International Relaxation Day Online Conference
Held on 14th & 15th August, 2024
This 24 hour clock is in BST UK Time.
Start Times. Recordings available at:
15th August: 07:00 New Zealand; 05:00 Sydney, Australia; 03:00 Singapore; 03:00 Beijing, China.
14th August: 21:00 Central European Time (CET) & South Africa; 20:00 BST UK; 16.00 Brazil; 15:00 NY, USA.
Location: Virtual. Conference held on Zoom & YouTube
Cost: Free event
Welcome to the International Relaxation Day Online Conference, 2024. We have presentations from relaxation and stress experts, academics, researchers and practitioners from Europe, China and Pakistan, sharing with us their knowledge about relaxation and mindfulness methods and techniques.
For ease of watching internationally with the different time zones, our conference has been pre-recorded. Depending upon your location, the Zoom links or video recordings below go live on afternoon of the 14th August in North and South America, the evening of the 14th August in Europe and the morning of the 15th August in New Zealand, Australia, China and Singapore. Some recording in the programme below are being premiered on YouTube at set times starting on 14th August at 15:00 NY, USA; 20:00 BST and 15th August at 07:00 New Zealand.
Each conference paper lasts for approximately 20 minutes. The conference co-chairs Prof Stephen Palmer PhD and Dr Siobhain O’Riordan PhD give an extended 90 minute joint keynote titled, Overview to Relaxation Techniques to reduce stress, enhance health and wellbeing.
Who is this conference for?
The conference may interest members of the public, HR, health professionals and academics who may wish to learn more about relaxation techniques and their benefits to enhancing health and wellbeing, and reducing stress and anxiety.
Conference recognition
The conference is recognised by the Association for Rational Emotive Behaviour Therapy and the International Society for Coaching Psychology for continuing professional development (CPD). Both organisations support International Relaxation Day.
Speaker Biographies
Click HERE for the full biographies of the speakers.
Conference supporters
You can find the list of conference supporters on this webpage. Our huge appreciation and thanks to the supporting organisations.
Social media hastags
Social media hashtags are: #internationalrelaxationday #internationalrelaxationday2024 #IRDConf2024
Event Disclaimer
Link to full Event disclaimer
Techniques and interventions
Panel speakers and discussants may demonstrate a relaxation technique or strategy. National Wellbeing Service Ltd and the International Academy for Professional Development Ltd cannot verify the effectiveness or appropriateness of techniques or strategies demonstrated and are not liable for their use unless demonstrated by their staff. If concerned, you are not obliged to undertake any technique or intervention. They are for demonstration purposes only.
CONFERENCE PROGRAMME
Introduction to the International Relaxation Day Conference with Prof Stephen Palmer PhD and Dr Siobhain O’Riordan PhD
In this video, Prof Stephen Palmer and Dr Siobhain O’Riordan provide a brief over to the first International Relaxation Day Conference.
Mental Tai Chi: Relaxation techniques from a Chinese perspective with Dr Qing Wang.
This session premieres on 14th August at 15:00 NY, USA; 20:00 BST and 15th August at 07:00 New Zealand
Tai Chi, as one symbol of Chinese traditional culture, is known for its meditative quality and often used for stress reduction and improving overall well-being. In this presentation, I will introduce how to use the idea of Tai Chi as a mental exercise (instead of a physical exercise) practiced for both relaxation and health benefits. The recording lasts for about 20 minutes.
Dr. Qing Wang is an educational psychologist, chartered psychologist, accredited coaching psychologist and a passionate lifelong learner. She completed PhD from University of Bristol and currently works as Associate Professor in Educational and Coaching Psychology at the School of Psychology and Cognitive Science, East China Normal University (ECNU). She established Educational Coaching Research Group (ECRG) at ECNU focusing on coaching psychology research and practice in the field of education. She is Fellow of International Society for Coaching Psychology (ISCP), Associate Fellow and Chartered Psychologist of British Psychological Society (BPS) and Chartered Member of International Association of Applied Psychology (IAAP).
