Workshops

AUTOGENIC TRAINING PROGRAM

• It consists of 6 meetings that are organized in an agreed rhythm, usually once a week.

• It is intended for adults (18+).

• These mental exercises do not require any props and can be performed almost anywhere and anytime. At the meetings, participants learn the technique of performing the exercises and very quickly continue to apply them independently. Participants receive written and audio materials that can support them in this.

• Autogenic training improves physical and mental health, relieves the harmful effects of stress and improves the overall quality of life. Positive effects have been observed in the treatment of psychological, endocrine, neurological, urogenital disorders, diseases of the heart, respiratory tract, digestive system, bones and muscles.

WHAT IS AUTOGENIC TRAINING?

Autogenic training is a relaxation procedure in which, by focusing the attention on the body and physical sensations, a state of relaxation of the body and psyche is achieved, which has a favorable effect on physical and mental health. The technique was introduced into medicine by the German doctor and psychiatrist J. H. Shulz.

THE BENEFITS

The main effect of practicing autogenic training for many is the reduction and elimination of anxiety, and the effectiveness of the method has been confirmed during many years of use in medicine for various mental and physical disorders as well as for people under stress. Autogenic training helps a person to restore their inner peace, which is constantly disturbed by everyday stressors. Through regular practise, a person becomes more resistant to stress and their quality of life improves.

In addition to a balanced state of the organism and a stable sense of self-control, a further goal of autogenic training is to raise awareness of the connection between body and psyche. This is extremely important because most of today's diseases have their causes in the psychological state of the individual, i.e. psychosomatic origin. By establishing psychological stability, we can directly influence any problems and the emergence of physical difficulties.

It is important to emphasize that autogenic training is not intended exclusively for people who have certain problems with stressful situations or disorders in psychological functioning. Considering that there is no person who does not face stress, autogenic training can be useful for almost everyone. It is especially recommended as a preparation for important and stressful situations (e.g. athletes before important sports competitions, women before childbirth, soldiers before going on missions, etc.).

MINDFULNESS FOR CHILDREN PROGRAM

• It consists of 8 meetings that are organized in an agreed rhythm, usually once a week.

• It is intended for children aged 5 to 10/12 years.

• The exercises are carried out through play and fun and include exercises in perception and observation of objects and the environment, senses (smell, touch, taste), movement, listening, mental examination of the body, exercises with thoughts and feelings, etc. Participants receive written and audio materials with the help of which they can continue exercising at home.

• In addition to improving attention and concentration, children learn to recognize feelings and direct their behavior through these exercises, as well as improve their relationship with others and their relationship with themselves.

WHAT IS MINDFULNESS?

Mindfulness is a technique that is used with adults and children in different populations and systems (health, education, etc.), and it integrates elements of focused attention with the findings of cognitive neuroscience.

AUTOMATIC PILOT vs. FOCUSED ATTENTION

Do you remember what you had for lunch yesterday? What color was certain food, what did it taste like? Do you remember what you wore yesterday, what color were the pants, was there anything written on the T-shirt, if so - what? Do you remember the taste of the toothpaste you used to brush your teeth this morning, did you notice a tree or a bird on the way to school, etc.?

Children and young people today live in a distracted world. They can very easily become overwhelmed with a lot of information and events that they have to pay attention to. In everyday life, children perform their activities automatically, without even being aware of them (brushing their teeth, showering, drinking or eating, walking on the way to school, writing homework, going to sports), and most often in a hurry.

Children are actually on automatic pilot, without really being aware of what they are doing at a given moment. Thus, events around them, as well as thoughts, feelings and physical sensations pass "by" them.

Mindfulness allows one to focus the attention on the present moment. At the same time, we do not judge in advance whether something is good or bad, right or wrong, but we perceive events in the present moment directly through our senses and immediate experience. This improves concentration, memory and overall clarity of mind. By noticing and accepting experiences without the pressure of them having to be different, we react less and less automatically, thoughtlessly and unconsciously. Instead, we see situations and events from a broader perspective and respond based on conscious choice - thus in a more useful way.