At the end of September I took part in a week-long international training, focused on mental health, wellbeing, and holistic approaches in youth work.
I had the chance to meet people from 7 different countries who shared the same goal to learn how to support young people while also taking care of themselves. It was interesting to listen to so many different opinions, experiences and ways of thinking. We all came from different cultures, but we connected easily, learned from each other and discovered how similar our challenges and hopes really are.
Each day of the training was different. We had moments of movement, silence, reflection and connection. The morning yoga and breathwork helped to start the day with calm energy. Workshops on emotional intelligence, mindfulness and stress regulation gave space to look inward and better understand how I respond to the world around me.
One of the workshops that really stayed with me was about stress management. I learned how to recognize it early and use simple techniques to calm my mind and body. Knowing how to deal with stress is really important nowadays, when life often feels fast and overwhelming.
Another amazing part of the week was trying forest bathing. That was my first experience with this method. It felt so incredibly peaceful and powerful to slow down, listen to the sounds of nature and simply being present among the trees. It was a reminder of how deeply nature can help us recharge and reconnect with ourselves. Combined with the other activities, moments like this made me more aware of my body and my thoughts.
Using all the knowledge and experiences from the week, we also created a Wellbeing Handbook. It’s a collective guide filled with practical tools, exercises and reflections. The best part is that this handbook will be shared, so others can benefit from everything we learned and experienced together.
This week reminded me how important it is to take care of ourselves while supporting others 💚