Stress Management through Social Mindfulness with Yumna Ali
This session premieres on 14th August at 15:30 NY, USA; 20:30 BST and 15th August at 07:30 New Zealand
Mindfulness helps to reduce stress. But social mindfulness (Leonard, 2018) helps one to understand how we imagine ourselves and others, that may impact our behavior, mental health and stress management skills. Mindfulness based organizational education is a novel and recent approach of social process that improves communication and cooperation through socially organizing oneselves.
The benefits include the following:
- Improves metacognitive skills
- Increases team leadership effectiveness
- Promotes resilient culture
- Fosters awareness and social compassion
The recording lasts for about 20 minutes.
Yumna Ali is currently a doctoral researcher of psychology in Hazara University, Pakistan. She completed her General Certificate of Secondary Education from University of Cambridge and holds a TEFL certificate from City University New York. Recently, has completed her research training from Saudi National Institute of Health. She has published in the university journals of Romania, Poland, Ukraine, Lithuania, Netherlands, Azerbaijan and Spain. She is a life time member of Pakistan Psychological Association (PPA) and a member of American Psychological Association (APA). Her peer review record is of 60+ articles in high impact factor journals.
Relaxation in practice with Judit Varkonyi-Sepp
This session premieres on 14th August at 16:00 NY, USA; 21:00 BST and 15th August at 08:00 New Zealand
In this session, I am going to give you a brief overview of some practical considerations to relaxation. I will then also take you through a short relaxation practice that you can either join in doing or listen to as an observer.
Judit Varkonyi-Sepp CPsychol, CSci, AssocMISCP is a Chartered Psychologist and Health and Care Professions Council-registered practitioner Health Psychologist, a chartered member of the British Psychological Society. Judit works as a clinician in physical health settings in the United Kingdom National Health Service in a large acute teaching hospital and is a research fellow at the University of Southampton and Research Speciality Lead at the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust. She is also a coaching psychologist in the National Health Service Leadership Academy.
Keynote: Overview to Relaxation Techniques to reduce stress, enhance health and wellbeing with Prof Stephen Palmer PhD and Dr Siobhain O’Riordan PhD.
They will provide an overview to relaxation techniques, key research and there will be an opportunity to have a go at a simple relaxation exercise and evaluate its effectiveness. This joint Keynote is a 90 minute presentation.
CLICK HERE TO VIEW VIDEO ON ZOOM
Prof Stephen Palmer PhD CBiol CPsychol CSci CPsychol FIHPE (Hon) FISMA (Hon) is a Chartered Scientist, Chartered Biologist, Chartered Coaching Psychologist, Registered Health Psychologist and APECS Accredited Executive Coach and Supervisor. He is a BABCP Accredited Cognitive Behaviour Therapist and AREBT Accredited Rational Emotive Behaviour Therapist and Coach. He is Adjunct Professor of Coaching Psychology, Aalborg University, Denmark and a Director of Studies and supervisor of PhD students at UWTSD. He has written and edited 60 books.
Dr Siobhain O’Riordan PhD CSci CPsychol FISCP MIHPE Hon is Chartered Scientist and Chartered Coaching Psychologist. She has full divisional membership of the British Psychological Society (BPS) Division of Academics, Researchers and Teachers in Psychology (DARTP) and is a member of the BPS Psychobiology Section. She has published research and practice papers and her latest book is Introduction to Coaching Psychology (2021, with Palmer).
Mindfulness for relaxation, with Liz Hall, author of Mindful Coaching: How Mindfulness can Transform Coaching Practice and Editor of Coaching at Work magazine.
This session explores what mindfulness is, how traditional mindfulness and relaxation techniques compare and differ, and how we can combine these for wellbeing, including relaxation. It finishes with a guided mindfulness for relaxation practice. The recording lasts for about 20 minutes.
CLICK HERE TO VIEW VIDEO ON ZOOM
Liz Hall is a leadership/ executive coach and trained mindfulness teacher (including with Bangor University’s Centre for Mindfulness Research and Practice). She teaches Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction to adults, and delivers mindfulness workshops in organisations. A Senior Practitioner Coach (European Mentoring and Coaching Council), Liz’s work is informed by mindfulness, compassion, somatics, attachment theory, systems thinking/feeling and adult vertical development, amongst others. She is the author of books including Mindful Coaching (Kogan Page) and the forthcoming Relational Mindfulness for Coaches (Routledge) with Dr Emma Donaldson-Feilder). Liz is an award-winning journalist and coach. Awards include the Periodical Training Association’s Journalist of the Year award and the Association for Coaching’s Award for Impacting (Leadership/External Focus) Service to the Wider Community for 2010-11. Liz Hall is the editor and co-owner of Coaching at Work magazine.
