Opening Workshop - Daily Habits to Manage Your Energy

Vanessa Tran

Time is a precious resource. We analyse and plan to the nth degree to allow us to be productive at work, as well as devote enough time to the people and activities that we love outside of work. This workshop will demonstrate that how we spend our time often has a direct relationship with how we manage our energy.

In this engaging and interactive workshop, participants will discover their core energy needs - physical, emotional, mental and spiritual - and the connections to personal sustainability and health. Participants will leave with 1. self-awareness to be able to indentify the factors that can affect their energy levels; and 2. practical daily habits, that are easily implemented at work and at home, to allow them to remain energized on a regular basis.

Vanessa Tran workes in Learning and Teaching Services, and teaches part-time at Algonquin College. As we, Vanessa runs a small consulting business as a Registered Holistic Nutritionist. When she is not teaching or facilitating workshops at the College or helping people mamage their energy, she focuses on recharging her own energy by cooking and eating nutricious and delicious meals, spending time with her family and friends, meditating, knitting for charity, and taking care of her cat and plants.

Workshop A - Breathing with Intent

John Schneeberger -

Meditation has been long utilized by many cultures to bring peace and tranquility to the body, mind, and soul. In recent years, it has been proven that meditation and breathing exercises not only enhances our mental welbing, but also our physical health. Working in a fast paced, and student centric environment can bring stress to the staff member.

This session will explore opportunities to create and maintain clear intent on a daily basis, both at work and at home, through focused mental techniques and visualization. Using these strategies will bring resilience, balance and perspective into your daily lives and work environment. It is recommened to wear comfortable clothing for this session.

Workshop B - Restorative Approaches to Community Building

Allison Hector-Alexander-

Discover how you can transform your team through the use of restorative practices. This session will provide an introduction to basic restorative circles and their uses in delving into complex topics such as power and privilege, understanding bias, and repairing harm.

Allison is the Director at Durham College, Office of Student Diversity, Inclusion and Transitions.

Workshop C- Emotional Intelligence: Your Inner and Outer Self

Ashleigh McKeil

Having a high Intelligence Quotient (IQ) is important for employees, but so is having a high Emotional Quotient (EQ) also known as emotional intelligence. Our ability to manage emotions, both our own and those of others, can play a critical role in determining our happiness and success at work.

Emotional Intellignece (EI) is not so much a thing in itself, as a convenient lable for a variety of skills. EI comprises a variety of abilities that allow us to read oneself, others and situations in order to effectively respond. Work benefits range from effective stress management and the enhancemed relationships with colleagues and clients.

This session will explore EI from two frames of reference -

• Inward-directed (how you relate to yourself)
• Outward-focused (how you relate to others)

Ashleigh McKeil is the Manager, Employee Development at St. Lawrence College. She has been part of the College for over nine years and focuses mainly on training and development initiatives.

Workshop D - Cultural Communication

Rajita Nandyala -

Intercultural communication is a crucial skillset for everyone. In today's global workplaces, where students, faculty, adminstrations, staff are more likely to interact with students from different cultures and countries, and need to work productively with people who have been shaped by different values, beliefs and experiences.

You will learn from this workshop:

Firstly, knowledge of self. Participants need to become culturally self-aware and consciously reflect on their values and beliefs impact on the way they communicate. Through activities and discussions participants look what culture is, what culture they belong to, how we understand who we are, and their own cultural identiy.

Secondly, acknowledgement of cultural differences exist that influence how individuals think, act and communicate.

Thirdly, knowledge of other cultures.

Rajita is a native of India, a motivational speaker, Chef, dancer, and teaches part-time at St. Lawrence College. Rajita has a wide range of passions stemming from her interest in food, dance and motivation. Using these tools she wants to inspire and empower anyone and everyone around her. She believed that connecting with self and others is an integral part of life. She has taken great risks to become a motivational speaker. After years of searching and self-discovery, she finally found her purpose. She leads a life fueled by the desire to serve, to uplift and to empower people to find their purpose.

She has been delivering multiple motivational speeches and cance workshops at Robert Wood Johnson Hospital, New Jersey, USA, St Lawrence College, Queen's University and the Kingston Community.