[TRANS] UNIT XX: TITLE
- If we struggle with our reactions and feel bound to
WEEK 1: SELF
“The life which is unexamined is not worth living.” - Plato
SELF
 The self is the person that someone normally or truly is.
 The self refers to the total characteristics or qualities of a
person both known and unknown to others (but known to
oneself).
ESSENTIAL REASONS FOR UNDERSTANDING THE
SELF
 You’ll understand yourself better.
- Without self-understanding we will not be able to
understand why we do the things we do or feel the
things we feel, and if things go wrong, we would know
how to begin resolution.
 You will have a better understanding of what affects
your beliefs.
- People who have a high degree of self-understanding
know more deeply where their beliefs come from and
are more able to take a closer look at a bias and
realize it is not a fact that cannot be changed.
 You will strengthen your critical thinking skills.
- People who have a reasonable degree or self-
understanding are able to identify the subjective parts
of themselves- like their feelings and opinions and
you do their best to not let them play a huge role in
their critical thinking.
 You’ll improve your decision-making.
- People who understand themselves are familiar with
analyzing because they analyze their thoughts and
feelings, and make a decision that fits them best.
 You will get to know your strengths.
- Taking the time and energy to look at our life gives us
information about what we’re good at. Knowing our
strength also means we can choose to spend time
improving them
 You’ll discover your weaknesses.
- If we want to improve, we have to know what to
improve.
- Knowing about our shortcomings is also an
opportunity to practice self-compassion. This is an
important component to build a happy life.
 You will have better listening skills.
- When we don’t listen to ourselves and don’t
understand our own thoughts and feelings, it is very
difficult to do that for others. People who understand
themselves are good listeners because they can
recognize emotional triggers and biases that affect
communication.
 You will have better self-regulation.
ENCISO. ESCASA. ESTOLAS. ESTRADA. EUSEBIO. FELICIANO GATBONTON. MORALES. MORENO | 3L-MT
intense feelings, self regulation can help. To self
regulate, we need first to identify our emotions and
what triggers them.
 You will have more empathy.
- We become aware that everyone’s feelings and
beliefs come from their experiences.
- You also become a better listener which is essential
to practicing empathy.
 You will become a better leader.
- Since self-understanding leads to other skills like
active listening, critical thinking, decision-making, and
empathy, it follows that self-understanding makes us
good leaders because these skills are the traits that
good leaders must possess.
“Somehow we learn who we really are and then live with that
decision.” - Eleanor Roosevelt
WEEK 2: PHILOSOPHY AND SELF
What Philosophy Says About the Self.
SOCRATES
 The self is a being composed of body and soul.
 The soul is man’s capacity for intelligence and character. It
is a person’s conscious personality.
 The soul is “that within us in virtue of which we are
pronounced wise or foolish, good or bad.”
 The soul’s activity is to know and to govern a person’s
daily conduct.
PLATO
 Man is composed of body and soul but the soul of the man
is a non-material entity which can exist apart from the
body.
THE HUMAN SOUL IS INDESTRUCTIBLE AND HAS
THREE PARTS:
 Appetitive
- Desires for the things of the body, the appetites.
- Might lead us into a world of fantasy, and deceive us
into thinking that certain pleasures will bring us
happiness.
 Spiritual
- Drives us toward action.
- Makes man assert and experience abomination or
anger.
 Rational
- Seeks the true good of life by evaluating things
according to their nature.
- Directs the passions to objects of love.
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ARISTOTLE’S VIEW OF THE SELF
The body and soul of the self are in the state of unity. There is
no dichotomy between man’s body and soul.
Man is a single essence of body and soul.
The soul is formed to the body while the body is matter to the
soul.
The self possesses a rational soul which has the ff. capacities:
Capacity for scientific thought.
Understanding the relationships of things.
Capacity to distinguish between different kinds of things.
Capacity for deliberation.
Two Parts of the Soul
Irrational
Gives us the capacity for nutrition and sustains our biological
needs.
Also enables us to experience desires and fulfill these desires.
Rational
Thinking and contemplation.
WEEK 3: WHAT SCIENCE SAYS ABOUT THE SELF
Two Classifications of the Scientific Study of the Self
Physical Sciences
Focuses on biological factors that make up the human body,
