduce the relaxation response as the "antidote" to stress. In each subsequent session, we will practice at least one method to elicit the relaxation response, complete an exercise to increase stress awareness, and introduce an adaptive strategy that will help build resiliency. We encourage the participants to enroll for the full program to get optimal benefit but will have the flexibility to join only the sessions they prefer.

SESSION DATE AND TOPICS

Oct 24 Session : Stress Awareness, and Mending Mind and Body

ABOUT THE SPEAKER

Dr. Rowena C. Mercado is a psychiatrist and lifestyle-medicine physician who is board-certified by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology and the American Board of Lifestyle Medicine. She is a graduate of the prestigious and rigorous INTARMED program of the University of the Philippines College of Medicine. After medical school, she earned her Master in Public Health degree from Harvard University. Dr. Mercado completed her residency training as a resident psychiatrist and clinical fellow of Harvard Medical School and the VA Boston Healthcare System. Dr. Mercado is a member of the American Psychiatric Association, American Association of Community Psychiatrists, Association of Women Psychiatrists, and the American College of Lifestyle Medicine.

Dr. Mercado believes that self-care is fundamental to good health. She provides stress management workshops based on the principles of mind-body medicine to empower people to build resilience and to take an active role in their mental and physical well-being.

This program is being offered at an introductory rate of 1,500 per participant for ECCP members and 2,000 per participant for Non-ECCP Members for each session. To register, please email dawn.cabigon@eccp.com

Please expect to receive ZOOM links on a separate email before the session schedule.