Past Events

In times of adversity, the idea of having hope can sound far away and out of touch. According to an area of positive psychology called “hope theory”, hope is more than a fleeting or passive wish; hope is a way of thinking that can be taught and is associated with well-being and productivity. In this virtual presentation on September 25 from 3:30-4:30pm, EAP Counselor Jamie Justus LCSW-S will share about the underpinnings of hope, the three areas of thinking that promote hope, and practical ways for participants to tap into hope in their own lives. Sign-up via UT Learn https://utexas.csod.com/ui/lms-learning-details/app/event/c9e6e840-971d…

An in person 8-week therapeutic yoga group offered by the Employee Assistance Program Changes, big or small, can be stressful to live through and can bring up feelings of overwhelm, anxiety, and grief, to name a few. The body can sometimes experience the stress of change through panic, digestive issues, sleep disturbance, or other somatic symptoms. This therapeutic yoga group offers a space to turn towards the body to gently acknowledge and express the vulnerable and uncomfortable emotions spurred by various life changes. Group sessions will entail deepening and strengthening mindfulness based practices for resiliency including a gentle hatha yoga practice appropriate for all levels and ability, meditation, breathwork, and exploration of emotions. Group members will learn to embody a compassionate approach to mental and physical well being, while finding support through connecting with others. The group will be facilitated by Geeti Shirazi Mahajan, LCSW-S (she/her), one of the counselors at the Employee Assistance Program. Geeti is also certified as a Yoga Therapist (C-IAYT). The drop-in group meets in person on Wednesdays from 11am-12:15pm from September 25th – Nov 13th and is limited to 10-15 participants. You can sign up for which weeks you would like to attend in UT Learn.

Join our seven-week virtual therapeutic support group offered by the Employee Assistance Program. This group is designed for young or new professionals with five years or less experience in higher education. It aims to foster personal and professional growth through shared experiences and learning. As a participant, you'll have the opportunity to: • Understand Mental Health Needs: Learn strategies to reduce stress and enhance well-being within a supportive environment. • Build Meaningful Connections: Engage in activities to form peer support networks, fostering mutual understanding and empathy. • Develop Coping Skills: Learn practical strategies and resilience-building techniques to effectively manage stress, setbacks, and work-life balance challenges. • Cultivate Personal Growth: Foster a growth mindset and self-awareness, recognizing strengths and overcoming obstacles while seizing development opportunities. • Advocate for a Supportive Workplace Culture: Promote an organizational culture prioritizing mental health, open communication, and the well-being of young professionals in higher education. This group, facilitated by an EAP counselor, is limited to 12 participants. Those interested in joining will participate in a pre-group interview with the facilitator before joining. To sign up for a pre-group interview, please email eap@austin.utexas.edu.

Strengthening Relationships presentation series “The Musts of Trust: How to Build, Maintain, and Repair Your Relationships at Work” presented by Sarah Porter, PhD, a licensed psychologist and founder of a workplace training and consulting practice on Tuesday, September 24th from 11-12:30pm (90 minutes). This presentation will explore ways to establish and sustain trust within your team. You will (a) discover how six key trustworthiness indicators affect your work relationships, and (b) identify steps you can take right away to strengthen trust with your coworkers. Sign-up via UT Learn: https://utexas.csod.com/ui/lms-learning-details/app/event/22383f7d-f9d5…

A Collaboration of the Center for Teaching and Learning, the Employee Assistance Program, the Counseling and Mental Health Center, and the Dean of Students Part 1: All UT instructors (faculty, staff, graduate student instructors, and postdoctoral instructors) are welcome to join us for the first session of Teaching During Times of Crisis, an event co-facilitated by the Employee Assistance Program (EAP), the Counseling and Mental Health Center (CMHC), the Center for Teaching and Learning (CTL), and the Dean of Students (DoS). We will discuss ways to identify and regulate bodily stress responses, process how to navigate ongoing and unexpected difficult moments in the classroom and on campus, and explore strategies for designing and facilitating courses with flexibility, compassion, and instructor and student wellbeing in mind. The DoS will review resources available to instructors should a disruption occur in the classroom or on campus. This workshop will be held virtually over Zoom on September 19 from 1-3pm. Sign-up here: https://ctl.utexas.edu/events/teaching-during-times-crisis-workshop-par…

