At last week’s Employee Wellbeing Forum, Dee Chopra gave a presentation on supporting ourselves and others through Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD).
Dee is a Registered Psychologist, EMDR Practitioner, Clinical Psychology Registrar and Consultant with Converge International, and SAD is a type of depression that is related to changes in seasons. Winter months can automatically trigger feelings of sadness, negativity, and dread.
Dee’s presentation focused on the symptoms of SAD, why we experience it, and how we can support ourselves and others around us to work towards better wellbeing.
SAD affects around 1% of the population, but Dee gave some excellent advice for dealing with adversity that we all can learn from. Just one example is Dee’s five spheres of resilience, which provides a checklist for taking care of ourselves in challenging situations.
The five spheres of resilience
- Psychological – Am I practicing enough self-care? Do I know my limits and am I implementing them? Am I actively maintaining perspective, do I have a curious and problem-solving attitude, and how often am I practicing positive self-talk?
- Emotional – Does my self-esteem need a little work? Do I have the ability to delay gratification? Can I tap into a sense of humour? Am I able to regulate emotions, can I control impulses?
- Social – Am I staying connected with friends and family? Do I have the ability to communicate my needs? Can I ask for help and can I say no?
- Physical – Am I getting the recommended 7-9 hours of sleep? Am I maintaining a balanced food intake? Do I have regular movement in my day? Am I working realistic hours? Am I using substances appropriately? Am I getting regular medical check-ups? Am I getting enough sunlight?
- Spiritual – Do I understand my life’s meaning and purpose or am I working towards understanding this? Do I strive for consistency in my values and my actions? Do I have a sense of belonging to a larger group? Do I have the ability to engage in reflective practices?
To learn more about SAD and supporting your own wellbeing, you can watch the entire Employee Wellbeing Forum here. You can also access a copy of Dee’s presentation slides here.
Approved by Karen Lowe.