Helping to Calm Strong Emotions with Resonant Language

NEW! If your employer is a compact member of the Harold Alfond Center for the Advancement of Maine’s Workforce, you may be eligible to take this program at a reduced cost. Visit the Harold Alfond Center Workforce Development Funding page for more information.

Program DescriptionRippling rainbow image

Do people seem more edgy and argumentative these days? Would you like your own inner voice to be nurturing and supportive during challenging moments? Are you eager to support the emotional well-being of the people around you during these high-stress times? Could you use some easy-to-learn tools to help calm things down without using punishment or fear? Tools you could readily employ to mitigate conflict between students, dispel tension during customer service interactions, reduce workplace friction and intentionally minimize stress with your family and friends? 

If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, this interactive online Resonant Language workshop will offer you many tools to move toward your goals.

Participants will learn practical strategies for helping calm strong emotions in ourselves and others. Together, we’ll delve into verbal and somatic strategies to move away from brittle reactivity and into resilient responsiveness. You will leave this course with an understanding of how neuroscience and resonant language can help strengthen harmony and authentic connection.

Program Dates and Times

Please sign up for the interest list and we’ll let you know when future program dates are announced.

Modality

This dynamic, participatory program will be offered synchronously via Zoom—you’ll need access to a stable internet connection. This is NOT a pre-recorded program.

Participants will benefit from having a copy of Your Resonant Self Workbook, by Sarah Peyton (Norton Press).  Please consider sourcing from a local bookstore.

Program Benefits

  • Improve your ability to self-regulate
  • Strengthen your self-empathy
  • Learn how to teach empathy to others–even children and teens
  • Increase your tolerance of strong emotions so that you can move beyond being triggered yourself
  • Experiment with verbal and somatic strategies to de-escalate strong emotions during conflict
  • Gain confidence in your ability to manage strong emotions in diverse situations

Topics Covered

We will explore:

  • practical things to do and say to help people calm down
  • how whatever is happening makes sense and can be worked with
  • sources of trauma and what happens in our brains and bodies when trauma is activated
  • the practical power of Resonant Language

These tools are easily learned and can have immediate results.

Who Should Enroll

This program is designed to benefit:

  • People who work with youth (childcare providers, ed techs, educators, school counselors, school administrators, social workers, teachers)
  • Frontline workers
  • People who work in service industries
  • Municipal workers
  • Parents/guardians

Not sure if this program is right for you? Contact us at um.continuinged@maine.edu and we can help you figure it out.

Instructor Bio

photo of Peggy SmithPeggy Smith (she/her) holds a master’s degree in literacy and language arts from the University of Pennsylvania, and is a certified trainer with the International Center for Nonviolent Communication with over four decades of teaching experience. A co-founder of the Maine Nonviolent Communication Network, Smith is at the forefront of bringing empathic thinking and communicating to midcoast Maine. Since 1991, Smith has studied with Zen teacher and peace activist Thich Nhat Hanh and is a dharma teacher within his tradition. Smith enjoys designing and implementing programs that support empathic thinking and communicating as part of systemic culture change. She lives in Lincolnville, Maine and greets the day watching the sunrise over Islesboro. Learn more about Peggy here.

Program Fee

$200

Click here to apply for a need-based scholarship.

Class Capacity

25 participants

Additional Benefits

  • 6 hours / 0.6 CEUs
  • Certificate of Completion Available Upon Request.

Learn more about Continuing Education Units here.

Accommodations

For more information or to request an accommodation contact us at um.continuinged@maine.edu.