Mindfulness - A tool to reduce burnout in teachers

Mindfulness is set to become a powerful tool in reducing teacher burnout

Teachers who practice Mindfulness are better able to reduce their personal stress levels and susceptibility to burnout.

This is the finding of new research undertaken by Lisa Flook, an Assistant Scientist at the Centre for Investigating Healthy Minds (CIMH) at University of Wisconsin.

What is Burnout?

Burnout is a state of emotional, mental, and physical exhaustion caused by excessive and prolonged stress. It happens when an individual feels overwhelmed and unable to meet the constant demands on them. While similar to, it is different from compassion fatigue and vicarious traumatisation.

Burnout reduces an individual’s productivity and saps their energy, leaving them feeling increasingly helpless, hopeless, cynical and resentful. Eventually, individuals experiencing burn out may feel like they have nothing more to give.

Most of us have days when we feel stressed overloaded, or unappreciated, when this becomes a pattern, we become candidates for burnout. This has serious consequences on both professional and personal functioning.

Objective of Study

The purpose of the CIMH study designed by Flook who has advanced degrees in education and psychology was to help teachers manage escalating levels of stress. The demands of the curriculum coupled with the behaviour of a small percentage of pupils are a known recipe for feeling overwhelmed.

It is well known that burnout causes many problems including extended sick leave.

Why Mindfulness?

The practice of Mindfulness arises from centuries old meditative traditions that are now being taught in a secular way.

An increasing number of studies are emerging that focus on empirical research which is open to rigorous scientific scrutiny.

Mindfulness is a technique that when learnt can heighten an individual’s core sense of awareness. This includes an awareness of self; a noticing of external stimuli and body sensations. Importantly the practice develops an ability to register stressors but not respond to them.

Practiced well, Mindfulness produces a sense of calm and wellbeing. Let’s be clear, it does not remove the stressors per se, rather being able to practice Mindfulness effectively, changes reactions to stress. Used effectively, it can be a powerful tool to reduce burnout in teachers.

The cohort of teachers who took part in the study learned specific strategies for both preventing and dealing with stressors in the classroom. They learnt techniques such as ‘dropping in,’ a term to describe the process of bringing attention to the sensations of breath and other physical sensations, thoughts and emotions for short periods. They reported a significant stress reduction.

Mindfulness and stress reduction

Research is drawing clear links between Mindfulness and cortisol reduction. Cortisol is a stress hormone. It is an integral part of the fight or flight response. When we are stressed or scared cortisol production is ramped up. Excessive cortisol is known to increase inflammation in the body that over a period of time can contribute to physical health problems.

A previous study carried out in 2013 and published in the Journal of Health Psychology found an association between increased Mindfulness practice and decreased cortisol production.

The level of the hormone present in the saliva of participants was measured before and after taking part in a Mindfulness retreat.

Tonya Jacobs a post-doctoral researcher at the University of California said in a statement that ‘A direct relationship between resting cortisol and the scores obtained on any Mindfulness scale was identified’.

Bringing Mindfulness to Teachers

Teaching Mindfulness to teachers is an exciting new project that offers potential gains, in particular, retaining talented teachers in education. A large amount of interest has been expressed by teachers who have already observed how Mindfulness has helped their pupils. Now they are beginning to understand the wider application of Mindfulness in education.

Running Mindfulness training for teachers is a specially tailored programme based on the Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction Programme.

For further information on Mindfulness techniques for teachers, please contact Sheehan Brooke Psychology 01243 775055. The organisation provide a range of Mindfulness workshops at their s rural offices near Chichester West Sussex and at venues throughout UK and Southern Ireland

Further reading: Mindfulness for Teachers: A Pilot Study to Assess Effects on Stress, Burnout and teaching Efficacy (Pages 183-185) , published in Journal of Mind, Brain and Education September 2013, Lisa Flook, Simon B. Goldberg, Laura Pinger, Katherine Bonus and Richard J Davidson

Symptoms of depression in children

Is my child experiencing depression?

One of the questions that parents frequently ask is “Is my child depressed’? Children, just like their parents have ‘down’ days. It might be that they have had a hard day at school, fallen out with a best friend or are simply trying to adjust to a new situation. Parents often panic when their child appears low and often wonder if he or she is beginning to display symptoms of depression.

