SWO Report
Wellness & Wellbeing
for Families & Teachers in a Time of Transition by Nancy Roybal
Under the direction of Dr. Nahid Angha, the Sufi Women Organization (SWO), a humanitarian, non-political organization, held its semi-annual speaker presentation program, Women’s Wisdom: Women in Action, on May 4, 2021. Founded by Dr. Angha and established under the International Association of Sufism (IAS) in 1993, throughout its 25-year history, SWO has worked locally and internationally to promote the well-being, advancement, education, social awareness, and fundamental rights of women and girls. It is a forum for women of diverse backgrounds. IAS was established also as a nonprofit organization and a United Nations NGO/DPI. Through the Women’s Wisdom: Women in Action Program, SWO honors leaders, activists, and humanitarians who have provided exemplary services, and seeks to bring people together to learn, to build community, and to cultivate ways of living and working that are oriented toward dignity, health and service. On May 4, 2021, SWO hosted a virtual conversation between five health care providers and educators for a discussion focused on the “Wellness & Wellbeing for Families & Teachers in a Time of Transition.” It was an evening of an inspiring conversation between the panelist as both mental health professionals and educators shared their experiences of the last school year. The panelists offered their reflections, thoughts, practices, ideas, and resources for families and teachers as they prepare students and themselves
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Sufism: An Inquiry Vol XIX, No. 1
for the close of this school year and the beginning of the year ahead. The evening was also intended to have application for anyone navigating family life and the stress and uncertainty experienced during the pandemic. The panelists discussed the following topics and themes, and more:: • How they have seen and experienced the impact of covid on kids, parents, teachers, and family systems at this time of the pandemic. • Their own personal challenges over this school year as teachers, counselors, health care providers, parents, and what helped them navigate through them. • The challenges they’ve most noticed in children over this last year, what resources have helped, and some of the things they feel would make the greatest difference now and moving forward. • Common fears and excitements they have been noticing as kids complete this year and transition forward, and what they are finding in their work that helps students, families and teachers manage either the fear or the excitement. • The challenges of the pandemic being an opportunity for growth, and how to take those lessons forward in healing and sustaining ways. • Their practices or spiritual path that sustains them during this time, with recommendations of tools/resources.
