Self-Care and Stress Management

Physical self-care involves evaluating our diet, exercise habits, sleep quality, and substance intake (such as caffeine, alcohol, and other drugs). It also includes relaxation practices like mindfulness, breathing exercises, guided imagery, yoga, or dance, all of which contribute to overall well-being.

Mental self-care requires understanding our limits, aligning our lives with our personal goals, values, and priorities, and embracing opportunities for growth. It involves learning—especially about stress and coping strategies—and engaging in hobbies, pastimes, and activities that bring joy and balance.

Emotional and Social Self-Care encourages us to build and maintain strong support systems—friends, family, and partners—ensuring we have someone to turn to for support and meaningful conversation.

Includes activities that bring meaning to our lives, such as prayer, meditation, commitment to a cause, time in nature, practicing gratitude, or appreciating art, literature, and music.

FEAP is here for you and can help work on strategies for managing stress; schedule an Appointment to Work on Stress Management

FEAP works in conjunction with UVA Mindfulness Center, the UVA Compassionate Care Initiativee, and the UVA Contemplative Sciences Center in order to provide programs and resources related to Cultivating Compassion in the workplace and at home.

A Trainable Skill linked to Resilience.

Understanding the difference between Compassion and Empathy and learning how to cultivate sustainable compassion in your own life can be the difference between being nourished or burned out by your work. 

In the study of Compassion report, Tania Singer, PhD, writes, “Empathy is really important for understanding other’s emotions… but there is a downside of empathy… When we share in the suffering of others too much, our negative emotions increase and this carries the danger of emotional burnout. Participants in compassion training are better able to stay in touch with challenges and negative emotions from a calmer mindset."

In addition, compassion activation is linked to greater resilience, gratitude, happiness, physical health and overall wellbeing, (The Science of Compassion), as well as increased engagement, retention, productivity, and job satisfaction, (Awakening Compassion At Work: the Quiet Power that Elevates People and Organizations).

The positive benefits of practicing compassion exercises can be experienced after as few as seven total hours over the course of a two week period, (Altered Traits). The benefits to choosing compassionate responses to an organization include financial resiliency, profitability & customer retention; Human-based collective capabilities, (creativity, learning etc.); as well as improved quality of service; and improved adaptability, (The Mind of the Leader)

FEAP partners with the UVA Mindfulness Center, the UVA Compassionate Care Initiative, and the UVA Contemplative Sciences Center to offer mindfulness programs and resources, available both online and in person.

What is Mindfulness?

Mindfulness is an awareness practice that involves intentionally focusing on the present moment without judgment (Jon Kabat-Zinn, Ph.D.). Similar to how "sports" encompasses many different activities, meditation takes various forms, and mindfulness is one of them. While simple in concept, mindfulness requires practice—but with consistency, it can yield profound benefits for stress reduction, emotional regulation, and overall well-being.

Benefits of Mindfulness

The benefits of mindfulness are well-documented by scientific research. Practicing mindfulness has been shown to:

• Enhance focus and concentration
• Improve emotional regulation and impulse control
• Build resilience and accelerate recovery from adversity
• Reduce the impact of stress
• Decrease anxiety, low mood, and depression
• Promote better sleep quality
• Strengthen self-discipline and self-control

Incorporating mindfulness into daily life can lead to greater well-being, balance, and overall mental clarity.

How do I Begin?

• Four Steps to Mindfulness
• It’s important to choose a manageable and sustainable goal

FEAP Mindfulness Services

• Private or Small Group Coaching: Personalized mindfulness sessions (1-3) to support individual or team well-being.
• Virtual Mindfulness Programs: Guided sessions available via phone or Zoom for convenient access.
• Onsite Team Guidance: In-person mindfulness support tailored to workplace teams.

R-3: Rest, Restore, Reset

The Autonomic Nervous System (ANS) consists of two branches: one that helps us manage stress and another that aids in recovery from stress. Many people today experience a condition known as Autonomic Nervous System Dysregulation, which essentially means being stuck in the stress-response branch of the nervous system. This imbalance is linked to various chronic diseases and can increase the risk of anxiety, depression, and insomnia.

The GOOD NEWS, is there are many effective ways to TURN ON the RESTORE BRANCH of the ANS. Stimulating both sides of your brain is a great way to increase hormones associated with feelings of well-being and happiness.  Join FEAP’s in-person R-3 Session  to learn some simple and playful strategies to calm your nervous system and promote your own well-being. Register Now!

Positive Psychology is a growing field dedicated to understanding human flourishing through scientific research and practical application. While it explores happiness, it also focuses on strengths, virtues, and resilience—helping individuals and communities thrive by fostering meaning and purpose in life.

One foundational framework in this field is the PERMA model, developed by Dr. Martin Seligman at the University of Pennsylvania, which highlights key elements of well-being. An additional component, Vitality (Physical Health and Wellness), was later introduced by Emiliya Zhivotovskaya and Louis Alloro, founders of the Flourishing Center and the Certified Program in Applied Positive Psychology.

Among the many researched practices, gratitude stands out, with over 11,000 studies demonstrating its powerful impact on well-being. Watch this short video to learn a simple gratitude practice that can help build positive emotions in daily life.

FEAP offers counseling with Positive Psychology Practitioners, providing guidance on integrating these principles into your life. We also offer seminars, including Cultivating a Positive Mindset and Wired for Happiness, to help you develop strategies for greater fulfillment and resilience.