Younger children do not always present as being depressed. Often they internalise their distress and act it out in a behavioural or physical manner. It is often difficult for parents, carers and teachers to spot the signs of depression in a child.

Below are the most frequent symptoms seen in younger children.

Older children and adolescents are more likely to present in a similar way to adults.

1. Depressed children do not always look depressed

2. Sleep changes

3. Appetite changes

4. Irregularity of bowel habits

5. School problems

6. Prolonged negative reaction to crisis

7. Loss of interest in usual activities

8. Change of friends and social behaviour

9. Expressing helplessness

10. Physical symptoms

If your child is displaying these symptoms for longer than two weeks or if there is more than one symptom it is time to consult your GP or child psychologist. Sheehan Brooke Psychology hold a free parenting clinic each Monday where advice is readily available. 01243 775055.

Is our relationship really over?

The decision to stay in or leave a relationship. Is it really over?

“Is our relationship really over?” or “Might we be able to make it work again?” These are questions often heard by our team. Clients who present for psychotherapy or mediation frequently ask for advice on this issue.
Unfortunately, there is not a simple answer that will end this difficult dilemma. However, there are some points to consider which may help you move along the decision making process.
This short article considers some of the emotional issues that play a part in deciding whether to stay or leave a relationship.

1) Is there any form of abuse? If there is, why have you remained in the relationship? Do you need help in breaking away? What action do you need to take to enable your physical and/or emotional safety?

2) Is the relationship just in a bad place? It is normal to sail into stormy waters at times. Danger signals arise when there are many more bad than good times? Ask yourself how serious your feelings are right now? Would you feel so angry with or disconnected from your partner if they returned from work today and told you they had a terminal illness?

3) Are you both wanting to save the relationship? If the answer is ‘No’, there is little point in trying to work on it. Both parties must be truly motivated to successfully rekindle a relationship. A one-sided wish to remain in relationship produces increased heartache and extended distress for both parties.

4) Do you still feel able to trust your partner? Can you trust them with the things that matter to you? Can you adopt cautious trust? There must be a genuine commitment made to putting aside past events however painful this process is.
When ‘letting go of past hurts’ you must also promise yourself that you will take sensible precautions, rather than engage in paranoid behaviour, to ensure that you do not allow yourself to be severely let down or cheated by your partner in the future.

5) Are you still able to communicate together? Do you end up feeling really angry when you do try to talk? Can you really listen to and hear your partner’s feelings or is your own agenda getting in the way?
If both of you are committed to the relationship but keep having conversation ‘cross ups’, a communication seminar for couples might help sort out this difficult area.

6) Do you still respect your partner? You don’t have to love or even like them right now but it is vital that you still respect them as a person. If the respect has gone, it will be almost impossible to kick start the relationship again.

7) Do you still find your partner attractive? Is the spark still there? If not why not? Has your mojo disappeared because of the other factors that feel wrong? If you are able to improve other areas, it is highly likely that intimacy will return and possibly be better than before.

8) Are your life goals similar? Do you share the same plans and dreams?
It is useful to bear in mind that close relationships need the following ingredients to work well; respect, trust, communication, intimacy and shared goals.

To continue or end your relationship is a hard decision. There are normally many factors that couples must consider. Decisions regarding children, finances and property are crucially important. These usually arise after the emotional decision making process has taken place.
It is interesting to observe that many couples spend a considerable period thinking about practical and legal matters. However, they frequently pass through the emotional decision making process extremely quickly, often largely unconsciously. High emotions frequently produce rash decisions, a period of reflection on the above points may help in finding the right choice for you.
Article by Chrissie Tizzard Clinical Director Sheehan Brooke Psychology, 8-9 The Courtyard, Trident Business Park, Chichester Rd, Selsey, West Sussex PO20 9DY Tel: 01243 775055 www.sheehanbrooke.org Sheehan Brooke is a provider of psychology and mediation services throughout the UK.

Autistic Children With Better Motor Skills More Adept At Socialising

Sep. 11, 2013 — In a new study looking at toddlers and preschoolers with autism, researchers found that children with better motor skills were more adept at socializing and communicating.

