Virginia webinar series helps participants balance the stresses of life
When the COVID-19 pandemic struck four years ago, Virginia Cooperative Extension launched a series of webinars to address emerging issues facing its constituents — from financial issues to remote work and schooling to stress management. Organizers planned to offer just a few of these sessions in the spring of 2020. But with audience numbers for the webinars reaching as high as 500, they saw a significant interest in these life topics and decided to carry on.
To date, 110 Balancing Life sessions have been held, covering an ever-expanding range of topics. Strategies to avoid burnout, keeping fit during winter months and managing anxiety and stress in teenagers have all been discussed.
Post-webinar surveys indicate that participants, who are primarily in Virginia and neighboring North Carolina, find the information useful and applicable to their daily lives. They report feeling a sense of community among webinar participants that offers an outlet for dealing with stressful situations. Local governments, mental health providers, schools, correctional facilities, nonprofits and several other organizations often replay or repost the webinar recordings.
