The last few weeks have tested even the calmest among us. If you find that stress and anxiety are impacting you in ways you are unable to handle on your own, we encourage you to seek help from a doctor or a counselor. It is always a good idea to take stock of your stress levels and mitigate as much as possible.  Here are some other ideas and resources to keep in mind: The OITE is continuing to offer a mix of career and wellness events daily. Check out our “Upcoming Events” to see what will be online soon. If you missed the discussion on “Strategies and Tools for Dealing…

Post written by guest blogger Ana Martins Ribeiro, Special Programs Coordinator in OITE. How to Help Individuals and Communities Heal So much has been said about how the Coronavirus pandemic is threatening our mental health and how the anxiety, panic and fear we are experiencing are affecting our focus, productivity and wellbeing. If we were to look inside people’s physiology now, we would probably see a staggeringly different profile in hormone levels, brain activation and overall homeostasis. Our efforts towards understanding the present crisis and how it’s is affecting our lives may often keep us present focused, leading to difficulty remembering that this major event may affect us in the…

Post written by guest blogger Ana Martins Ribeiro, Special Programs Coordinator in OITE. Everyone has experienced the powerful impact of a kindness act either done to them or by them. While growing up, we’ve all heard the golden rule: treat others as you would like to be treated. In fact, the ‘healing power of doing good’ has gained relevance over the years as we recognize that being kind and compassionate not only increases our connection to others, but it leads to physiological changes by stimulating the same neural circuits that are involved in chemical “highs” (dopamine, serotonin and endogenous opioids) and by reducing pain while enhancing the release of oxytocin.…

Changing from an in-office/lab environment to working from home represents a change in routine for most of us.  Many of us are creatures of habit, so alternations to our routines (morning rituals, commutes, office space, interaction with co-workers, etc.) require an adjustment period.  Here are some tips for making the adjustment a bit easier: Get up each morning and go through your regular morning routine.  Set your alarm for the same time you would normally rise, shower, have a cup of coffee, watch the news, and get dressed (it’s OK to be comfortable, but get out of your pajamas and into casual clothing).   Set-up a dedicated space in your house that you will work from.…