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MANILA, Philippines – Can expressive arts help you take care of yourself better?

"Bounce: Living the Resilient Life," a one-day workshop on self-care, stress management, and arts for well-being will be held on November 16 in Macao.

It is organized by the MAGIS Creative Spaces, in partnership with Emmaus Center for Psycho-Spiritual Formation, Cartwheel Foundation the National Center for Mental Health, and IsraAID.

Twenty-first century stress is a problem that all Filipinos face, especially in the service industry that seeks to remain sustainable, competitive, and resilient amid fast-paced work rhythms, ubiquitous information, and the blurred lines between work and personal life.

The economic challenges that the Philippines faces push companies to rapidly increase their productivity to the point of stretching an individual's capabilities and emotional threshold to the limit.

We live in an increasingly complex and noisy world, and we need the time to hear ourselves to gain clarity, keep perspective, and live fully with peace and joy.

"Bounce: Living the Resilient Life" encompasses preventive, rehabilitative and informative content and practices that aim to help equip people with the practical tools to maintain a healthy and resilient inner life and manage everyday stress and its different severities.

Leading you into new insight and fresh perspective is a special line-up of professionals across the globe: internationally acclaimed speaker, author, psychologist, and burnout specialist, Dr Robert J. Wicks; program director of mental health and psychosocial support at the National Center for Mental Health, nurse Thelma Singson Barrera; and IsraAID representatives.

Wicks is a clinical psychologist and leading writer about the intersection of spirituality and psychology. He is a professor of Pastoral Counseling at Loyola University Maryland. Wicks is a well-known speaker, therapist, and spiritual guide. For more than 30 years, he has been teaching at universities and professional schools of psychology, medicine, nursing, theology, and social work.

In 2006, Wicks received the first annual Alumni Award for Excellence in Professional Psychology from Widener University, and is also the recipient of the Humanitarian of the Year Award from the American Counseling Association's Division on Ethics and Values. Wicks has published over 40 books for both professionals and the general public. His most renowned book is Riding the Dragon: 10 Lessons for Inner Strength in Challenging Times.

Meanwhile, Barrera's directorship at the Department of Health's (DOH) Mental Health and Psychosocial Support cluster incorporates principles of the expressive arts as a non-intrusive way to provide psychosocial support. Barrera's experience and advocacy has not limited her to fieldwork as she is also a widely-travelled international resource speaker and workshop and program facilitator.

She has received awards from the DOH, the Ministry of Health in Indonesia, and is currently ranked among the Top 3 outstanding nurses in government service within the National League of Philippine Government Nurses.