Personal Development Workshops

Assertiveness is about standing up for yourself and expressing views and feelings in a direct, honest and appropriate way. It means saying Yes when you mean Yes, and No when you mean No for example. It also means expressing angry feelings appropriately, without going 'over the top'. Assertive behaviour can help you get more out of university life, out of your relationships, and life in general.

The workshop will look at:

• The meaning and implications of assertiveness: differences between passive, aggressive and assertive behaviour.
• Rights and responsibilities 
• Techniques for basic assertiveness

Term 3, 2012-2013 

Dates: FIVE Thursday mornings

25th April

2nd May

9th May

16th May

23rd May

Times: 9.30am - 11.30am

Facilitator: Rachel Euba

Are you grieving the death of a friend or a family member?

If so, this bereavement support group may assist you in your loss.

Grief is a normal, multi-faceted response to the loss of someone we are attached to. Through the exploration of your emotional, physical, cognitive, behavioural and social responses to loss, we aim to assist you to understand the impact your grief is having on your day-to-day lives, find a range of ways of caring for yourself while you mourn your loss and feel less isolated through sharing your experiences with others.

Term 3, 2012-2013

Dates: FIVE sessions on Friday mornings, 11.30am - 1pm

26th April

3rd May

10th May

17th May

24th May

Facilitators: Catherine McAteer & Nina Tamas

This three-session Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) workshop will provide you with the opportunity to identify how thoughts, feelings and behaviours interact to maintain anxiety at exam times. The group will provide skills to help manage stress during the period leading to exams. There will also be a chance to explore helpful ways of managing and structuring your workload in the build up to exams.

The group will provide a safe and confidential space for you to talk about your experiences and feelings with students facing similar issues. CBT is an evidence-based therapeutic approach, which has been shown to be effective in managing anxiety.

Participants will need to attend all four sessions and be willing to take an active approach in tackling their anxiety. Part of this active approach will involve completing short weekly tasks between sessions, all of which are useful for reducing anxiety at exam times.

Term 3, 2012-2013

Dates: THREE Monday mornings

22nd April

29th April

13th May

Times: 10am - 11.30am

Facilitator: Zoi Kontakou

This six-session workshop aims to help students to understand and manage difficulties with low self-esteem. Low self-esteem, or having a negative view of oneself, is often a longstanding problem that affects different aspects of people’s lives, including studying, interacting with others, and trying out new activities. When self-esteem is low, this can sometimes lead to other problems, such as anxiety and low mood. This workshop helps people first to make sense of the vicious cycles of negative thoughts, feelings and behaviours that contribute to low self-esteem, and then to try out different ways of breaking these cycles.

You will have an opportunity to:

• develop an understanding of what leads to low self-esteem and what keeps it going
• consider ways of changing negative thinking pattern
• change your behaviour, if there are things you do that can make you feel worse about yourself
• cultivate a more accepting attitude towards yourself
• share experiences with other students who have similar issues

The workshop is open to anyone who feels that low self-esteem is affecting their quality of life.

Term 3, 2012-2013

Dates: SIX Tuesday mornings

23rd April

30th April

7th May

14th May

21st May

4th June 

Times: 11.30am - 1pm

Facilitators: Kate Joseph & Catherine Simpson

This workshop helps students find ways of increasing self-confidence and self-esteem. This may relate to your academic performance or to your personal and social life at UCL. The workshop will help you identify the ways in which you would like to change and then help you achieve this goal.

You will have the opportunity to:

• realise you are not alone and get together with others dealing with similar issues
• understand some of the causes of low self-esteem
• identify and build on your strenghts
• highlight unhelpful ways of thinking and behaving which undermines self-confidence
• practice new ways of thinking and behaving in a safe and supporting environment

The workshop is open to any student who believes that they could be getting more out of their time at UCL, academically and socially, and believes poor self-confidence plays a part in this under-achievement.

Term 3, 2012-2013

Dates: FIVE Thursday afternoons

25th April

2nd May

9th May

16th May

23rd May

Times: 2pm-4pm

Facilitator: Rachel Euba

Everyone feels anxious in social situations sometimes and there’s nothing wrong with being shy. If this is a problem that interferes with your university life, for example in socialising generally, making friends, or participating in tutorials, then this workshop could be for you. It’s an opportunity to extend your communication skills and learn new ways to express yourself. 

You will have the opportunity to:

• learn techniques to help manage social anxiety and improve relationships
• develop specific social skills
• understand where social difficulties come from
• tackle shyness
• help others who are shy

Please note that in contrast to the Speaking Out in Groups Workshop the emphasis of this workshop is more on relating on an individual basis.

