RESET YOUR COMPASS for SKILLS with this fantastic presentation from Jen Marr!

Even before the COVID-19 Pandemic brought unthinkable levels of isolation, our world was increasingly lonely, socially distanced, and hurting. Depression, loneliness, suicide rates and anxieties were on the rise. The pandemic and the resulting stress, fear and anxiety are putting society at an even greater risk and vulnerable to the emotional fallout.

What can we do to help mend our workplaces?

The answer is clear – human relationships and social connectedness. Hundreds of studies directly link our overall well-being with the amount of social support we have and yet we have never been more lonely. What is hampering these connections and relationships? It’s awkward.

There is a growing “Empathy Action Gap” forming where 75% feel that they can tell when someone is struggling, but only 15% feel equipped to know what to say and do to help them. Moving most of our communications from face to face to screen to screen over the past decades is causing our care skills to become woefully underdeveloped.

It doesn’t have to be this way. Connection and care can be taught through the skill of Comfort.

The Latin origins reveal how: COM = together with, FORT = strength. We are stronger when we face our challenges together.

Every single person needs their “tribe” of friends to support them through their struggles. We need to build these back. Moving beyond “self-care” to “others-care”.

This is especially important in our workplaces where teams need to work together to tackle problems. People who feel unsupported, misunderstood and/or not seen in their struggles are more likely to perform below expectations, be frequently absent and be at risk of leaving the organization.

In this session, you will learn of the behaviors that stop us from showing care, the science and process of the skill, and tools and strategies you can use to break through your own personal “Awkward Zone” to show care to those who need your support.

This event is included in the 2021-2022 Professional Development Program for full registrants and virtual only registrants.

The founder and CEO of Inspiring Comfort and author of the book Paws to Comfort: An Everyday Guide to Learning How You Can Help Mend Our Disconnected World, Jen Marr is passionate about furthering the science of human care by pioneering comfort as a teachable skill. She has worked with researchers and thought leaders across the country to fine-tune this critical human care behavior. Notable organizations that have incorporated and advocate for her Comfort Skills Programming include The Mental Health Association of New York State, the New York Office of Mental Health, the American Association of Suicide Prevention, Georgetown University, Northeastern University, and the US Department of Labor.