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Is it Child Abuse to Let Your Child Become Obese?

A news article in Isle of Man Today newspaper dated 20^th August bore this stop-you-in-your-tracks headline on childhood obesity:

‘Allowing your child to become obese is a form of child abuse’.

The article proceeded to quote the Chief Minister of the Isle of Man, Alan Bell as stating: ‘We need to wake up to the fact that this (obesity in children) is a very serious problem. Individuals must accept responsibility for safeguarding their own well-being’.

The article continued: ‘In the case of families it is the parents who should be held responsible for ensuring that their children eat properly and take enough exercise. Failure to do so could be described as a form of child neglect.

When you think that a parent caught slapping their child could be in court for child abuse. I don’t see why this should not equally be considered abusing their child’.

Strong words, but is the rhetoric correct?

Clearly, if your child is overweight there are considerable risks to his or her health. Existing research evidence concludes that there is no escaping this depressing fact. The truth is that eating the wrong food over time has a negative effect on health.

These risks to health are relevant during childhood and continue to be pertinent as the child develops into adulthood. Physical illness, and indeed psychological dysfunction, are more likely to affect your child if they are obese.

That said, the majority of parents, from Dundee to Dungeness, would be absolutely horrified to learn that their children’s food may signal an earlier demise. They would also be shocked to learn that they may also be guilty of abuse.

Simplistic statements linking ‘obesity with abuse’ do not improve children’s diets; in fact, they continue to increase the schism within an already divided society.

In reality, the problem is far more deep-rooted and is entrenched with socio-economic and cultural influences.

Understanding Childhood Obesity

Children become obese for a variety of reasons. In truth, deliberate and therefore abusive force-feeding of the wrong food is very rare (it is infrequently seen in Munchausen Syndrome).

Accessible public education is the key to improving the diets of our children, combined with affordable healthy food.

It isn’t surprising that the poorest in our community have the most nutrient-dilute diet: junk food is relatively cheap, is usually available as pound-stretching BOGOF deals, and ultimately fills a hole in even the hungriest child’s ever-rumbling stomach. Aside from basic fruit and vegetables, many trendy and mainstream health foods are expensive. Furthermore, cooking from scratch can be time-consuming and a source of anxiety for many parents.

Of course, parents who have limited resources will choose quantity over quality unless they are really clued up regarding the potential long-term damage to their children that is caused by a poor diet.

Just yesterday in a Twitter post, a well-known supermarket chain launched a survey for Tweeters to take part in: ‘Tell us your favourite product’, it said, with options including pancakes and several other forms of nutritionally dilute food. A better, but equally fun option, might have been ‘Tell us your favourite fruit and how you eat it’: fresh strawberries in a summer picnic, blackberries in autumn, frozen fruit as ice lollies, and so on.

In these times of austerity, where many parents are genuinely challenged to make ends meet, there needs to be more visible, yet simultaneously low-key promotion of healthier food – informing, but not lecturing. These health-promoting basics need to be available at a cheaper price.

An Obese Child is not an Abused Child

Linking obesity with the words ‘child abuse’ is extremely short-sighted and damaging. It insults the average parent and conversely dilutes the phrase ‘child abuse’ from its true meaning, i.e., the horrendous cruelty that child protection professionals work with on a daily basis. It also ignores the role that genetics can play in obesity (as discussed in this UCL study from March 2013).

The ‘child abuse’ label doesn’t reflect the complex interplay between food, culture, education and finance. It also has the potential to stigmatise low income families, who are often stereotyped as being more likely to face obesity. These stereotypes persist, despite some studies suggesting otherwise: a study in the International Journal of Obesity, found that middle-class children are more likely to be obese than children in other class brackets.

Of course, parents do have to take responsibility to provide healthy food for children, but they must be helped to do this, not demonised.

Unless sustained and engaging public education is possible, delivered via slick advertising and access to cheaper healthy food, the policy makers may have to reconsider where accountability for obesity truly resides.

Written by Dr Chrissie Tizzard, Chartered Consultant Psychologist, PsychD, BSc, MSc, C.Psychol, C.Sci, AFBPS. Dr Tizzard is the Clinical Director of Christine Tizzard Psychology (ctpsy.co.uk). She works with children and adults, offering treatment such as psychotherapy, CBT and family therapy.