Term 3, 2012-2013

Dates: FIVE Tuesday afternoons

23rd April

30th April

7th May

14th May

21st May

Times: 3pm - 5pm

Facilitator: Helen Finch

Today we love what tomorrow we hate,

today we seek what tomorrow we shun,

today we desire what tomorrow we fear (D. Defoe)

Forming satisfying intimate and sexual relationships can feel daunting at times…

We can experience difficulties in getting close, by fear of being rejected or taken over, not understood or undervalued, ignored or criticised, manipulated, or of feeling vulnerable,

For some, close relationships never seem to move beyond a platonic stage and develop into intimacy,

For others, relationships can become volatile and end up destructively, create insupportable anxiety and insecurity, or seem out-of-reach,

Or we feel like we do not even know how to get started…

‘I feel like I am not in or out...’ (M.)

 In the Intimate Relationships workshop, we will look together through four weekly sessions (1h30) with group discussions, sessions in pairs, and individual reflective work at the following aspects around intimacy:

• We will share and identify your specific concerns about intimacy
• Learn about unconscious processes in choosing (or not choosing) a partner
• Explore personal patterns of relating in intimate relationships
• Discuss difficulties about sexual relationships
• Understand more about disruptions in relationships (crisis, betrayal and ending)
• Reflect and safely experience new possibilities for intimacy

Term 3, 2012-13

Dates: FOUR Friday mornings

3rd May

10th May

17th May

24th May

Times: 9.30am - 11am

Facilitator: Isabelle Hans

Mindfulness' or increased 'Awareness' lies at the very heart of meditational practice. Although traditionally associated with eastern spirituality, mindfulness can be practiced by people from all walks of life.  The cultivation of 'mindfulness' as a sensory quality, facilitates a new way of 'being' and can have highly significant effects on the way we experience life both internally and externally.  

This clear sense of 'seeing' can allow us to make friends with our thinking mind and in some cases transcend it.  Such practice can bring about a deep sense of inner peace and a fresh acceptance of reality itself.  Mindfulness heightens your ability to focus and greatly improves concentration levels, which may be of great use in academia as well as life in general.

This innovative programme will take place over six weekly sessions, each of 2 hours duration. 

This programme will help you to:

• improve your focus and concentration levels
• explore the nature of how your mind works
• explore how your mind creates unhealthy thought processes
• achieve a robust and healthy mind, accept reality and the world around you
• work towards acceptance of unhealthy emotions
• achieve a deep sense of calm, patience and stillness
• grow and mature as a true human being

This will be particularly helpful for students experiencing depression, anxiety or any condition involving a highly ruminative fast-thinking mind.

IMPORTANT NOTE - commitment to the full 6 sessions is imperative as is the diligent undertaking of daily life meditation tasks between sessions. Students should consider this carefully before applying to the programme

Term 3, 2012-2013

Dates: SIX Thursday mornings

25th April

2nd May

9th May

16th May

23rd May

30th May

Times: 11.45am - 1.45pm

Facilitator: Faith Miles

'Mindfulness' or increased 'Awareness' lies at the very heart of meditational practice. Although traditionally associated with eastern spirituality, mindfulness can be practiced by people from all walks of life.  The cultivation of 'mindfulness' as a sensory quality, facilitates a new way of 'being' and can have highly significant effects on the way we experience life both internally and externally.  

This clear sense of 'seeing' can allow us to make friends with our thinking mind and in some cases transcend it.  Such practice can bring about a deep sense of inner peace and a fresh acceptance of reality itself.  Mindfulness heightens your ability to focus and greatly improves concentration levels, which may be of great use in academia as well as life in general.

This innovative programme will take place over six weekly sessions, each of 2 hours duration. 

This programme will help you to:

• improve your focus and concentration levels
• explore the nature of how your mind works
• explore how your mind creates unhealthy thought processes
• achieve a robust and healthy mind, accept reality and the world around you
• work towards acceptance of unhealthy emotions
• achieve a deep sense of calm, patience and stillness
• grow and mature as a true human being

This will be particularly helpful for students experiencing depression, anxiety or any condition involving a highly ruminative fast-thinking mind.

IMPORTANT NOTE - commitment to the full 6 sessions is imperative as is the diligent undertaking of daily life meditation tasks between sessions. Students should consider this carefully before applying to the programme

Term 3, 2012-2013

Dates: SIX Tuesday mornings

23rd April

30th April

7th May

14th May

28th May

4th June

Times: 9am - 11am

Facilitator: Jamie Shavdia

This five-session workshop will help you understand why you procrastinate, and find ways of overcoming it. Whether you put off academic work, or decisions relating to your social and personal life, the workshop will offer tools to help break through those blockages.

You will have the opportunity to: 

• Work with other students who are facing similar issues
• Understand some of the causes and styles of procrastination
• Challenge self-defeating thoughts and feelings behind procrastination
• Highlight unhelpful ways of thinking and behaving which undermine self-confidence
• Practice new ways of acting which develop your effectiveness.