the underlying growth and maturational mechanisms, and
environmental influences that contribute to human
development.
Social Sciences
Are concerned with institutions, cultures and the interpersonal
relationships of people living in society.
Biological/Physiological Science
The study of the human body from a physical perspective
paved the way for a fuller understanding of the self, as
consciousness. A fundamental core of the self, is influenced by
inner dynamics and environments.
Neurophilosophy (Paul and Patricia Churchland)
Is concerned with the association of the brain and the mind.
In order to understand the workings of the human mind, people
must first understand the brain, its function, and wave activity.
Human consciousness, worldviews, beliefs, and other
attributes are distinctly connected to brain physiology and
functioning.
Maurice - Merleau Ponty
Attempted to incorporate the physical and the psychological
aspects of the self with his theorem “We are our bodies.”
For Merleau-Ponty, the union of mind and body is inextricable.
There is no experience that is not an embodied experience.
There is never a moment in which we are separated from our
bodies. Our bodies open our existence to the world.
Psychoneuroimmunology
Describes the shaping of the self as similar to how the human
immune system functions. The human body is made up of
nucleotides, the composition of which makes up the DNA.
Individuals capitalize on their individual attributes and are likely
to reject environmental factors assumed to be harmful to the
body and its well-being.
ENCISO. ESCASA. ESTOLAS. ESTRADA. EUSEBIO. FELICIANO GATBONTON. MORALES. MORENO | 3L-MT
Social Sciences
Are concerned with human functioning in the context of society
and social institutions.
Psychology
Theoretical perspective that explain the self:
Psychoanalysis
Focuses on the “unconscious” as a core element of the self.
Sigmund Freud likened the human psyche to an iceberg,
whose small tip represents the awareness of the individual and
the large part submerged underwater as the “unconscious,”
influencing behavior unknown to the person.
Behaviorism
Maintains that the study of behavior should be made from an
observable and measurable perspective.
Largely attributes behavior to environment conditioning.
Humanistic Perspective
Believes that every individual has the ability to reach self
actualization and transcendence, and that each person is
inherently good or possesses something that is good.
Focuses on the strengths and inherently good nature of
people.
Man has a choice and free will and is able to overcome
environmental boundaries through human efforts.
Sociology
Study of the collective behavior of people within society and
focuses on the problems encountered by individuals.
It does not see a person on his or her own, but rather, on the
impact of social institutions and relationships within society on
one’s thoughts, feelings, and behavior.
Anthropology
Is the study of human beings and their ancestors through time
and space in relation to physical character, environmental and
social relations, and culture.
Examines the developmental advancements society has made
and how they have influenced people within that society.
Political Science
Is concerned about the participation of individuals in
establishing a government and making political choices.
One’s participation in government, ideologies, and advocacies
are seen as significant contributions to his or her own selfhood.
Economics
Describes and analyzes the production, distribution, and
consumption of goods and services.
Economic activities affect peoples’ value systems and sense of
self.
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Week 1:
Social Media
refer to the websites and applications that make it easier to
create and share information, ideas and interests.
Has features that allow people to communicate to specific
groups sharing common interests (through chat, video call, or
posting of status and photos) and become members of virtual
communities, be it locally or globally.
Online Disembodiment
Through the use of social media people may act differently
since interactions in social media do not happen face to face
and there is no physical presence required. With this, people
are less likely to display their “real selves” to others, especially
to strangers. Based on studies, individuals are prone to create
digital identities, which are different from their real selves.
Online Disinhibition
When people adopt fake identities, they are likely to engage in
behaviors that they would not do in real life situations.
Two Categories:
Benign Disinhibition - occurs when people tend to self-disclose
more on the internet that they would in real life or go out of
their way to help someone or show kindness.
Toxic Disinhibition - occurs when people use rude language,
