Person Enrichment Workshops

• Be a Dynamic SpeakerFULL
• Certificate Course on Mental Health First Aid Training
• Enhancing Interpersonal Strengths: Free Yourself from Social AnxietyFULL
• Improving Your Concentration
• Knowing My Character Strengths
• Pass The Port: Dining EtiquetteFULL
• Pursuit of Happiness
• Resting More Easily: Habits for Higher-quality SleepFULL
• Self-discovery - Identify Your Personality
• Stress Management Workshop: Making Peace with StressFULL
• Study Skills
• Time Management
• Wine Appreciation as a Life Skill

Be a Dynamic Speaker FULL

Course Code: DS2/08-09

This intensive course focuses on helping you enhance your confidence and ability to speak clearly and persuasively to your audience. Different audiences demand different approaches. You will learn how to deliver a public speech in an appropriate manner to obtain the maximum effect.

Learning Outcomes

• Increased confidence in making speeches
• Upgraded and polished public speaking skills

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Certificate Course on Mental Health First Aid Training

You may be familiar with the idea of physical first aid but Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) may be new to you. Mental Health First Aid is the help given to someone experiencing a mental health problem before professional help is obtained. It aims at preserving life, providing comfort, preventing deterioration and promoting recovery among people who are developing a mental health problem or in a mental health crisis.

Students from any study programmes or disciplines can become a mental health first aider. By joining this 12-hour international certificate course, you will acquire basic understanding on mental health problems including depression, anxiety disorders and gradual onset psychosis. You will gain knowledge and skills to deal with mental health crisis situations such as suicidal behaviors/ thoughts, acute stress reactions and acute psychotic behaviors.

This course was developed in Australia in 2000 and has been auspiced by ORYGEN Research Centre at the University of Melbourne. Today, it has been evaluated and disseminated in Scotland, New York, Singapore and Hong Kong.

The course will be taught by accredited instructors who are experienced clinical psychologists. Participants will receive a course manual and also a certificate on completion of the course. Accredited students will be entitled to join the Mental Health First Aiders Alumni who will enjoy the following privilege:

• Back-up support through email and telephone enquiry
• Updated information relating to MHFA
• Post-training activities

Format: role-play, experiential exercises and group discussions

Learning Outcomes
At the end of the workshop, you will have:

• Learned the 5-step MHFA strategies
• Understood basic knowledge on mental health problems and related crisis situations
• Acquired skills to apply the 5-step strategies in crisis situations
• Known available local community resources for people with mental health problems

Application

• You are required to submit an application. Application forms can be downloaded at http://cedars.hku.hk/LIS/0809B.
• You will also be invited to participate in a pre- and post-workshop assessment for our evaluation on the course effectiveness among university students. The assessment is self-serving and will be finished before the start of the workshop. You will be asked to indicate your date and time for the assessment in your application.

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Enhancing Interpersonal Strengths: Free Yourself from Social Anxiety FULL

Course Code: SA1/08-09

Do you often negatively evaluate yourself? Do you feel anxious when speaking to others? Having fear of public speaking? Are you worrying about others’ view on your performance? If you say “yes” to the above questions, then join this workshop to address your social anxiety.

In this workshop, you will learn more about what social anxiety is, how it affects you, and most importantly, how you can manage it more effectively. Besides, you will learn how to identify thoughts behind your anxious feeling in social situations and acquire specific skills for better management.

Learning Outcomes
At the end of the workshop, you will learn how to:

• increase self awareness of your thoughts and feelings in social situations
• master effective relaxation techniques to relieve your stress
• familiarize with cognitive strategies for managing your negative emotions

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Improving Your Concentration

Course Code: I C1/08-09

Do you have trouble concentrating on your studies?

Is your attention span less than optimal?

If your reply is “yes” to the above questions, then this workshop is right for you.

The workshop will help you gain a better understanding of:

• How your attention and concentration work
• How to increase your attention span

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Knowing My Character Strengths

The Values in Action (VIA) Inventory of Signature Strengths is a self-report questionnaire which assesses the degree to which you endorse each of the 24 character strengths in the VIA classification. These 24 character strengths are positive psychological traits which are recognized by scholars as expressions of the six human virtues, namely wisdom, courage, humanity, justice, temperance and transcendence. You can do the test at your own time, pace and place. At the end of the assessment, a report is immediately generated which indicates your top five strengths (signature strength) with a description for each.

Option 1: Take the assessment

To take VIA Signature Strengths Questionnaire, follow these steps:

• Reserve at least 30 minutes to complete the assessment in one time;
• If you can read Chinese, we highly recommend you to take the Chinese version. Otherwise, proceed to complete the English version;
• Go to http://www.authentichappiness.com;
• To select your own language, click “Select Language” on the top right corner of the page;
• Register for a new account (for first time user only).
• Move your pointer to “QUESTIONNAIRES” and click “VIA Signature Strengths Questionnaire”;
  
• After you submit the inventory, a report about your top five strengths will be shown. You may print them for your reference or you can log in your account to view the report later.

“Now I know my VIA signature strengths, what can I do next?”

Option 2: Take the assessment and join the VIA Group Feedback Session

After completing the VIA to discover your own strength, you may join this feedback session to know more about them. At this session, the facilitator will explain the meaning of your signature strengths and you will be invited to participate in some hands-on activities that can help you capitalize them.

At the end of this session, you will have:

• Understood the meaning of your signature strengths
• Understood the nature of your signature strengths
• Explored practical approaches to capitalize your signature strengths

“I am unable to join the Feedback Session scheduled for 4 Mar. Are there any other options?

