Developed by the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence, Managing Emotions in Times of Uncertainty & Stress will provide participants with the knowledge, skills, and strategies to understand and manage their emotions and those of their students. The 10-hour online course is designed for school staff, including teachers, paraprofessionals, counselors, principals, and non-teaching staff in preK-12 schools.
Social and emotional skills are more important now than ever. As educators, we can find ways to better identify and manage our own emotions, which in turn, can help our students identify and manage theirs. In this introductory week, we’ll unpack how emotions can help and hinder attention, decision making, relationships, health, and performance.
What's included
7 videos8 readings2 assignments
Show info about module content
7 videos•Total 16 minutes
Course Welcome from Dr. Marc Brackett•3 minutes
How We're Feeling and How SEL Can Help•4 minutes
Why Emotions Matter: Attention•2 minutes
Why Emotions Matter: Decision Making•1 minute
Why Emotions Matter: Relationships•2 minutes
Why Emotions Matter: Physical and Mental Health•3 minutes
Why Emotions Matter: Creativity•1 minute
8 readings•Total 41 minutes
Introduction and Logistics•3 minutes
Important Step: Research Survey•10 minutes
SEL and Emotions•2 minutes
Why Emotions Matter•1 minute
Why Emotions and SEL Matter Now•3 minutes
Action Planning Pitstop•20 minutes
Additional Articles and Resources•1 minute
Looking Ahead•1 minute
2 assignments•Total 15 minutes
Reflection: How Are You Feeling? •5 minutes
Why Emotions Matter•10 minutes
Identifying Our Emotions
Module 2•1 hour to complete
Module details
In this section, you'll focus on how to identify your own emotions, which is an essential first step to building emotional intelligence skills. You'll explore how to recognize, understand, and accurately label emotions using the Mood Meter. This section builds a foundation for the rest of the course, where you'll learn how to manage your emotions and help students to manage theirs.
What's included
3 videos8 readings2 assignments
Show info about module content
3 videos•Total 10 minutes
Mood Meter Overview•2 minutes
Differences in Understanding Emotions•3 minutes
The Impact of Our Emotions on Our Students•4 minutes
8 readings•Total 33 minutes
Reflection: Feelings Quote•3 minutes
How Are You Feeling?•2 minutes
Emotions are Information•3 minutes
Identifying Our Emotions Using the Mood Meter•1 minute
Emotion Words: Let’s Get Specific•2 minutes
Action Planning Pitstop•20 minutes
Additional Articles and Resources•1 minute
Looking Ahead•1 minute
2 assignments•Total 20 minutes
Practice: Plot Yourself on the Mood Meter•10 minutes
Practice: Differentiating between Closely Related Emotions•10 minutes
Managing Our Own Emotions with Action Strategies
Module 3•1 hour to complete
Module details
In this section, you'll apply what you've learned about identifying your emotions to the practice of managing your emotions. You'll explore and reflect on a series of "action strategies" to help you manage your emotions in healthy, productive ways.
What's included
4 videos17 readings1 assignment
Show info about module content
4 videos•Total 10 minutes
Making Sense of How We Feel•5 minutes
Introduction to Healthy Emotion Management•2 minutes
Breathing: A Helpful Strategy•2 minutes
Having a Plan•1 minute
17 readings•Total 61 minutes
Managing Our Emotions•2 minutes
Strategies for Managing Emotions•2 minutes
Reflection: How Do You Want To Feel? •5 minutes
Managing Emotions in Helpful Ways•2 minutes
Unhelpful Action Strategies•3 minutes
Helpful Action Strategies•3 minutes
Healthy Emotion Management•5 minutes
Healthy Eating•2 minutes
Engaging in Physical Activity•2 minutes
Getting Sleep•2 minutes
Touch•2 minutes
Connecting with Others•2 minutes
Doing What You Like•2 minutes
Healthy Strategies Take Effort!•5 minutes
Action Planning Pitstop•20 minutes
Additional Articles and Resources•1 minute
Looking Ahead•1 minute
1 assignment•Total 10 minutes
Unhelpful vs. Helpful Action Strategies•10 minutes
Managing Emotions by Shifting How We Think
Module 4•1 hour to complete
Module details
While the previous section focused on "action strategies" to support healthy emotion management, this section focuses on "thought strategies." You'll consider research-based ways to shift the way you think to shift the way you feel, and consider how you can incorporate these strategies into your daily life.
What's included
4 videos12 readings1 assignment
Show info about module content
4 videos•Total 20 minutes
Introduction to Thought Strategies•4 minutes
Positive Self-Talk•7 minutes
Positive Reframing•5 minutes
What is Mindfulness? •3 minutes
12 readings•Total 44 minutes
Introduction: Reflection•2 minutes
Quote Explanation•2 minutes
Other Strategies•2 minutes
Compartmentalize•2 minutes
Focus on Gratitude•2 minutes
Find Passion and Purpose•2 minutes
Savor the Good•2 minutes
Mindfulness•3 minutes
Mid-Course Evaluation•5 minutes
Action Planning Pitstop•20 minutes
Additional Articles and Resources•1 minute
Looking Ahead•1 minute
1 assignment•Total 10 minutes
Defining Thought Strategies•10 minutes
Becoming a Culturally Responsive Emotion Scientist
Module 5•1 hour to complete
Module details
This section focuses on applying strategies for approaching your own and others' emotions in scientific and culturally responsive ways. You'll have the opportunity to describe the biases involved in identifying and managing emotions, as well as to reflect on the potential impact of your own biases on your interactions with others.