bully or threaten others on online platforms, and go to websites
with contents of violence, crime and pornography.
Reasons Why People Engage in Online Disinhibition
Advantage of anonymity, virtual invisibility and asynchronous
communication (where there is no need to deal with another
person’s reaction or feedback immediately).
Introjection - people tend to assign an identity to other person
that is also a reflection of their own self.
Setting Boundaries to your Online Self: Smart Sharing
Is this post/story necessary?
Is there a real benefit to this post? Is it funny, warm-hearted,
teachable- or am I just making noise online without purpose?
Have we (as a family or parent/child) resolved this issue? An
issue that is still being overworked at home, or one that is
either vulnerable or highly emotional, should not be made
public.
Is it appropriate? Does it stay within the boundaries of our
family values?
Will this seem as funny in 5, 10, or 15 years? Or is this post
better suited for sharing with a small group of family members?
Or maybe not at all?
Rules to Follow:
Additional guidelines for proper sharing of information and
ethical use of the internet according to NE (2014)
Stick to safer sites.
Guard your passwords.
Limit what you share.
Remember that anything you put online or post on a site is
there forever, even if you try to delete it.
Do not be mean or embarrass other people online.
ENCISO. ESCASA. ESTOLAS. ESTRADA. EUSEBIO. FELICIANO GATBONTON. MORALES. MORENO | 3L-MT
Always tell if you see strange or bad behavior online.
Be choosy about your online friends.
Be patient.
Week 2: Emotional Intelligence
Definitions:
Bar-on (1997)
Emotional intelligence is an “array of non-cognitive abilities,
competencies and skills that influence one’s ability to succeed
in coping with environmental demands and pressures.”
Mayer, Salovey and Caruso (2004):
Emotional intelligence is one’s ability to understand emotion. It
includes one’s capacity to regulate emotions and to be
emotionally aware which is helpful on one’s emotional and
intellectual growth.
Daniel Goleman (1998):
Emotional intelligence is “the capacity for recognizing our own
feelings and those of others, for motivating ourselves, and for
managing emotions effectively in ourselves and others.”
Components of Emotional Intelligence
Self-Awareness: Know Your Emotions
This is about being aware of our emotions as they arise,
instead of being swept away by them. When we can observe
the emotions as they arise, it shifts our mental activities from
the amygdala to the neocortex, making the unconscious
conscious.
Self-Regulation: Manage Your Emotions
We usually can't control our emotions when they first surface.
However, once we're aware of them, we can manage our
response to
(i) determine how long those feelings last, and;
(ii) react in a way that's appropriate for the situation.
Self Motivation: Channel Your Emotions Productively
This is about managing our impulses so they support our
goals, not hinder them.
It includes the ability to delay gratification, stay motivated and
channel our feelings productively.
Studies have shown the link between feelings and productivity,
between optimism and positive performance, and between
feelings and flow experience.
Empathy: Recognize Other's Emotions
Relationship management is ultimately about managing other
people's emotions. To do that, we must first develop empathy,
i.e. recognize other's feelings and be attuned to their needs
and wants.
Research-Proven Benefits Of Emotional Intelligence
It has positive effects on thinking abilities during anxiety-
provoking testing conditions and enables students to obtain
good scores.
It is negatively correlated to aggressive and delinquent
behaviors.
People with high emotional intelligence manifest high social
competence in dealing with different kinds of people
Employees with high EQ tend to be successful in the
workplace.
Emotional intelligence influences well being and life
satisfaction.
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 is that which surfaces.
Week 3: Anatomy of Anger Is quite intense but disappears very quickly
Anger Chronic Stress
is a secondary response telling us that something is wrong and is not as intense but its duration is unbearably long.
uncomfortable and needs to be checked, fixed or changed. Examples:
Being stuck for the whole semester with the "roommate from
Three Major Categories Of Emotions Causing Anger hell”.
1) Unmet Needs and Feelings of Hurt Having a slave-driver boss.
We need to belong, to have relationships; to be connected, This type of stress is associated with disease, because the
loved and supported. body is perpetually aroused for danger.
When these needs aren't met, we feel hurt and generally get
angry. Types Of Stressors:

