A CILMAR staff member once told me: “One of the kindest things that you ever did for me as a supervisor was to introduce me to the theory of emotion labor.” In this workshop, facilitators will give insight as to how the theory of emotion labor plays out in education and other sectors, and who Dr. Acheson’s research suggests may be especially susceptible to burnout. Through experiential activities and group dialogue, participants will consider how they can use knowledge of emotion labor theory to monitor and manage their own wellbeing as well as to create a more supportive environment for their peers, employees, students, and community members. Attendees will also learn practical strategies for recovering from periods of intensive emotion labor demands, discuss why people of some social identities may feel more pressure than others to perform emotion labor, and question the application of the theory to our institutions and communities’ current climates. Along the way, participants will be given the opportunity to examine their own experiences with emotion labor and reflect on their own more and less sustainable responses to it.
By the end of this session, attendees will:
- Articulate Emotion Labor theory in everyday language
- Reflect on their own and others’ experiences performing emotion labor
- Imagine how an intentional application of emotion labor could impact their institutions and communities as well as their own personal wellbeing