Option 3: Take the assessment and meet a Counsellor on an individual basis

You are welcome to make an appointment with one of our counsellors to have a more personalized discussion and interpretation of your assessment result. The counsellor will give advice on what you can do to enhance your character strengths so that you can optimize your chance of achieving success.

To make an appointment, please call us at 2857-8388 during office hours.

Notes:

1. A nominal fee of $20 will be charged.
2. No deposit is required.

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Pass The Port: Dining Etiquette FULL

Course Code: DE2/08-09

How do you hold a fork properly? How do you eat peas? Which way do you tip a soup bowl? Eating is a cultural act, and each culture has its own set of dining mores. But how should we act in this global village? The class seeks to explore broad international norms, an understanding of which lays the foundation for personal ease and confidence. Dining etiquette, we will find, is not just about eating: it is a life skill.

Learning Outcomes
At the end of the workshop, you will have:

• gained knowledge of dining etiquette in international style
• learned social skills needed in a dining environment
• built self-confidence

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Pursuit of Happiness

Course Code: PH2/08-09

What is happiness? Happiness generally refers to positive emotions and feelings, such as joy, glee, pleasure, contentment, etc. New research evidence reveals that positive emotions are in fact markers of our psychological well-being. Fortunately, it can be learned and can lastingly increase. In the captioned workshop, you will participate in different experiential activities that foster happiness. Do come and explore ways to endure your happiness through multiple means!

At the end of the workshop, you will have:

• Understood positive feelings and its relation with happiness
• Learned ways to make yourself lastingly happier
• Discovered means to happiness through activities in everyday life

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Resting More Easily: Habits for High-quality Sleep FULL

Course Code: HQS1/08-09

Far from a nightly cessation in activity, sleep is actually a crucial shift to special kinds of activity: gentle, restorative, and vital to health and wellbeing. Difficulties in attaining restful, high-quality sleep can be disruptive, confusing, and frustrating. Thankfully, with a good set of habits and perspectives it is possible to make real improvements in sleeping quality.

In this workshop we will discuss three major causes of sleeping problems (physiological/medical; stress; and lifestyle) and explore ways of handling each of them.

Learning Outcomes

• Understood what happens in the brain (and the body in general) during sleep
• Learned about the ‘relaxation response’ and enjoyed an actual experience of it
• Explored the basic principles of ‘sleep hygiene’

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Self-discovery - Identify Your Personality

What is my personality?

How can I describe myself?

Does “introvert” or “extrovert” conclude my whole person?

How can I enhance my self-understanding?

This psychological assessment aims at helping you identify your character traits and behavioral tendencies through a scientifically validated and reliable personality test called Revised NEO Personality Inventory (NEO PI-RTM). You can understand your emotional, interpersonal, experiential, attitudinal and motivational styles from this comprehensive and detailed personality test.

In the assessment session, you will be asked to complete the test in paper-and-pencil format under the guidance of our facilitator. In the group feedback session, you will receive a written report which shows your own personality profile. A clinical psychologist will assist you in comprehending the profile, and exploring ways to maximize your strengths and to compensate your relative weaknesses.

Learning Outcomes
At the end of the workshop, you will have:

• Understood your personality profile
• Known your strengths and weaknesses
• Learned ways for self-improvement

Attend one of the following assessment sessions and the feedback session

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Stress Management Workshop: Making Peace with Stress FULL

Course Code: SMW1/08-09

For major journeys, wise travelers have always packed tools, maps, and supplies. Should the journey through life be any different? In this workshop on stress management, we will explore ‘maps’ (biological and mindfulness-based models of stress), ‘tools’ (relaxation methods, cognitive methods, meditation, exercise, and nutrition), and supplies (the stress-relieving power of gratitude, acts of service, friendship and interaction, and self-exploration).

Let’s begin our life journey with the “stress management toolbox”. Learn something new and perhaps be surprised by what you already know!

Learning Outcomes
At the end of the workshop, you will have:

• learned about the concepts of ‘stress’ and ‘eustress’
• gained an overview of stress-coping methods (mindfulness-based, social, physical, cognitive, attentional, attitudinal, nutritional)
• experienced intentional relaxation and the power of breathing to modulate stress levels

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Study Skills

(For first-year students or those who need to learn the basics)

Are you still learning with the same style as you were in secondary school?

Do you feel that you are unorganized with your study?

Are you always cramming in the last minute?

If your reply is “yes” to any of the above questions, then this workshop is right for you.

The workshop will help you gain a better understanding of the following:

• Manage your time better
• Combat procrastination
• Prepare for tests
• Improve your ways of studying

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Time Management

Course Code: TM2/08-09

Good time management is integral to your university years. Students often become overwhelmed while trying to balance school work, hall life and extracurricular activities.

This workshop will help you gain a better understanding of the following:

• Issues regarding effective time management
• Techniques for good time management

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Wine Appreciation as a Life Skill

"I know what I like, but....."

Wine, in addition to being worthy of academic study, is increasingly becoming a life skill, with interest in wine escalating across the world. This course is both theoretical and practical. The first half provides a foundation of wine knowledge such as factors affecting the taste and style of wine, and also offers practical advice on areas such as wine etiquette, and food and wine matching. The second half is a tutored wine tasting, with a guide to look at, smell and taste wine, and then evaluate it.

At the end of the workshop, you will have:

• Learned how to appreciate different types of wine
• Gained knowledge of wine etiquette in social setting

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