This week CCA’s Learning and Development staff presented webinars on stress management for large groups of employees across a range of industries. The highly interactive forums offered attendees the opportunity to share concerns and questions, and to develop networks of contacts if they wished by sharing email addresses during chat sessions.

Many of the participants were surprised to find that they shared challenges, including:

• Feelings of social isolation because of disruption to daily routines, cancellation of important life-milestone events (such as weddings and funerals) and loss of connections with elderly family members.
• Fears about the future, plans, pets, loved ones, and getting supplies.
• Fears about getting sick or loss of income.
• Anxiety because of other’s anxiety, especially in the face of negative media.

Others said that they felt as if they were “operating in a dream state”, paranoid or anxious, or were feeling guilty about their lack or productivity or that they “had it better than others.

CCA’s Manendra Bhugra, the moderator of the sessions, offered a variety of techniques to help ease anxiety and focus on a “zone of control.”

Throughout the COVID crisis, CCA will continue to offer webinars on coping with the personal impact of various elements of the situation from personal stress to concern for children. Click above for a tip sheet on managing stress during this difficult time.