In August I participated in the training course ‘Stay sane’ in Slovakia. It was the most intense 7 days of my summer, everything about that project
was emotionally intense in a way that I could discover more about myself. The activities were all related to mental health, with the management of
emotions, coping with stress and they were very wisely organised. The location next to the lakes in the middle of the summer enriched the perfect
atmosphere we had developed with the other participants. This experience will never be forgotten, I feel very lucky that I was chosen to be a part
of this project. Last but not least, the issues that this program raised are very important for our wellbeing and I wish more programs like this will
be facilitated in the future. I thank USB for giving me this opportunity to live this experience.
Elmina
If I were to describe the training course ‘’Stay Sane’’ in a few words I would say challenging, introspective, intense, beneficial, and informative.
I feel lucky enough to say that such an experience was part of my summer as I felt myself mentally growing throughout those days. The information
and knowledge I were provided with and the skills I managed to develop are priceless gifts, which prompted me to further work on myself and adopt
habits of great importance for my inner peace. Beside the training part, the landscape of Šaštín-Stráže, the forests and lakes by our side, added to
the experience as we felt reconnecting with nature and being able to better practice mindfulness. Lastly, the powerful moments of sharing and
communicating our personal (traumatic) experiences, deep thoughts, and feelings, as well as our daily candle circle ritual connected us in such a way
that the strong bonds were inevitable to be developed. Grateful to everyone and everything involved in this terrific experience!
Ivana
Surrounded by a wonderful scenery, composed of some lakes and forests, during this 9-day training course we came closer to nature, to others and
to our inner selves. Working in dyads and in groups, we delved into our emotions and the way of expressing them, while focusing on active listening
and non-violent communication. We talked about our mind traps and emotional strategies, as well as about stress management. We came in contact
with our feelings and needs and at the same time we developed mindfulness through a lot of techniques. I still recall the mindful walks on the forest,
which I really enjoyed! What is more, we had the chance to improvise and create our own workshops. Last but not least, each day would end with the
candle circle, where we were all sharing feelings and thoughts. I am really grateful for this unique experience, and I want to give a special thanks to
our trainers and to every person that was present to this training course!
Stella
