The course is focused on supporting mental health, psychological resilience and overall life balance in older age. Participants will gain practical skills for managing stress, working with emotions, supporting quality sleep, creating healthy habits and consciously taking care of the body and mind. The course includes relaxation, breathing and mindfulness exercises that can be used in everyday life.
Teacher(s)
Syllabus
1. What is mental health? How is mental health related to our physical health. The interconnectedness of mind, body and soul, psychosomatics. Pillars of mental well-being: relationships, meaning, body, routine, rest. The influence of the environment and society on our mental and physical health. Basic philosophy. Practical exercises: observing the breath, “body scan”, what does mental health specifically mean to me? 2. Habits and habit building. Building habits and determining habit change. How habit change works: the science of repetition, small steps and reward. Mental health as a lifelong practice – not a project, but a way of life. Examples of specific simple rituals during the day. Practical tips, determining your mini-habit. 3. Emotions and the importance of working with emotions. What are emotions and what are they for? Where in the body do emotions reside? Suppression of emotions and its consequences on physical health. How do our thoughts affect how we feel and behave – and how to work with it consciously? Practical exercises: naming emotions, practicing cognitive reframing, keeping a thought journal. 4. Stress and its management. Relaxation techniques. Acute versus chronic stress. Symptoms of stress in the body – tension, breathing, immunity, digestion, sleep. Cognitive distortions under stress – how stress changes thinking. Stress management strategies: approach to the situation, body, thoughts, relationships. Relaxation techniques. Practical techniques and their practice in class, body stress scanning, stress trigger diary, working with the breath. 5. Breathing techniques Breath as the fastest access to the nervous system. Breathing physiology: how breathing directly affects the brain, heart and mood. Diaphragmatic vs. thoracic breathing. Nose and mouth breathing. Breathing techniques: calming, activating, for sleep, for crisis. Practice of breathing techniques in class: box breathing, pranayama, diaphragmatic breathing, 4-7-8 breath, alternating breathing. 6. The body as a gateway to the soul. Somatic techniques for working with the body for mental health. Anchoring, muscle memory and chronic tension. Somatic techniques: 5-4-3-2-1 technique, body shaking, muscle relaxation, breath into tension. Practice of somatic techniques in class. 7. Grief, loss, depression and how to work with it. Losses in older age: loved ones, health, role, independence, home. Stages of mourning. The difference between natural sadness and depression. Higher purpose and meaning. Symptoms of depression: how to recognize it in yourself and your loved ones. When and how to seek help – the importance of seeking help and how to ask for help. Working with very close relationships. Practical examples: self-compassion, practicing self-hugs, a letter to loss, writing out of grief. 8. Sleep and rest, how to get quality sleep? How to prepare for quality sleep from the morning. The importance of sleep, sleep and mental health. The most common sleep problems in older age and their causes. Natural supplements to support sleep. Sleep hygiene: light, temperature, time, technology, red light, caffeine, alcohol. The difference between physical, mental and emotional fatigue. Practical exercises: preparing for sleep, relaxation techniques before falling asleep (body scan, foot massage, calming breathing techniques), evening rituals. 9. Circadian rhythm, daily routine and its adjustment according to the season. Circadian rhythm: biological clocks and their influence on physical and mental health, mood, energy, immunity. Morning and evening routine as a psychological anchor - why regularity helps more than motivation. The importance of diet for both choking and physical health. How diet affects how we feel. Practical examples of daily routine and seasonal adjustments - traditional approaches, e.g. elements of Ayurveda. How to naturally adjust your daily routine in individual seasons. 10. Mindfulness. What is mindfulness? Mindfulness, presence. Autopilot vs. conscious presence - how most of the day "we are not here and now". The benefits of mindfulness at any age: memory, emotions, pain, sleep, loneliness. Common obstacles in practice: I can't stop thinking and why does it matter? Practice in class: meditation vs. mindfulness in everyday activities. 11. Movement, creativity, nature. Movement as a natural antidepressant - endorphins, serotonin. Suitable forms of movement at every age + demonstration. Nature and mental health. Creativity as therapy, movement as a ritual of self-care. Therapy with the help of animals. Practical exercises in class: simple yoga, balance, stretching, conscious walking. Creating your own movement and creative plan. 12. The meaning of life and how our surroundings affect us. Gratitude, the meaning of life, the importance of perceiving reality - do we perceive real reality? How do our relationships, our home, the environment we live in, the traditional view of Ayurveda affect us and the impact on our mental and physical health. Practical exercises: three things of gratitude, my strengths, what gives me meaning? Course summary: what I learned about myself. Proposal for a personal self-care plan.
Course Enrolment Limitations
The capacity limit for the course is 50 student(s).