2) Unmet Expectations Bioecological Influences

When things don't go our way, we get frustrated. These are external influences, including sunlight, technological
When plans change unexpectedly, when goals are blocked, changes, electrical pollution, environmental toxins, noise
when dreams are dashed and hopes are abandoned, anger is pollution and other potential bioecological influences.
fast on their heels. Some synthetic food additives may trigger the release of
various stress hormones throughout the body.
3) Feelings of Insecurity Some of these bioecological factors can be positively
When the threat is real or perceived, emotional or physical, we influenced by lifestyle changes, including dietary habits,
respond with anger because it helps protect or shield us. exercise, and the regular practice of relaxation techniques,
When our self-esteem is under attack or our well being in which bring back a sense of balance.
danger, we feel insecure.
2. Psychointrapersonal Influences
Steps To Take When Angry These stressors currently make up the greatest percentage of
Acknowledge You Are/Were Angry stressors.
Admit and accept your anger. These are the perceptions of stimuli that we create through our
Backtrack And Identify The Primary Emotions own mental processes.
Ask yourself what you were really feeling. These involve those thoughts, values, beliefs, attitudes,
Consider The Cause (What Really Contributed To The opinions, and perceptions that we use to defend our identity or
Feelings?) ego.
Ask yourself what happened and why you feel that way.
3. Social Influences
Determine How To Deal With It? Social causes of stress include overcrowding and urban
How do you respond to the situation? sprawl, financial insecurity, the effects of relocation, violation of
human rights, low socioeconomic status etc.
Week 4: Managing and Caring for the Self
Definitions Of Stress:
Richard Lazarus’
Psychological Standpoint Strategies For Coping With Stress
Stress is a state of anxiety produced when events and
responsibilities exceed one's coping abilities. Problem-Focused Coping
Physiological Standpoint This basically involves creative problem solving
Stress is defined as the rate of wear and tear on the body. Refers to generating solutions, weighing the costs and benefits
Holistic Medicine of each, then choosing one and acting on it.
Stress is the inability to cope with a perceived(real or
imagined)threat to one's mental, physical, emotional, and 2. Emotion-Focused Coping
spiritual well-being, which results in a series of physiological This is applicable only if the event or situation that you are
responses and adaptations. facing is uncontrollable, or if you are so overwhelmed by
negative emotions that you are unable to begin to take action.
Types Of Stress
Eustress Types of Emotion-focused Coping
Is good stress and arises in any situation or circumstance that A) Behavioral Strategies
a person finds motivating. This might include distraction or physical exercise (to life your
Neustress spirits) or seeking emotional support from people close to
Describes sensory stimuli that have no consequential effect you(e.g. getting sympathy and understanding from a friend.)
Is considered neither good nor bad.
3) Distress b) Cognitive Strategies
is considered bad and often is abbreviated simply as stress. This may include positively reinterpreting the situation (e.g.
Trying to learn from the experience or looking for something
Types of Distress good in what is happening), acceptance(e.g. learning to live
Acute Stress

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with it) or turning to religion(e.g finding solace in beliefs about
the afterlife). SOME WAYS TO IMPROVE IMAGINATION SKILLS
A very Important cognitive strategy especially in traumatic a) Read more books (fiction and nonfiction).
events is FINDING MEANING. b) Write a story, a fable or poem every now and then.
Finding meaning includes gaining a new perspective on c) Play with children.
ourselves and our own lives(e.g., that we should spend more d) Go exploring - Do something completely new. Go to a
family and friends, that we should live our life to the fullest, that museum of fine art, or a greenhouse etc.
we should take more risks) as well as growth in our spirituality e) Create something - Plant a garden. Start a new hobby.
or faith. Invent something.
f) Find a host of varied humor venues.
3. Behavior Modification Humor venues include (but are not limited to) movies, theater,
This refers to the act of taking steps to change a negative books, music, television and live-stand-up comedy.
(stress-causing) behavior into a positive one. TOPIC 1
It involves among others awareness, a genuine desire to 
change and evaluation whether the new behavior worked. o

4) Journal-Writing
This coping strategy initiates the communication of self- SUBTOPIC
reflection between the mind and the soul, the necessary first
step in the resolution and closure of perceived stress.
SUBSUBTOPIC
As a technique to clear the mind of thoughts, a calming effect
takes place as thoughts and feelings are transferred from the
mind to the written page.
Table No. Title (italicized)
5) Expressive Art Therapy PARAMETER (all caps) PARAMETER
This is a coping technique of self expression and self- Term (bold) Insert description here
awareness employing various media to describe feelings and Term (bold) Insert description here
thoughts in ways that verbal language cannot. Term (bold) Insert description here
Art therapy can strengthen the bonds of self-communication

Goals Associated With Art Therapy

A) To provide a cathartic experience: To let emotions that have REFERENCES
an immobilizing effect be released in the physical act of
creating personal expression through art.
Notes from the discussion by
B) To provide a means to uncover anger: to employ the use of
colors and shapes to express and detect feelings of University of Santo Tomas powerpoint presentation:
aggression.
C) To offer an avenue to reduce guilt: by conveying inner
thoughts or past feelings and behavior associated with the guilt
process.

D) To facilitate impulse control: To allow freedom of self-

expression, rather than its repression, through a positive
behavior.

E) To help patients use art as a new outlet during

incapacitating illness: To use art a tool to strengthen body-
mind connection by using various media to augment the
imagery aspect of self healing.

5) HUMOR THERAPY
Humor therapy is a coping technique which uses humor and
comic relief as a means to relieve and reduce emotional stress
by focusing on the funny, humorous, and positive aspects of
life.
Basis: Humor has the power to diffuse both anger and anxiety.
It is powerful at reducing both emotions.

Steps To Initiate Humor Therapy

1)Learn not to take life too seriously.
2) Find one humorous thing a day
3) Work to improve your imagination and creativity.

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