Children who use gestures tend to perform better on cognitive tasks

Children who use gestures tend to perform better on cognitive tasks
In the first study of its kind, SF State researchers have shown that younger children who use gestures outperform their peers in a problem-solving task.

The task itself is relatively simple — sorting cards printed with colored shapes first by color, and then by shape. But the switch from color to shape can be tricky for children younger than 5, says Professor of Psychology Patricia Miller.

In a new study due to be published in the August, 2013 issue of Developmental Psychology, Miller and SF State graduate student Gina O’Neill found that young children who gesture are more likely to make the mental switch and group the shapes accurately.

In fact, gesturing seemed to trump age when it came to the sorting performance of the children, who ranged from 2 and a half years old to 5 years old. In the color versus shape task, as well as one that asked children to sort pictures based on size and spatial orientation, younger children who gestured often were more accurate in their choices than older children who gestured less. The children’s gestures included rotating their hands to show the orientation of a card or using their hands to illustrate the image on the card, for example gesturing the shape of rabbits’ ears for a card depicting a rabbit.

“Gina and I were surprised by the strength of the effect. Still, the findings are consistent with a growing body of research showing that mind and body work closely together in early cognitive development,” Miller said.

“The findings are a reminder of how strong individual differences are among children of a particular age,” she added. “Certain 3-year-olds look like typical 4-year-olds. This likely reflects an interaction of natural talent and particular experiences — both nature and nurture, as usual.”

There is a growing body of research that suggests gesturing may play a significant role in the processes that people use to solve a problem or achieve a goal. These processes include holding information in memory, keeping the brain from choosing a course too quickly and being flexible in adding new or different information to handle a task.

Studies have shown that gesturing can help older children learn new math concepts, for example. “Really, though, there is evidence that gesturing helps with difficult cognitive tasks at any age,” Miller said. “Even we adults sometimes gesture when we’re trying to organize our tax receipts or our closets. When our minds are overflowing we let our hands take on some of the cognitive load.”

O’Neill and Miller observed the children’s spontaneous gestures as they performed the tasks, as well as gestures they were encouraged to make to explain their sorting choices. Both kinds of gestures were counted in comparing high and low gesturing children.

Children who did a lot of gesturing did better at the sorting task than those who didn’t gesture as much — even when they did not use gesturing during the task itself, the researchers found. This makes it difficult to determine whether it’s the gesturing itself that helps the children perform the task, or whether children who use a lot of gestures are simply at a more advanced cognitive level than their peers. It is a question that Miller hopes to answer in further studies.

Miller said there is “quite a bit of evidence now that gestures can help children think,” perhaps by helping the brain keep track of relevant information or by helping the brain reflect on the possibilities contained within a task. “In my opinion, children shouldn’t be discouraged from gesturing when they want to gesture during learning,” she said. “Adults sometimes — appropriately — say to children, ‘use your words,’ but some children may think this applies to all situations.”

Vulnerable victims will no longer have to give evidence in court

Vulnerable victims will no longer have to give evidence in court, Chris Grayling says
Young and vulnerable victims of crimes should not be subjected to traumatic cross-examinations in court, Chris Grayling has said.

The Justice Secretary wants to give victims the chance to pre-record evidence for criminal trials to avoid cases such as the death of violin teacher Frances Andrade, who killed herself after being cross examined at Manchester Crown Court.

The 48-year-old mother of four took her life during the trial of choirmaster Michael Brewer, who was later convicted of child sex offences against Mrs Andrade when she was 14 and 15 years old.

Mr Grayling said that vulnerable victims must in future be spared from the “aggressive and intimidating” atmosphere in courtrooms.

“The particularly hostile treatment of victims and witnesses in court has nothing to do with fairness or justice,” Mr Grayling said.

“It is simply not right that young and vulnerable victims are forced to relive the most traumatic experience they have ever had, often for days on end, when cross-examined in court.

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“I am adamant we must put a stop to this, but without compromising everyone’s right to a fair trial.”

Although judges have the power to intervene to prevent overly aggressive cross-examination and character assassinations, there are growing instances of victims being left traumatised after court cases.

