Format

Individual Presentation

First Presenter's Institution

The Spark Initiative

Second Presenter's Institution

NA

Third Presenter's Institution

NA

Fourth Presenter's Institution

NA

Fifth Presenter's Institution

NA

Location

Session 6 Breakouts

Strand #1

Hands: Safety & Violence Prevention

Strand #2

Heart: Social & Emotional Skills

Relevance

See Brief Program Description.

Brief Program Description

The Spark Initiative’s work and research with youth at risk in schools, jails, and foster care has proven that a simple understanding of the mind has increased resilience, emotional regulation, impulse control, decision-making, problem-solving and communication skills, all critical to violence prevention.

Summary

Is it possible that there is a simple solution to prevent all types of violence? This presentation will explore how an understanding of the mind and thought could be the missing key to violence prevention at all levels – from violence against oneself to global terrorism and everything in between.

The main hypothesis is that if humans knew the actual source of their feelings, including the feelings that give rise to violence like anger, rage, jealousy, and insecurity, violence incidents would dramatically decrease. Currently, humans attribute these feelings to people and circumstance outside of themselves. This innocent yet incorrect association leads to violence against those we believe to be causing our bad feelings. When someone has insight into the true source of their feelings – thought – it simply no longer makes sense to engage in violent action.

Our work teaching an understanding of the mind to youth at risk in schools, jails, foster care, and drug rehab facilities has shown that when people understand how their mind works, resiliency is uncovered and violent behavior decreases. Having insight into some of the following key points, has had transformative results:

1) The feelings that lead to violence come from thought

2) Thought is fluid, flowing, and naturally moves

3) Thought actually has no physical form; it’s formless energy

4) Formless energy can only influence your behavior when you don’t understand it

5) When thought is seen for what it is, it loses its grip, dissipates, and the associated violent behavior looks more optional, rather than required.

Our research has proven that understanding these simple concepts results in increased resilience, emotional regulation, impulse control, decision-making, problem-solving, and communication skills, all critical to violence prevention.

Evidence

From 2017-2019, external evaluators conducted research in schools we were working in with youth at risk. The high-level results were:

  • 72% of students showed a positive change in their knowledge of how the mind works and thought
  • 62% of students showed a positive change in their communication, decision making, and problem-solving skills
  • 72% of the students showed less difficulty in regulating their emotions
  • 66% of the students showed positive change in their levels of resiliency

Learning Objectives

1. Understand the role of thought in violence prevention

2. Appreciate the impact an understanding of thought has had in violence prevention

Biographical Sketch

Stephanie Fox is The Spark Initiative’s Director of Education and Partnerships. She is also the co-creator of The Adventures of Curious the Dragonfly, a suite of educational products used in 15+ countries, now being offered in partnership with Spark’s programs that she also co-created.

Stephanie is passionate about equipping children, youth, parents, and educators with the knowledge and skills contained in Spark’s programs to unleash their full potential and bring about peace, prosperity, and sustainability in the process

Prior to her focus on SEL education and coaching, Stephanie enjoyed a career as a humanitarian and international development professional living 12 years in the Middle East where she launched the region’s first UN educational satellite TV channel to support refugee education. In her early career, she was an English teacher and Director of Studies in Spain.

She has an MA in International Conflict Analysis from the University of Kent at Canterbury and two BAs from the University of Minnesota (Sociology of Law, Criminology, and Deviance and Spanish/Portuguese).

Keyword Descriptors

Violence, Prevention, Suicide, Bullying, Depression, Anxiety, Mental Health

Presentation Year

2021

Start Date

3-9-2021 1:40 PM

End Date

3-9-2021 2:40 PM

Download

Files over 10MB may be slow to open. For best results, right-click and select "Save as..."

Included in

Psychology Commons

Share

COinS
 
Mar 9th, 1:40 PM Mar 9th, 2:40 PM

New Thought on How an Understanding of Thought Prevents Violence

Session 6 Breakouts

The Spark Initiative’s work and research with youth at risk in schools, jails, and foster care has proven that a simple understanding of the mind has increased resilience, emotional regulation, impulse control, decision-making, problem-solving and communication skills, all critical to violence prevention.