{"id":230,"date":"2024-02-13T19:59:38","date_gmt":"2024-02-13T19:59:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/center.antioch.edu\/csc\/?p=230"},"modified":"2025-12-17T12:21:47","modified_gmt":"2025-12-17T12:21:47","slug":"coming-out-of-the-darkness","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/center.antioch.edu\/csc\/2024\/02\/13\/coming-out-of-the-darkness\/","title":{"rendered":"Coming Out of the Darkness"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignright size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"415\" height=\"415\" src=\"https:\/\/center.antioch.edu\/csc\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2023\/09\/LauraHat_.jpg\" alt=\"A white woman with blonde hair wearing a navy cap and black glasses smiles at the camera.\" class=\"wp-image-121\" style=\"width:90px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/center.antioch.edu\/csc\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2023\/09\/LauraHat_.jpg 415w, https:\/\/center.antioch.edu\/csc\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2023\/09\/LauraHat_-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/center.antioch.edu\/csc\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2023\/09\/LauraHat_-150x150.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 415px) 100vw, 415px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><em><sub>Little Letter from Laura<\/sub><\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>Don&#8217;t you think February- theoretically the shortest month of the year- is just too long?\u00a0 I don&#8217;t know if it&#8217;s the dark, the post-holiday letdown, or the brutal winter chill, but it seems to go on <strong>forever,<\/strong> and the emotional toll it takes, well, it seeps into every corner of my life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>These days when it seems like everyone is starting from a not-great place, the need to find a way to feel better is more than just a matter of comfort- it&#8217;s a matter of survival. We need to practice getting from <a href=\"https:\/\/www.verywellmind.com\/what-is-dysregulation-5073868#:~:text=Summary-,What%20Is%20Dysregulation%3F,anger%2C%20irritability%2C%20and%20frustration.\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">dysregulation<\/a> to regulation because our students need us (and by us I mean <strong>all<\/strong> the adults in their lives) to show them how to do it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u200bWe can call this self-care or Adult SEL, but the need to become experts in getting ourselves out of our amygdala and back into our pre-frontal cortexes (collectively speaking) is no longer something that we can deny.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>We talk a lot about SEL when it comes to students, but not so much when it comes to adults. The same ideas apply, though. <a href=\"https:\/\/dpi.wi.gov\/sspw\/mental-health\/social-emotional-learning\/adult-sel\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">The purpose of Adult SEL<\/a> is to:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>examine identity;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>explore emotions;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>cultivate compassionate curiosity;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>orient toward optimism; and.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>establish balance &amp; boundaries.\u200b\u200b&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Of course, I&#8217;d be remiss if I didn&#8217;t mention that mindfulness practices like the ones we teach in our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.antioch.edu\/academics\/education\/med-exed\/mindfulness-for-educators-graduate-med\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Mindfulness for Educators<\/a> courses can be incredibly helpful in achieving those goals- and <a href=\"http:\/\/Adult Social-emotional Learning and Mindful Practice Go Hand in Hand\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">we&#8217;re not the only ones who think so<\/a>! <\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-media-text is-stacked-on-mobile\"><figure class=\"wp-block-media-text__media\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"738\" height=\"546\" src=\"https:\/\/center.antioch.edu\/csc\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2024\/02\/Screenshot-2024-02-13-at-121849 PM.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-231 size-full\" srcset=\"https:\/\/center.antioch.edu\/csc\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2024\/02\/Screenshot-2024-02-13-at-121849%20PM.png 738w, https:\/\/center.antioch.edu\/csc\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2024\/02\/Screenshot-2024-02-13-at-121849%20PM-300x222.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 738px) 100vw, 738px\" \/><\/figure><div class=\"wp-block-media-text__content\">\n<p> In fact, t<a href=\"https:\/\/commonthread.antioch.edu\/podcast\/s6-e5-can-mindfulness-help-teachers-be-less-reactive-more-compassionate\/\" title=\"\">he newest edition of the Seedfield podcast<\/a> features Susan Dryer Leon discussing mindfulness and how it can be a valuable approach for teachers to bring compassion and non-reactiveness into their classrooms. (Don&#8217;t miss her <a href=\"https:\/\/commonthread.antioch.edu\/for-educators-mindfulness-goes-far-beyond-self-care\/\" title=\"\">Field Notes<\/a>, too!)<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>This month I&#8217;m sharing some resources and tools that can help you move towards a better understanding of why- and how- you can bring yourself back to, well, yourself when you&#8217;re having a hard time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Here&#8217;s hoping your February is filled with inspiration, reflection, balance, boundaries, optimism, compassionate curiosity, and love.