TUM4Mind

Presentation language: German
Mindfulness is the ability to focus on the present moment. Most of the time our thoughts are already at tomorrow’s meeting or still at yesterday’s to-do list. Using different “quick” meditation techniques we will practice maintaining the concentration and relaxation needed for the upcoming exams. 
After a short introduction into the MBSR mindfulness methods we will practice the short mediation exercises. The exercises can be done sitting or lying down. Afterwards there is time to discuss the experience and to ask questions (optional).

Speaker: 
Verena Grundner works as a mindfulness and relaxation teacher. She has her own practice in Munich. After graduating in education and health management, she completed numerous training courses on various stress management measures, such as MBSR (mindfulness-based stress reduction), yoga and autogenic training. Her programs are designed for people who are interested in improving their health and well-being through scientifically recognized methods.

Register here

Presentation language: English
Breathing techniques are an integral part of the traditional knowledge of yoga. Several recent studies have shown the impact of yogic breathing techniques on our ability to manage stress, enhance wellbeing and improve our ability to focus. During exam times, students usually report higher levels of stress, which adversely affects the ability to focus, understand and learn.
In this session we will learn 2 breathing techniques to help relax and refresh the mind while enhancing our ability to focus. We will also learn a short “desktop yoga” sequence that helps increase circulation and refresh the eyes and the mind, when faced with unavoidable long hours of work in front of a computer. There will be some time for Q and A at the end.

Speaker:
Prof. Dr. Mrinalini Kochupillai is a guest professor of ethics at the TU Munich and a certified practitioner and trainer for “Art of Living Happiness Programs” (that teach the SKY Breath Meditation Program). Her current reserach seeks to understand whether and how mindfulness techniques can support ethical decision making in early stages of research. She has taught SKY for over 15 years in India, USA and Germany and is also a certified Hatha-Yoga teacher. 

Register here

Language: English
Progressive Muscle Relaxation is a well-known relaxation technique based on the idea that a relaxed body will be followed by a relaxed mind. Intentionally contrasting muscle tension with relaxation is the key to this technique. It can be applied for a full fledged relaxation but also for short, more immediate exercises for recovery and self-regulation. 
We will practice simple breathing techniques and apply exercises from Progressive Muscle Relaxation. There will be some time for Q and A at the end of the workshop.

Speaker:
Dr. Felix Ehrlenspiel is senior lecturer at the chair of sport psychology. His research is concerned with (competitive) anxiety and its effects on performance. He is teaching in the international Master program “Health Sciences” and, among others, teaches classes on relaxation techniques. He is also giving Progressive Muscle Relaxation classes at work-sites for “firmovo”, a company devoted to improve Workplace Health Management. 

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Presentation language: German
Through mental concentration and autosuggestion (self-influencing) we reach a status of rest in autogenic training. Formula-based idioms (e.g. “I am calm and relaxed”) help to put yourself in a state of relaxation. The training also has positive effects on exam anxiety and is specifically geared towards it. 
After a brief theoretical introduction, we will actively practice autogenic training. The exercise can be done sitting or lying down. Afterwards there is time to discuss the experience and to ask questions (optional). 

Speaker: 
Verena Grundner works as a mindfulness and relaxation teacher. She has her own practice in Munich. After graduating in education and health management, she completed numerous training courses on various stress management measures, such as MBSR (mindfulness-based stress reduction), yoga and autogenic training. Her programs are designed for people who are interested in improving their health and well-being through scientifically recognized methods.

Register here

Presentation language: German
Yoga Nidra is also known as “yogic sleep”. We are lying on our backs the entire time. We will go through a body- and imagination journey as well as the formation of a resolution by internally repeating a wish or a positive sentence. In a relaxed state, the subconscious mind is very receptive to resolutions, can memorize them well and implement them in everyday life. The training will be specifically geared towards the resolution of “passing an exam”. 
After a very brief theoretical introduction we will practice Yoga Nidra. The exercise is performed lying down. No knowledge of yoga is required. Afterwards there is time to share experiences and ask questions (optional). 

Speaker: 
Verena Grundner works as a mindfulness and relaxation teacher. She has her own practice in Munich. After graduating in education and health management, she completed numerous training courses on various stress management measures, such as MBSR (mindfulness-based stress reduction), yoga and autogenic training. Her programs are designed for people who are interested in improving their health and well-being through scientifically recognized methods.

Register here

Presentation language: English
Simply let go and regenerate: Breathing exercises, yoga postures and deep relaxation. Yoga exercises have a balancing effect and release accumulated tension. Yoga dissolves blockages and helps you to find serenity and inner strength. The course does not require any previous knowledge of yoga.

