ABMP Student Success Curriculum Topic 1: Transitioning

2. Goals of This Lecture Vision a positive massage future. Identify fears, doubts, and challenges. Understand attitudes, behaviors, and actions that lead to student success.

3. Life Vision Benefits. Understand: –Who you are –What you value –What gives life meaning –How past relationships & events influence today’s choices

4. Exploring the Past Understand how family, friends, and events influence us today (Worksheet 1- 1, page 5). –Relationship to family and friends –Past achievements –Relationship to education –Turning points

5. Exploring the Past: Groups Describe one habit, belief, or behavior that you learned from an important friend or family member. Describe one important past achievement and explain how this event influences the person you are today. Describe the level of commitment and attitudes you have brought to your education so far. What do you plan to do to ensure this education experience is positive and successful?

6. Begin to Vision A clearly defined vision is easier to achieve than an undefined vision. Start Visioning! (Worksheet 1-2) –Values –Personal Passions –What Has Meaning?

7. Begin to Vision: Groups Describe one thing that holds great meaning for you and explain how this influences your behaviors and choices. Describe what a meaningful future would be like. Who are the people you want in your life? What types of activities do you participate in? Where will you live? What will your work be like?

8. What is a Positive Education Experience? What student qualities contribute to academic success (excluding intellectual ability)? What are the characteristics of a positive educational experience? Complete Worksheet 1-3

9. Who do you want to be as a student? Describe what you would like your massage school experience to be like. Discuss the behaviors, attitudes, or beliefs you are willing to change in order to achieve the vision you described above.

10. Break! Good Work!

11. Overcoming Fears & Doubts Massage Students –Numerous responsibilities –Commitments to family –Full-time job –Social life –Anxiety about fitting in, getting good grades, keeping up with homework

12. Understanding Fear Real fears –Strong basis in reality; promote good choices Imagined fears –Things we can’t control but get worked up about anyway Worry –Low level negative self-talk and projection of negative outcomes

13. Overcoming Real Fears Acknowledge the fear. Brainstorm. Plan. Discuss. Take action. A solution can be found if the goal is important.

14. Overcoming Imagined Fears Common imagined fears –Fear of rejection –Fear of failure –Fear of commitment –Fear of losing a job A form of self-defeating behavior

15. Overcoming Worry Worry can deplete the energy you have to devote to your studies Example: Susan & the Quiz –Susan allowed worry to sidetrack her and she failed the quiz as a result.

16. Question Fears & Doubts Page 12 How long have I had this fear? How are past or current actions explained by this fear? In what way does this fear disable me? What new behaviors do I need to cultivate in order to confront or overcome this fear? How willing am I to put time and effort into overcoming this fear? What has helped me work through fears in the past and how can I use those lessons now?

17. Worksheet 1-4 Complete the Resilience Assessment on page 13.

18. Adversity & Life Stresses Common Adversity –Little time for self –Too little sleep –Stressful deadlines –Challenging classes –Interpersonal conflicts –Work conflicts Extreme Adversity –Loss of a job –Death of a loved one –Divorce –Financial challenges –Serious illness of self or family

19. Self-Awareness is Key to Resilience Self-Awareness Defined –The ability to reflect on one’s own feelings and to use this information to make choices and take action. Characteristics –Acknowledge people’s feelings –Show empathy –Promote collaboration –Values other people’s ideas –Control internal emotional states –Demonstrate resourcefulness –Be motivated –Remain positive –Achieve goals

20. Resilience The ability to thrive in challenging situations. Resilient people: –Set goals that are meaningful. –Are not dissuaded by the first obstacle. –Assesses choices & make changes (adapt). –Solve problems; avoid blaming others. –Find humor in trying situations.

21. Build Resilience Evaluate areas that need improvement using worksheet 1-4 Build trusting relationships Build autonomy & self-awareness Build initiative & industry

22. Model the Skills You Want to Cultivate Common to model primary caregiver when child. What are the behaviors for the skills you want to learn? Example: What are the behaviors of confidence?

23. Support from Family & Friends Who will be most impacted by your decision to start school? Why? How might these people distract you from school or get in the way of school? How could these people best support your educational experience? Have you asked for the support you need? How might you involve friends & family in your educational experience in a positive way?

24. Transition Successfully Strategies for Students –Who are recent high-school graduates –With children –With significant others –With friends & family –With jobs

25. Breathe! Congratulations! You just prepared mentally to overcome challenges! You now have the skills you need to transition successfully into massage school life. Your vision of yourself as a student and as a professional is “home.”

ABMP Student Success Curriculum Find additional resources at ABMP.com.