The Los Angeles area wildfires are having a devastating impact on individuals, families, and communities. Not only are they leaving behind a trail of physical destruction, but they are having a deep emotional impact, as well.
The L.A. fires are nothing short of catastrophic. Our hearts go out to the individuals, families, and communities coping with the physical destruction and the complex emotions of fear, sadness, anxiety, anger, and frustration.
These emotions are normal. They are difficult. Now and in the uncertain months ahead, tools to handle intense emotions are vital. Though these tools won’t take away the pain, they can help you manage stress so you can take care of yourself and others.
For many, that care is happening in their personal lives. We’ve gathered some simple, effective tools below to help you and your loved ones in moments of high emotion and stress. Our workplace resilience experts have also included several exercises to help managers handle emotions and care for team members at work.
Calm Intense Emotions
This meditation with Jack Kornfield offers respite from negative or difficult emotions.
Listen now.
4-7-8 Breathing
Deep breathing sends a signal to your brain that relaxes your body and helps you think more clearly.
Try it now.
Become Aware of Your Own Emotions
While you don’t have control over the stressors your teams face outside of work, and managers aren’t therapists, your support at work can make a positive difference. This simple activity helps you manage your emotions so you can be there for others.
“Trap It, Map It, Zap It”
Try this technique to help you trace stress back to its source, allowing you to get to the cause and feel more in control.
Trap it: Name the emotion you’re experiencing.
Map it: Identify the thought that’s driving your emotion.
Zap it: Examine the accuracy of this thought. Is it unwarranted or not serving you?
Practice Active Listening
Active listening promotes empathy and can help stem feelings of loneliness and disengagement that can come up when teammates are in a prolonged crisis. To be clear, managers are not therapists, but active listening can help you connect team members to the right supportive resources.
Here are 5 Steps to Active Listening:
Whether you’re experiencing the devastation firsthand, supporting colleagues and teammates in crisis, or grieving from a distance, we hope you find strength and support here.
