Caring for Self while Caring for Others: How to Cultivate an Open Heart in a Time of Uncertainty and Bewilderment

Presented by:  Harry Zeit MD and Irina Dumitrache CYT 

One of the most profound challenges of working in the healthcare professions lies in the necessity of ongoing exposure to the hurt and suffering of those for whom we care.  If we attempt to protect ourselves from the possibility of triggering our own trauma, or facing overwhelm, we risk shutting down our hearts and our connections to family, friends and colleagues.  If we force ourselves to stay too open, without staying grounded in compassion and somatically resourced with appropriate tools, we risk being overwhelmed – and even colonized – by the suffering of others.

In The Heart of Trauma, Bonnie Badenoch writes: “When our systems protectively turn our minds and hearts away from the truth of the moment, there is a moment of isolation from ourselves and others that may increase our sense of despair.  However, when we come into contact with suffering in the presence of another, even when the depth of pain is very great, the very experience of relatedness – the nurturance we humans most need – prepares a space in which meaning and hope may emerge.”

Come share an evening with us where we cultivate a space for the emergence of compassion, hope and meaning-making.  We will be continuing to explore resilience, looking at ways in which we can access strength and courage, while staying heart-opened and available to ourselves and our communities.

Our series follows trauma-informed principles.  Whether you are doing well, or struggling with your own hurt, we welcome you to this Caring for Self while Caring for Others presentation.

In this workshop, attendees will:

Gain a deeper and embodied understanding of compassion, self-compassion and shame resilience.

Deepen their understanding of the mind/body origins of burnout and to better understand how not all current interventions are necessarily helpful.

Learn resources that support and safely sustain compassion and an open heart in the face of adversity.

Continue to work with developing resilience-based somatic resources.

Practice an experiential exercise to cultivate heart-opening.

For more information on the series, please e mail: drharryzeit@gmail.com  or 

https://www.eenetconnect.ca/to...le-caring-for-others

To RSVP, please e mail michaelpare@rogers.com

There is no charge for this presentation.  Our program is supported and complemented by our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/WhileCaringForOthers/