Changes, big or small, can be stressful to live through and can bring up feelings of overwhelm, anxiety, and grief, to name a few. The body can sometimes experience the stress of change through panic, digestive issues, sleep disturbance, or other somatic symptoms. This 75-minute virtual therapeutic yoga workshop offers a space to turn towards the body to gently acknowledge and express the vulnerable and uncomfortable emotions spurred by various life changes. The workshop entails deepening and strengthening mindfulness-based practices for resiliency including a gentle hatha yoga practice appropriate for all levels and ability, meditation, breathwork, and exploration of emotions. Members will learn to embody a compassionate approach to mental and physical well-being. The workshop will be facilitated by Geeti Shirazi Mahajan, LCSW-S (she/her), one of the counselors at the Employee Assistance Program. Geeti is also certified as a Yoga Therapist (C-IAYT). The workshop will be held online via Zoom on Wednesday, September 18th, 2024 from 11am-12:15pm. Please sign up through UT Learn. https://utexas.csod.com/ui/lms-learning-details/app/event/b2acbf63-4d22…

"Structural Integrity" presented by Gareth White, LICSW & Zac Carter, LMSW on 5/17 at 11:30am. An interactive presentation where we take time to focus on the lived experiences of oppression of fat people, how fat people interact with various systems, how those systems further marginalize fat people, and our own internal biases against fatness. Talking about bodies is hard but there is no wrong way to have a body, and there is always time to be kind to our bodies.

“Balancing Love and Duty in Caregiving: Taking Care of Self While Taking Care of Others” presented by Monica Thiagarajan, Ph.D. a licensed psychologist, on Wednesday, May 8th at 12:00pm. In the complex role of caregiving, individuals often find themselves at a crossroads between nurturing their loved ones and safeguarding their own well-being. Caregivers frequently navigate the delicate balance between competing responsibilities and the relentless demands of those they care for. Whether simultaneously parenting while caring for an aging relative or managing multiple caregiving roles, the weight of these obligations can seem overwhelming, leaving little room for self-care. This presentation provides caregivers practical ways of nurturing their well-being while fulfilling their caregiving responsibilities. Through an emphasis on mindful awareness and fostering self-compassion, caregivers gain the tools to navigate their roles with attentiveness, empathy, and resilience. This approach equips them to provide compassionate care while mitigating the risk of burnout and overwhelm, ultimately fostering a healthier and more fulfilling caregiving experience. The practice of mindful caregiving cultivates a powerful synergy, benefiting both the caregiver and the recipient of care.

The last four years of massive uncertainty and change has invited us to reevaluate the place of work in our lives. We’re rethinking what we want out of life, looking for the tools that can help us build a way of living and working that cultivates well-being and flow. The sometimes-elusive feeling “work life balance” sits at the intersection of boundary setting, concrete time management strategies, and the larger clarifying question of what does work life balance mean to you. To begin answering this question we must pause, step back from the momentum, consider what’s on our plate and what environment we’re in. In this workshop presentation, Amber Hunter-Crawford, LCSW-S from the Employee Assistance Program will help us unpack the latest research on what healthy boundaries are, signs you may need healthier boundaries and why you might have trouble setting healthy boundaries. We’ll look at some potential time management strategies to help focus our work hours. And then we’ll engage in reflective exercises to make space for you to seek to understand what you want work life balance to be for you by understanding your needs, identifying your values, clarifying what deserves your energy and exploring ways to prioritize what matters most.

“Moving with Nature: Embodied Mindfulness" presented by Rosemary Candelario, Associate Professor of Performance as Public Practice at the University of Texas at Austin and Dance Studies Association Vice President for Publications and Research introduces UT Austin staff and faculty to an embodied mindfulness experience of the UT campus. We will use all of our senses to open up our awareness to our campus environment and will explore new ways to engage with it. Participants will come away with simple activities they can incorporate into their everyday lives. Come prepared to move outside, weather permitting.