Spearheaded by the PSU School of Advanced Studies through the initiative of Dr. Amela T. Cayabyab and SAS students, a webinar entitled “Beyond the Border: Maintaining Mental Hygiene it the Post-Pandemic Period” on June 5, 2021.
Dr. Nhorly U. Domenden, branded as the “Psychologist of the North” served as the speaker. Domenden described the need to maintain, and that maintaining mental hygiene is necessary not only during pandemic but also in the post-pandemic period.
“Maintaining mental hygiene whatever circumstances we are in is vital”, he said. It is factual that various changes during COVID 19 pandemic have brought us a lot of stress, anxieties, and depressions in every aspect of our lives. In his discussion, he elaborated the waves of this pandemic crisis are not enclosed to the physical crisis but also economic and mental crisis. Mental crisis is the aftermath of pandemic, He shared that a lot of researchers predicted some mental disorders to boom like Post COVID19 Suicide Syndrome, Mental Health Syndrome, which is possible when we face the other phase of this pandemic, the post-pandemic. In addressing physical crisis, a consistent compliance on the IATF protocols and DOH reminders is good and helpful.
Dr. Nhorly explained that we have potentials and that we need to maximize our potentials for us to address our economic crisis. Our aim now, to avoid any mental crisis, is to bounce back or have that resilience, have that ability to learn from negative circumstances or what He called Post-Traumatic Growth and lastly, to create scenarios of the future (post-pandemic). As we all experienced how to be in a situation like we are in right now, we likewise, will have the same scenarios that we will going to phase after this phase. He encouraged participantsto avoid toxic positivity or denying the negative side of a circumstances or denying negative thoughts and emotions because those things are natural and that negativen things are somewhat necessary for us to find direction or redirection, and to look for other ways.
He introduced what is the real essence of positivity, by presenting his very own ALTO Psychology or ALTO Positivity. ALTO meaning high, which means that we need to have that positivity not higher because it is very idealistic and of course not lower, he then shared what is ALTO Positivity is all about. Accept and be mindful of the situation because we cannot change what is already happening, but we can learn from it and learn to deal with it, we must also try to act and when there is action there is learning and lastly is to organize, organize strategies that we could use and be helpful to us. He elaborated how we perceived stimulus, and that how we can control our own FRAME or perception towards certain circumstances or situation.
He gave very helpful coping strategies which He called FIKA meaning to slow down. Slowing down, taking a break, and even changing phase are helpful strategies. Dr. Nhorly shared and explained informatively how positivity amidst adversity could help us address every circumstance, changing our perception or learn how to control our mind towards sudden changes or circumstances and how me must not limit it. He also discussed and explained how 10 positive emotions could be of help to us. To end his talks, he even shared some tips on how to address COVID 19 positively by giving meaningful meanings towards it and tips before ECQ ends. Lastly, he left the participants an encouraging message “If you learn something please teach others, if you are inspired, please inspires others too, and if you are grateful, pay it forward”.
The participants and viewers had heard inspirational messages from the PSU Academic leaders. Dr. Sheridan Manamtam said, “we are here not only for ourselves but for other people that we care” and quoted “we cannot give what we don’t have”, motivating the participants. While, Dr. Gemma M. De Vera SAS Deputy Director for Academics, Research and Extension, expressed opportune moment as they, the faculty of PSU SAS are lucky to be of service to learners and educators and as well as other sectors.
Photos of the Event