Speaker:
Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Zentrum e.V., München

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Presentation language: English
A lot of time spent sitting at a desk – especially in the home office – can strain your back. Yoga exercises have a balancing effect and release accumulated tension. Yoga dissolves blockages and helps you to find serenity and inner strength. In this way you can master the challenges of hectic everyday life in our modern world. The course does not require any previous knowledge of yoga.

Speaker:
Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Zentrum e.V., München

Presentation language: German
Especially in times of great tension and challenges or in conflict situations we often react on impulse, feel angry, lonely or sad. We react automatically to a stimulus and "explode" for no obvious reasons, not comprehensible for ourselves nor for others. We might also be very thin-skinned in a given situation and withdraw. How can we interprete our feelings and then regulate them and use them in a positive manner? How can we keep the reins tight, even in difficult situations? How do we steer ourselves towards "feeling good"? With techniques from behavioral therapy and positive psychology as well as mindfulness, we can learn to “read” our feelings, take advantage of them and manage them.

Speaker:
Dr. med. Tatjana Reichhart is a physician specialized in psychiatry and psychotherapy. She used to work as a scientific and clinical physician at the TU Munich, finishing her career there as head of department. In 2015 she co-founded “Kitchen2Soul”, the first Coaching and Workshop coffee shop / bookstore in Munich. Her focus nowadays is on prevention. She helps individuals and employees in companies to take care of themselves prior to developing mental illnesses. She trains coaches and leaders in resilience. In 2019 her book “Das Prinzip Selbstfürsorge“ has been published by the publisher Kösel Verlag.

Presentation language: English
Our mind works all day long in order to understand the world around us. It is constantly busy classifying, questioning and memorizing information. A well-functioning mind is crucial for studying successfully. However, the higher the stress level the more our thoughts get out of control and become a burden themselves. Excessive worrying and rumination, catastrophizing the future, focusing on negative situations or fear of failure can have very deep impact on our emotional well-being and on the ability to actively participate in life. In this workshop you will learn to consciously notice and identify difficult and negative thoughts. You will also learn techniques to discover helpful alternatives, to distance yourself from your thoughts and to limit rumination. We will also look at the underlying mechanisms that make you develop the same thoughts over and over again. We will critically review your own expectations and discuss how you can generate a more relaxed attitude towards yourself. 

Speaker:
Marie Bartholomäus is a psychological psychotherapist for behavior therapy and works in the Kirinus day clinic Munich Nymphenburg. She mainly treats patients with burnout, depression, fears and borderline personality disorders. Other areas of interest include autism spectrum disorders and psychosomatic complaints. In March 2020, she published a behavioral therapy program together with Prof. Leonhard Schilbach to maintain mental health during the corona pandemic, which can be used at home.

An opportunity for informal exchange and mingling after the previous event. The speakers will leave the room and you can talk with your fellow students in the plenary or break-out rooms (English or German). A student assistant will support you as a moderator with organizational questions. If you would like to come to the get-together without attending the previous meeting, please send an email to tum4mind.ssz(at)tum.de with the subject “Monday get-together” to receive the Zoom access information. 

Presentation language: English
Breathing techniques have been a central part of the traditional knowledge of yoga. A time tested breathing technique, Sudarshan Kriya Yoga (SKY) has also been found by numerous independent studies to be most effective in enhancing mindfulness, the feeling of connection, work efficiency, and the ability to concentrate, while reducing stress and enhancing overall wellbeing. In this practice session you will get a short introduction to the SKY Breath Meditation concept and then have the opportunity to learn a few simple breathing techniques. We will conclude the session with a short exchange on the experience and time for questions. 

Speaker:
Prof. Dr. Mrinalini Kochupillai is a guest professor of ethics at the TU Munich and a certified practitioner and trainer for “Art of Living Happiness Programs” (that teach the SKY Breath Meditation Program). Her current reserach seeks to understand whether and how mindfulness techniques can support ethical decision making in early stages of research. She has taught SKY for over 15 years in India, USA and Germany and is also a certified Hatha-Yoga teacher. 

Presentation language: German
Intuition gives us access to knowledge that cannot be achieved through a discursive approach. Intuitive perception proceeds without methodical or even conscious reasoning and arises immediately; it is infallible and capable of grasping the "truth" in a holistic way. History is full of people who exhibited this kind of perception. Their inspirations and ideas have shaped world history at all levels of society. 
How we can enhance our intuitive faculties, by learning to direct our thinking ability inward through mindfulness and meditation exercises will be highlighted in the workshop using specific practical exercises.

Speaker: 
Professor Andreas de Bruin’s principal area of research and teaching is mindfulness and meditation, and in particular the effects of these practices on physical, emotional, cognitive and social levels. He also teaches conscious awareness in painting and classical music, giftedness and creativity in general. Andreas de Bruin is the founder and head of the Munich Model “Mindfulness and Meditation in a University Context”.