There is currently no limit on the number of lawyers who can cross-examine a victim or witness, or on the amount of time they can be on the stand.

Victims and witnesses can also be required to discuss graphic details of crimes such as sexual abuse.

Children automatically receive special measures, such as giving evidence from behind a screen or giving it via video link, and these are available to other victims and witnesses at a court’s discretion.

Mr Grayling added: “For the first time we are going to spare these victims from the aggressive and intimidating court atmosphere by making sure they can give evidence and be cross-examined before the trial starts.”

Mrs Andrade, from Guildford, Surrey, was found dead just days after a bruising cross-examination.

During the trial Mrs Andrade, who had not wanted to bring the case, was accused of being a liar and a fantasist by Brewer’s barrister Kate Blackwell QC.

Mr Grayling’s announcement came after the head of a leading charity warned it is only a matter of time before a child witness commits suicide if nothing is done to address the adversarial culture in courtrooms.

Javed Khan, chief executive of Victim Support, said: “Are we really waiting for a child witness to kill themselves before we accept that the adversarial culture of our courtrooms is wrong?

“If things stay the same I fear it’s only a matter of time before the worst happens.”

Five Easy Tips to Help Relieve Depression

Dark purple and blue grey clouds with light filtering through to symbolise how to relieve depression

Start to relieve the dark cloud of depression.

When depression strikes, everything feels overwhelming, whether you experience symptoms for the first time or as part of a larger pattern. How can you start to relieve mild to moderate depression? Put these five tips into action.

1) Get Active

Even if it is just a 10-minute walk around the block, build it up to 20 minutes over the next few days. As NHS Choices says, exercise can be beneficial for those with mild to moderate depression.

Exercise shouldn’t replace talking therapy or medication, but can be used alongside those strategies to nurture your mind and body and possibly relieve depression symptoms. Gentle exercise could include walking the dog, doing a Pilates or yoga session, or (in the case of bad weather) trying an exercise DVD at home with a friend.

2) Connect with Nature in Your Own Way

This might mean stroking an animal, which can trigger the brain chemical oxytocin (lowering stress) and dopamine, or spending time by the sea, where the sea air helps produce endorphins, the feel-good hormones. Fortunately, nowhere in the UK is more than 70 miles from the sea.

Being outside in the fresh air and an open space can make a world of difference to your stress levels, as National Geographic proves. In the UK, we’re lucky to have brilliant landscapes right on our doorstep – yes, even those of us living in towns and cities; 47% of London is green space.

Furthermore, according to a government report in 2016, half of the people in England live no more than 300 metres from a green space. Let’s not take it for granted. If you choose to explore this green space with your own pet, or you join a pets-as-therapy scheme, a dog sitting or dog walking initiative, you could reap the benefits of animal therapy as well as being in nature.

3) Eat a Bright Salad or Soup for Lunch

Pack it full of tomatoes, red peppers, sweetcorn, and so on. These foods are visually stimulating and good for you, too. Unsaturated fat and foods rich in Omega 3 oils can also support your mood, as Blurt explains.

Keep an eye on your sugar intake, as high quantities can exacerbate depression, especially when post-eating sugar crashes hit. You may want to seek out foods with a low GI (Glycaemic Index), which can reduce slumps caused by sugary or refined carb foods: low GI choices include sweet potato, nuts, eggs, cheese, kidney beans, oatmeal, yoghurt, and most fruits.

4) Spend Just 10 Minutes on an Absorbing Low-Cost Hobby

Your hobby might be maintaining your garden, doing Sudoku puzzles, or sketching. A 2011 study in the Journal of Health Psychology found that gardening can improve your mood and lower your stress levels more effectively than reading. However, if reading is more your thing, by all means crack open a book to try and relieve depression: for less of a challenge, pick a shorter read, like a novella, or revisit an old favourite. Do remember that depression can affect your concentration and ability to process information: if you’re a puzzle fan, you might need to move to the ‘easy’ or ‘moderate’ Sudoku puzzles, instead of the ‘hard’ option.

