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his activity aims to offer PGR students a range of strategies to help them develop personalised and proactive techniques to help maintain a state of ‘positive relaxation’ through their work and life as PGR students, which can support their overall mental health and wellbeing.

Topics covered through the course of sessions will include:
• How to do your own grounding body scan to keep you relaxed anytime, anyplace, anywhere
• A checklist of common unhelpful thinking habits so you can identify what prevents you from being relaxed
• A review of your personal stress resources and demands, including tips on how to maintain a calm but productive state of work-life balance
• Using affirmations and positive self-talk as a tool to cope with difficulties and develop a state of positive relaxation
• Learning a relaxation technique to keep you calm, destressed and focussed
• Practicing a positive visualisation technique to help sustain a relaxed state of mind to optimise your capacity to live and work

The sessions will be experiential so students will have the opportunity to personally experience and explore these different elements of positive relaxation. Within the sessions, there will also be worksheets to consider individually, discussions in pairs and small groups, some didactic psychoeducational teaching and whole-group guided relaxation activities. There will be no requirement to speak out in the larger group and no physical movement activities.
All relaxation activities will take place seated in chairs. No special kit or attire is required, although comfortable clothing is recommended. The ethos of the sessions will be supportive and facilitative with a focus on calm and relaxation.