Presentation language: English
Study well, survive crises, be content with your life! Together with Irrsinnig Menschlich e.V., we invite you to exchange ideas about the big and small questions concerning mental health during your studies.
Fact-based knowledge and the personal exchange of information are the keys to changing attitudes and behavior towards mental crises and illnesses. In the forum, psychological experts will introduce you to the most important warning signs of mental crisis and inform you about support offers that are available at TUM and elsewhere. You will also meet former students who have already successfully mastered psychological crises themselves in their studies and are now fully engaged in their lives. Listening to their stories brings the theoretical concept of “mental health” to life and makes it tangible.

Speakers: 
Irrsinnig Menschlich e.V. was started in the year 2000 with the aim of strengthening mental health. The association is committed to creating a health-promoting climate at universities in which it is a matter of course to talk about psychological difficulties and to look for solutions together. Irrsinnig Menschlich e.V. is the first organization to offer a low-threshold basic intervention nationwide to strengthen mental health literacy.

Presentation language: German
In autogenic training, we relax and calm down through mental concentration and autosuggestion (self-influencing). Formula-based expressions (e.g. "The right arm is heavy" or "The breath is calm and even") help to put yourself into a state of relaxation. The training is also known to have positive effects on depression, anxiety and poor concentration.
After a theoretical introduction to the method, we will actively try out autogenic training. You can exercise either sitting or lying down. Afterwards, there is time to share the experience and ask questions.

Speaker: 
Verena Grundner works as a mindfulness and relaxation teacher. She has her own practice in Munich. After graduating in education and health management, she completed numerous training courses on various stress management measures, such as MBSR (mindfulness-based stress reduction), yoga and autogenic training. Her programs are designed for people who are interested in improving their health and well-being through scientifically recognized methods. 

Presentation language: German
“Expectation of self-efficacy” according to Bandura is a person’s trust in their own coping skills. A person with a high expectation of self-efficacy is someone who believes in making a difference and being able to shape his or her life successfully: optimistic, committed, self-confident. But what if you lack faith? If you have agonizing self-doubts that seem to weigh several hundred pounds lying on your shoulders? If fear of failure or fear of the future prevents you from thinking clearly? If a depressive mood makes it impossible to feel confident and motivated? During this workshop we will address these topics in a trusting environment. You will find out what exactly is a depression or an anxiety disorder and where it comes from. First and foremost we will discuss what you can do about it so that it no longer prevents you from living the life you want. 

Speaker: 
Kathrin Maierhofer is a qualified psychologist and psychological therapist (behaviour therapy, trauma therapy). She has been working for ARCHE e.V. – an association for suicide prevention and crisis intervention – since 2008. In this role she supports people in emotional crisis situations and after traumatic experiences of loss. As an outpatient therapist, she also works with clients with various psychological issues.

Presentation language: English
Studying and working from home, arriving in a new city, many new conditions and regulations – this might be how the last months felt. Some people are happy with this, some people are desperate. In this interactive session we will look at the following topics: How does change work and how can we adapt to it? How can we make sure that we are feeling okay? How can we navigate through challenging situations of change? Which strategies and babysteps can help us to successfully continue our studies?
We will introduce you to important aspects of change. We will reflect this by comparing it to your experiences and  jointly develop strategies for the present and the future. We will work interactively so that you can introduce your topics and reflect upon them. 

Speaker:
Maria Prahl, M.A. studied Human Resource Development, Eastern European History and Intercultural Communication. She is the founder of “Working between Cultures”. Since 2004 she works as a trainer and facilitator in universities, foundations and companies. She completed a three-year education in training and facilitation. Her main focus in training lies in international cooperations, diversity and systemic change.

An opportunity for informal exchange and mingling after the previous event. The speakers will leave the room and you can talk with your fellow students in the plenary or break-out rooms (English or German). A student assistant will support you as a moderator with organizational questions. If you would like to come to the get-together without attending the previous meeting, please send an email to tum4mind.ssz(at)tum.de with the subject “Wednesday get-together” to receive the Zoom access information. 

Presentation language: German
Mindfulness is the ability to focus on the present moment. In everyday life there are always small moments in which we are mindful, i.e. immerse ourselves completely in this moment. Most of the time, however, we are already thinking about tomorrow's meeting / seminar, the to-do list or the the next vacation. We subconsciously act in autopilot mode without noticing what we are actually doing. Using various meditation methods, we practice consciously perceiving the moment, which can have far-reaching positive effects on our everyday life.
After a theoretical introduction to the methods and effects, we will actively practice MBSR techniques. You can exercise either sitting or lying down. Afterwards, there is time to share the experience and ask questions.

