Nowadays it is easy to feel overwhelmed and to think that we cannot manage our daily tasks. Stressful situations can manifest themselves both in our professional and personal life and it can be difficult to avoid conflict when we find ourselves in a stressful environment. In this course the participants had the opportunity, through theory and practical activities, to learn about the tools to manage and overcome conflict and stressful situations. 

​The new edition of the course “Stress and Conflict Management: the way to resilience and satisfaction​” took place in Palermo from 25/08/2025 to 30/08/2025. The participants came from across Europe, with Regina from II Liceum Ogólnokształcące im. Mikołaja Kopernika in Poland, Ruth, Aida, and Adeline came from Escola Guillem Fortun in Spain, Adeline from Eafc in France, Areti and Eleni from Directorate of Secondary Education of Chania in Greece, Victoria from Campus Mölndal, Mölndals Stad in Sweden. 
​On the first day participants reflected on the meaning of the word stress by brainstorming in groups. They got to know that Stress is caused by a series of stressors that can be related to many factors: it can be physical, environmental, family-related or work-related. On the other hand, even small amounts of stress can be positive, that is why participants engaged in speed dating to talk about positive stress and negative stress experiences, that is Distress (negative) and Eustress (positive). 
​During the second class of this course, the participants learnt about series of coping strategies designed to overcome stressful situations in the workplace. Through group activities they had the opportunity to highlight and bring out some easy to increase planning and time management skills. Each shared experiences and learnt new ways by which they can practice time management daily to manage stressful situations.
Another topic that was discussed during the course was conflict management. Participants learnt about various forms of emotions and how to deal with them daily at work. At the end of the day, they learnt that even though conflict is perceived to be negative, there is positivity. The conflict management method helps by encouraging participants to understand an issue from multiple viewpoints, logically, emotionally, how to take risks, opportunity, and creativity. This led to more balanced and effective solutions by providing a common language for all perspectives
​Various communication styles and how to say NO were taught the next day, Participants learnt how to communicate effectively without putting themselves in any inconvenient situations. They got to know that, to resolve conflicts, it is necessary to know how to communicate effectively. The participants discovered the different communication styles and were asked to do a group activity in which each member had to contribute to resolving a conflict. Although it can be difficult to solve a conflict, as this activity demonstrated, the team members saw how this situation could also be an opportunity to grow and learn. This method can also be applied to the workplace and classroom.   
The last topic that was considered was mindfulness, that is the practice of being fully present and observing thoughts and experiences without judgment. It improves attention, self-awareness and emotional control. Mindfulness-based stress reduction is widely used for managing stress and mental health. Participants also practiced mindfulness exercises and meditation. This type of exercise helps individuals become more aware of their senses, thoughts, and emotions, fostering a greater sense of presence and mindfulness.
​Since participants came from different cultural backgrounds, it was an opportunity for them to confront themselves with each other and learn from their shared experiences. More importantly, this course showed them that not only do they have the tools for dealing with stressful situations, but that sometimes there can also be a positive outcome from an existing conflict. 
Discover more about this course here.
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