Prof. Generalao with the first batch of participants
Employees spend most of their time in the workplace thus UP Cebu gives importance to its employees’ mental health. The Mental Health and Stress Management Seminar Workshop was a one-day activity facilitated by Professor Flora G. Generalao of the Psychology Program of the College of Social Sciences. It was intended for the administrative staff and REPs of the University of the Philippines Cebu. There were two sessions, morning and afternoon, for different batches of employees. The participants were given the opportunity to figure out their stressors and were given the chance to come up with possible ways to cope with stress both in the workplace and in their lives in general. She asked the participants to create a list of stressors and asked them to present in front.
Professor Generalao gave a lecture on the physiological and physical aspects of stress and made the participants understand the connection between the two. She also grouped the participants and allowed them to share with each other their stressors and how they go about them. She then asked the groups’ representatives to give a summary on the discussion they had per group.
After hearing and processing each group’s report, Prof. Generalao shared a few relaxation techniques to keep the employees calm while working under pressure. Among those she shared were breathing exercises and other ways to manage anger and anxiety.
Prof. Generalao with the second batch of participants