Be aware that your usual hobbies might fall by the wayside when depression hits, and you feel unfulfilled or lose interest in them altogether. This is a symptom of depression, called anhedonia. If you’re affected by anhedonia, try a new or less challenging hobby, and don’t put any pressure on yourself to enjoy or maintain it. So, don’t sign up for a year’s worth of French lessons in one go – instead, opt for a taster course or download a free app.

5) Say “Hi” to a Neighbour or Colleague and Add a Smile

It will probably be reciprocated and could help to lift your low mood. Perhaps you could try smiling at a stranger on the commute to work; what’s the worst that could happen?

Low-level contact and interaction doesn’t have to involve excruciating small talk or a long lunch together. Science has found that the act of smiling at others makes us feel more positive, too; it releases neuropeptides, plus serotonin, dopamine and endorphins. This powerful combination feels calming and relaxing.

Putting Tips to Help Relieve Depression into Practice

Remember these are very small but powerful techniques to help relieve depression, and each tip will make a difference.

When we are depressed, even small things can feel like climbing Mount Everest. If you set your goals too high, it is easy to fail and harder to start again. Make goals small and achievable and you can build on these as you feel better. The most important thing is that you make your goal small enough to achieve.

These techniques can easily be combined with your current depression treatment, such as CBT (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy).

Important: If you experience suicidal thoughts or an urge to harm yourself, it is important that you speak to your doctor or mental health provider quickly. Contact your GP or community mental health team during working hours and ask for an emergency appointment. Outside of working hours, call 111, contact the Samaritans on 116 123, or call 999.

Written by Dr Chrissie Tizzard, Chartered Consultant Psychologist, PsychD, BSc, MSc, C.Psychol, C.Sci, AFBPS. Dr Tizzard is the Clinical Director of Christine Tizzard Psychology (ctpsy.co.uk).

Family atmosphere and impact on children's diet

23/05/2013

A child’s diet can be negatively impacted if there is an unpleasant atmosphere around mealtimes. This is the suggestion of new research from the University of Edinburgh, which highlighted numerous meal habits that have a similar influence, including snacking between main meals, eating in the living room or bedroom and failing to consume at regular times.

Using data from the Growing Up In Scotland study, the investigators considered the eating habits of more than 2000 five-year-olds and discovered children who eat the same food as their parents tend to be the healthiest.

In comparison, youngsters who rarely or never have the same meals as their mum and dad were found to have the poorest diets.

Valeria Skafida, research fellow at the university’s Centre for Research for Families and Relationships, said: “Offering separate children’s food for a main meal may often result in children missing out nutritionally … in cases where children eat different foods, they are eating a less nutritious option.”

Chartered Psychologist Dr Helen O’Connor comments:

“Modelling appropriate behaviour to children is as important at mealtimes as it is in other daily activities. In today’s society with the demands and pressures that families face it has become even more difficult for families to sit down and eat together or eat the same things, but these findings suggest it is ever more important that quality time is spent together as a family.

“Certainly these findings support observations of young people with eating problems in clinical practice, and trying to implement strategies for families to consider how they eat and what they eat is crucial.”

Courtesy BPS

Testosterone and choice of colour of sports strip

20/05/2013

Sports competitors may be more likely to choose a red kit due to their high testosterone levels, new research has suggested. Published in Psychological Science, a journal of the Association for Psychological Science, the study revealed those who opt for a red shirt on the sports field tend to have higher testosterone levels than those who select a blue one.

Led by Dr Daniel Farrelly, a Psychological Scientist at the University of Sunderland, the investigation included 73 men, who gave saliva samples to measure their testosterone levels before being asked to choose colour symbols to represent them and questioned as to why they selected these.

Dr Farrelly said: “The research shows that there is something special about the color red in competition and that it is associated with our underlying biological systems.”

He explained choosing red might signal something about a person’s competitive nature on an unconscious level, while it may also affect how their opponents respond to them.

Chartered Psychologist Iain Greenlees from Chichester University comments:

“To many sportspeople and coaches it may seem counter-intuitive that something as arbitrary as kit colour may be associated with testosterone, dominance and performance. However, Farelly and colleagues’ work adds to the growing body of research that suggests that there is something about the use of colour in sport that requires further exploration. We are far from being able to draw firm conclusions but, slowly and surely, we are starting to discover more about the psychology of colour.”

Courtesy BPS