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Ideas you&#8217;ll want to CONNECT with<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>\u200b<a href=\"https:\/\/www.ascd.org\/el\/articles\/social-emotional-learning-starts-with-adults\">Social-Emotional Learning Starts with Adults<\/a>&nbsp;| ASCD<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.edutopia.org\/article\/necessity-boundaries\/\">The Necessity of Boundaries<\/a> | Edutopia<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.the74million.org\/article\/university-of-chicago-study-social-emotional-learning-academics\/?utm_campaign=meetedgar&amp;utm_medium=social&amp;utm_source=meetedgar.com&amp;fbclid=IwAR2wuNtAKAw16EGTbzXNJGZcM2-61Qjrrc0glrEeXu6b4dOLiN5wqmFcNdk\">Schools Prioritizing Social-Emotional Learning See Strong Academic Benefits<\/a> | The 74<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.the74million.org\/article\/university-of-chicago-study-social-emotional-learning-academics\/?utm_campaign=meetedgar&amp;utm_medium=social&amp;utm_source=meetedgar.com&amp;fbclid=IwAR2wuNtAKAw16EGTbzXNJGZcM2-61Qjrrc0glrEeXu6b4dOLiN5wqmFcNdk\">\u200b<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/www.waterford.org\/education\/mindfulness-in-schools\/\">Why Mindfulness Strengthens Social-Emotional Development and Academic Achievement <\/a>|&nbsp;Waterford<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Tools you&#8217;ll want to USE this month:<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.verywellmind.com\/how-to-get-yourself-in-the-best-emotional-state-friday-fix-the-verywell-mind-podcast-5209286\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">How to Get Yourself in the Best Emotional State for Different Circumstances<\/a> | VeryWellMind <a href=\"https:\/\/megaphone.link\/MERE7560279555\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Podcast<\/a> |&nbsp;<a href=\"http:\/\/chrome-extension:\/\/efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj\/https:\/\/files.verywellmind.com\/podcast-transcripts\/emotional-state.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Transcript<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.edutopia.org\/article\/providing-safety-connection-schools?fbclid=IwAR3HuSGUD0ndtrD8ylRUrDhP845F_eqRJ7YUaRzQD82M8FGp8iJ8F8UPGz0\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">A Project to Build a Sense of Safety and Connection<\/a>&nbsp;\u200b| Edutopia<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/schoolguide.casel.org\/focus-area-2\/overview\/\">Social Emotional Learning Activities for Adults<\/a>&nbsp;| CASEL<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>\u200b<a href=\"https:\/\/www.neamb.com\/family-and-wellness\/6-ways-to-create-worklife-balance\">6 Ways to Create Work-Life Balance<\/a> | NEA&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/complicated.life\/blog\/boundaries-in-teaching\/#:~:text=How%20Teachers%20Can%20Set%20Boundaries,ownership%20of%20their%20learning%20environment.\">The Role of Boundaries in Teaching &#8211; It&#8217;s Complicated<\/a>&nbsp;| Victoria Healey\u200b<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/cdn.mentalhealthatwork.org.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/01155259\/16-setting-boundaries.pdf\">Setting boundaries: A guide for staff in schools<\/a>&nbsp;| \u200b\u200b\u200bEducation Support UK<strong>\u200b<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image is-resized\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/mcusercontent.com\/54a75c032424f9199b4694465\/images\/ab528f78-a7e0-203c-7918-e34edb8cec45.png\" alt=\"\" style=\"width:120px;height:auto\" \/><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>This month I&#8217;m sharing some resources and tools that can help you move towards a better understanding of why- and how- you can bring yourself back to, well, yourself when you&#8217;re having a hard time.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":231,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[13,25],"tags":[22,20],"class_list":{"0":"post-230","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-blog","8":"category-little-letters","9":"tag-little-letters-from-laura","10":"tag-newsletter","11":"entry"},"aioseo_notices":[],"featured_image_src":"https:\/\/center.antioch.edu\/csc\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2024\/02\/Screenshot-2024-02-13-at-121849 PM-600x400.png","featured_image_src_square":"https:\/\/center.antioch.edu\/csc\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2024\/02\/Screenshot-2024-02-13-at-121849 PM-600x546.png","author_info":{"display_name":"lthomas","author_link":"https:\/\/center.antioch.edu\/csc\/author\/lthomas\/"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/center.antioch.edu\/csc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/230","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/center.antioch.edu\/csc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/center.antioch.edu\/csc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/center.antioch.edu\/csc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/8"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/center.antioch.edu\/csc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=230"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/center.antioch.edu\/csc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/230\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/center.antioch.edu\/csc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/231"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/center.antioch.edu\/csc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=230"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/center.antioch.edu\/csc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=230"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/center.antioch.edu\/csc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=230"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}