Speaker: 
Verena Grundner works as a mindfulness and relaxation teacher. She has her own practice in Munich. After graduating in education and health management, she completed numerous training courses on various stress management measures, such as MBSR (mindfulness-based stress reduction), yoga and autogenic training. Her programs are designed for people who are interested in improving their health and well-being through scientifically recognized methods.

Presentation language: German
Everyone is aware of the constant distraction of social media: lost hours while playing online games, the omnipresence of the smartphone from the morning wake-up call to scrolling through the news before going to bed in the evening. Is that behaviour still ok? Just a bad habit? In this interactive lecture we invite you to reflect upon your own media usage patterns and – if necessary – to change them in a resource-oriented manner. How do I actually use online media? How would I recognize having a problem? How can I ensure that the internet is not robbing all my time and attention? Our internet usage is as individual as our needs. The answers can therefore also only be individually designed to meeting my own needs and requirements depending on how I can get things done with or without media. 

Speakers:
Prof. Dr. med. Bert te Wildt is the head physician of the Psychosomatic Clinic in Kloster Dießen at the Ammersee. As the head of the outpatient and the media outpatient clinic of the LWL University Clinic for Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy at the Ruhr University in Bochum, he developed the first web-based online addiction center “OASIS”. In 2015, he published his book “Digital Junkies. Internet addiction and its consequences for us and our children” at Droemer Verlag. 

Linny Geisler M.A. is a research assistant at the Psychosomatic Clinic in Kloster Dießen at the Ammersee and an SG-certified systemic coach. She is currenty working as a coach and consultant for the online project “OMRPIS” – a follow-up project of “OASIS”. In this position she supports clients affected by abusive internet use. In her interdisciplinary doctoral thesis, she conducted biographical interviews with women who suffer from problematic internet use.

Presentation language: German
Students often perceive psychological changes or crises in themselves or others but cannot categorize them precisely. In our two-part lecture we will give an overview of the most common mental illnesses and treatment options. It is our intention to give you the necessary understanding to better classify symptoms of a potential crisis, whether it is happening to you or to someone in your circle of family or friends. This will help you to take the necessary steps to contact the appropriate support network in Munich.

Speakers:
Mirjam Bley (clinical psychologist M.Sc.) and Ariane Timmerbeil (psychological psychotherapist, psychoanalysis).

An opportunity for informal exchange and mingling after the previous event. The speakers will leave the room and you can talk with your fellow students in the plenary or break-out rooms (English or German). A student assistant will support you as a moderator with organizational questions. If you would like to come to the get-together without attending the previous meeting, please send an email to tum4mind.ssz(at)tum.de with the subject “Thursday get-together” to receive the Zoom access information. 

Presentation language: English
Mindfulness is what arises when we fully bring attention into the present moment and encounter the experience with openness, acceptance and curiosity. Research reports numerous beneficial effects on mental and physical health. In this practice session, you will have the opportunity to practice mindful movement and meditation together under guidance. We will conclude the session with a short exchange on the experience and time for questions.

Speaker: 
Dr. Britta Hölzel is a psychologist, neuroscientist and mindfulness trainer. She led research studies to investigate neuroplastic changes following mindfulness practice, e.g. at the Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, and the TU Munich. She is the founder of the I AM – Institute for Mindfulness and Meditation and is an author and co-author of several practice DVDs and books.

Presentation language: German
What are your dreams? Which goals do you have set for your studies this semester? And what is the best way to get there? Are all the aspects of your life and your roles in balance or do you need to readjust? What are your personal strengths and how do you use them to get some steps closer to your goals every day?
In this workshop we invite you to reflect on these questions and to work on your visions, goals and concrete steps for implementation - inspired by short theoretical inputs and the exchange among each other. Adjust your compass for the current semester and set out with new motivation to successfully implement your goals.

Speakers:
Sabine Gerhard, M.A., is a university chaplain and heads the Catholic University Congregation at the Technical University in Munich (KHG TUM). As a theologian and social worker with various additional qualifications in consulting, coaching and training, her focus is on supporting German and international students with all questions relating to studying, learning and exams, as well as career issues and decision-making situations. She experiences it as an opportunity and a mission at the same time to support young people with their questions, longings and worries.

Dr. Thomas Schindler is a university chaplain and speaker at the Catholic University Community of the Technical University of Munich (KHG TUM). His focus is on the interdisciplinary cooperation of theology, technology and natural sciences as well as on supporting students in their academic qualification phase. Encouraged by his experience in various consulting processes, he is convinced that regular reflection on goals, values ​​and your own resources can free up new energy and motivation for the tasks and projects to come.