Mindfulness for coming together in stressful times with Lorenza Clifford
This session is an adaptation for groups by Lorenza Clifford, from a resource in Clinical Handbook of Mindfulness by Fabrizio Didonna. Here, relaxation is just one element and one outcome of several. It was adapted and designed to be used for groups coming together during stressful times and to be used ahead of their work together.
At under 15 minutes it is fairly simple, containing a permission invitation for calmness and tranquility and cues for turning attention to the body and breath, cues for noticing and releasing tension and then an invitation to join in some nature based metaphor work, for relaxation and self resourcing in presence with nature, self and each other, with cues for presence and harmony at the end.
It has been reported as effective at creating a ‘relaxed and ready’ atmosphere with many groups where eco-anxiety was known to be prevalent, as well as with groups of coaches attending supervision online during Covid lockdowns. These are practice-based reported findings and not academically researched or peer reviewed (yet).
It is dedicated to Tim Coldicott (1940-2023) who until quite recently worked in the NHS as a systemic family therapist, supervisor and group worker, and who was Lorenza’s father.
CLICK HERE TO VIEW VIDEO ON ZOOM
Reference: Didonna, F. (Ed.). (2009). Clinical handbook of mindfulness. Springer Science + Business Media. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-387-09593-6
Lorenza Clifford BSc MSc (Occ Psych) is an executive coach and coaching supervisor with a background in Psychology who founded Coachange.org: working with leaders and coaches to face what is going ‘with the grain’ of who they are, and their nature, ecosystems and economy. We are coming to terms with new realities through enhanced curiosity, presence, choice and relationships. Let’s embrace our future courageously. linkedin.com/in/lorenzaclifford
International Relaxation Day: a discussion about the importance of using relaxation techniques with Prof Stephen Palmer PhD and Dr Siobhain O’Riordan PhD.
Prof Stephen Palmer PhD and Dr Siobhain O’Riordan PhD talk about the benefits of health professionals and other practitioners using relaxation techniques with their client groups. Also they share how they became involved in the field of relaxation therapy, coaching, health education and training. They discuss the possiblity of setting up Relaxation Clubs around the world. The discussion lasts for 20 minutes.
CLICK HERE TO VIEW VIDEO ON ZOOM
Prof Stephen Palmer PhD CBiol CPsychol CSci CPsychol FIHPE (Hon) FISMA (Hon) is a Chartered Scientist, Chartered Biologist, Chartered Psychologist and Registered Health Psychologist. He is Adjunct Professor of Coaching Psychology, Aalborg University, Denmark and a Director of Studies and supervisor of PhD students at UWTSD. He has written and edited 60 books.
Dr Siobhain O’Riordan PhD CSci CPsychol FISCP MIHPE Hon is Chartered Scientist and Chartered Coaching Psychologist. She has published research and practice papers and her latest book is Introduction to Coaching Psychology (2021, with Palmer).
Zoom facilities
This conference is supported by the International Academy for Professional Development Ltd who are providing the Zoom Webinar facilities.
Event Disclaimer
Link to full Event disclaimer
Panel speakers and discussant opinions and sensitive materials
Panel speaker and discussants may express views and opinions which do not necessarily represent the views and opinions of National Wellbeing Service Ltd and International Academy for Professional Development Ltd and their staff or the conference supporters. Event presentations and panel sessions may include personal and sensitive material.
Techniques and interventions
Panel speakers and discussants may demonstrate a relaxation technique or strategy. National Wellbeing Service Ltd and the International Academy for Professional Development Ltd cannot verify the effectiveness or appropriateness of techniques or strategies demonstrated and are not liable for their use unless demonstrated by their staff. If concerned, you are not obliged to undertake any technique or intervention. They are for demonstration purposes only.