Term 3, 2012-2013

WORKSHOP 1

Dates: FIVE Wednesday afternoons

24th April 

1st May

8th May

15th May

22nd May

Times: 2pm - 4pm

Facilitator: Dr Sonia Greenidge

WORKSHOP 2

Dates: FIVE Friday afternoons

26th April

3rd May

10th May

17th May

24th May

Times: 2pm - 4pm

Facilitator: Myra Kersner

Presentations are often the academic task most feared by students studying at all levels. This workshop aims to help you deal with that anxiety and with other difficult feelings which can hinder your planning and delivery of effective presentations. It focuses on ways to manage anxiety and to gain confidence in speaking out, to discover the basic elements of communicating a story, and offers a chance to practice and to receive feedback if you would like to do so. 

Whether presenting to a class or a conference, the essential skills are the same and can be developed with practice no matter how anxious you feel.

In this workshop you will have the opportunity to:

• Analyse and challenge any negative thoughts which can undermine confidence in making presentations
• Learn practical confidence-building measured and tips for managing stress and anxiety
• Experiment with ways to develop good vocal technique
• Discover your strenghts and build upon these

Please note that the workshop does not cover the use of audiovisual tools such as PowerPoint.

Please also note there will be a break between 12.30pm and 2pm during which you will need to prepare a brief presentation that you will be presenting in the afternoon session.

Term 2, 2012-2013

Dates & times: 

FULL

ONE day workshop

Tuesday 26th March

9.30am - 5.30pm

Facilitator: Julie Bargh

Term 3, 2012-2013

Dates & times: PLACES AVAILABLE

ONE day workshop 

Monday 15th April

9.30am - 5.30pm

Facilitator: Julie Bargh

Do you dread speaking out in groups? Do seminars, lectures, tutorial groups or social gatherings fill you with dread? Then this can’t-do-groups workshop could be for you. Yes, it is a group (a small one, up to about 12 people) but no pressure and even fun - regard it as an opportunity to play whilst looking at: obstacles that prevent you speaking out, strategies to make the situation less stressful, ways to improve team work and experiments with using your voice.

This workshop will be a chance to:

• Understand and overcome the challenges of group work
• Learn to participate in groups in different ways
• Help others who have the same problem

Please note that this Workshop does not cover presentation skills – see Overcoming Presentations Anxiety workshop.

Sessions will be structured with workshop-style activities, exercises, and voice work, often in pairs or small groups.  

Term 3, 2012-2013

Dates: One Day Workshop

Tuesday 16th April

Times: 10am-5pm

Facilitator: Helen Finch

This workshop takes place over 3 weekly sessions, each lasting for 90 minutes.

The role of stress in the development of blocks to learning, inhibition of performance and troublesome physical symptoms is increasingly recognised. This workshop will focus on the impact of stress on academic performance and how to better manage stress associated with examinations, presentations, course-work deadlines.

• We are going to discuss the way in which stressful situations can interact with our bodies to cause bodily changes that result in physical symptoms (for example, tension, breathing problems, palpitations).
• We are going to use some basic self-hypnosis techniques, in particular guided imagery, relaxations and breathing exercises, to encourage the participants to exercise their focused attention and to enhance their potential to connect mind with body in a way that allows stress to be managed better.
• We are going to examine our cognitive styles and how on-going 'negative' and 'rigid' patterns of thinking can become ways of obstructing, rather than acknowledging, the presence of demands from academic daily life, our anxieties about change and uncertainty and the fear of our own limitations. The aim here is to get some more understanding about the way that we individually respond to the problem of stress, rather than simply getting carried away by our stress response.

Commitment to the three sessions is necessary.

Term 3, 2012-2013

WORKSHOP 1 

Dates: THREE Mondays afternoons

15th April

22nd April

29th April

Times: 3.30pm - 5pm

Facilitator: Fotini Roberts

WORKSHOP 2

Dates: THREE Tuesday mornings

7th May

14th May

21st May

Times:  11.15am - 12.45pm

Facilitator: Fotini Roberts

WORKSHOP 3

Dates: Three Tuesday mornings

28th May

4th June

11th June

Times: 11.15am - 12.45pm

Facilitator: Fotini Roberts

This workshop will help you understand what perfectionism is and what a negative impact it can have on your studies and your relationships. Nobody wants to or likes making mistakes but mistakes and imperfection are part of being human. We all like to try to get things right and enjoy the rewards when we do but often perfectionists constantly worry about every detail and this can hold you back and stop you reaching your full potential. In this workshop you will learn different techniques and strategies to help you overcome your anxiety about making mistakes.

Term 3, 2012-2013

Dates: FOUR Monday afternoons

22nd April

29th April

13th May

20th May

Times: 2pm- 4pm

Facilitator: Laurent Cadet de Fontenay

Here below a list of the workshops we run for the Graduate School. 

Building Up Emotional Strenght as a Researcher - Five Wednesdays - 24th April to 22nd May 2013 - 9.30am to 11am

Registration for the above workshop is via the Graduate school website.