What's included
4 videos19 readings1 assignment
Show info about module content
4 videos•Total 23 minutes
Defining an Emotion Scientist•6 minutes
Barriers to Becoming a Culturally Responsive Emotion Scientist•4 minutes
Dr. Mahzarin R. Banaji: Blindspot-Hidden Biases of Good People•7 minutes
Diversity and Inclusion in Leadership•6 minutes
19 readings•Total 52 minutes
Introduction: Our "Emotion Education"•2 minutes
Our "Emotion Education" •2 minutes
Strategies for Shifting Our Mindset•1 minute
Enhancing Our Self-Awareness and Education•2 minutes
Have Conversations Across Differences•2 minutes
Stay Present and Use Active Listening•2 minutes
Be a Bridge, Not a Barrier•2 minutes
Consider the Difference Between Intent and Impact•2 minutes
Acknowledging Biases and Perspective Taking•1 minute
Acknowledge Our Own Biases•2 minutes
Get to Know Each Other's Stories•2 minutes
Focus on Perspective Taking •2 minutes
Use Our Feelings as an Impetus for Change•2 minutes
Diversity and Inclusion in Leadership•2 minutes
Working with Students•1 minute
Working with Students as Emotion Scientists•3 minutes
Action Planning Pitstop•20 minutes
Additional Articles and Resources•1 minute
Looking Ahead•1 minute
1 assignment•Total 10 minutes
Reflection: Perspective Taking and Biases•10 minutes
Identifying Others' Emotions
Module 6•1 hour to complete
Module details
While the first half of the course focused on identifying your own emotions, this section focuses on strategies for improving your awareness of others' emotions (especially the emotions of your students). You'll explore the barriers to understanding others' emotions and ways to improve this skill as an emotion scientist.
What's included
3 videos14 readings1 assignment
Show info about module content
3 videos•Total 17 minutes
Understanding Others' Feelings•7 minutes
What Differences are Harder to Bridge? •6 minutes
Behavior Doesn't Equal Emotion•4 minutes
14 readings•Total 42 minutes
Introduction: Reflection•5 minutes
Identifying Others' Feelings•1 minute
Identifying Emotions in Children and Adolescents•2 minutes
Becoming More Accurate at Identifying Emotions•1 minute
How To Get Better at Reading Others' Feelings•2 minutes
Reading Feelings as an Emotion Scientist•1 minute
Observe Where They Are on the Mood Meter•1 minute
Observe for Repeated Patterns and Themes•1 minute
Learn Their Stories•1 minute
Ways to Inquire About Feelings•2 minutes
Practice Learning About Others' Feelings•3 minutes
Action Planning Pitstop•20 minutes
Additional Articles and Resources•1 minute
Looking Ahead•1 minute
1 assignment•Total 10 minutes
How Well Do We Know Our Students? •10 minutes
Helping Others Manage Emotions
Module 7•1 hour to complete
Module details
This section takes your skills in identifying others' emotions a step further, providing research-based steps to help others manage their emotions. You will be introduced to the concept of emotion co-regulation, as well as a five-step process to support students in moments of high stress.
What's included
8 videos10 readings2 assignments
Show info about module content
8 videos•Total 17 minutes
Emotion Co-Regulation•3 minutes
Step 1: Managing Your Emotions•2 minutes
Step 2: Helping the Student with Their Emotions•3 minutes
Step 3: Brainstorm and Strategize•2 minutes
Step 4: Close the Conversation•1 minute
Step 5: Follow Up•1 minute
Mood-Congruent Instruction•2 minutes
Building A "Culture of Care" In Schools•2 minutes
10 readings•Total 35 minutes
Introduction•1 minute
Supporting Students in Moments of Activation•2 minutes
A Five-Step Guide to Managing Stressful Moments•2 minutes
Applying the Five Steps to Your Life•2 minutes
Other Kinds of Co-Regulation•2 minutes
Focusing on What We Can Change•3 minutes
What We Can Change•1 minute
Action Planning Pitstop•20 minutes
Additional Articles and Resources•1 minute
Looking Ahead•1 minute
2 assignments•Total 20 minutes
Reflection•5 minutes
Applying the Five Steps•15 minutes
Making a Commitment to Lasting Change
Module 8•1 hour to complete
Module details
This final section brings together everything so far in the course. You'll look at your action plans from each section of the course and make a commitment to lasting change.
What's included
2 videos13 readings2 assignments
Show info about module content
2 videos•Total 9 minutes
RULER Overview•7 minutes
Closing Thoughts from Dr. Marc Brackett•2 minutes
13 readings•Total 39 minutes
Putting It All Together•5 minutes
What's Your Plan?•3 minutes
Systemic Social and Emotional Learning•2 minutes
The RULER Approach•2 minutes
Review Key Concepts•1 minute
Getting Involved•1 minute
Current YCEI Research Projects•5 minutes
Spreading the Word•2 minutes
Post-Course Research Study•10 minutes
Post-Course Evaluation•5 minutes
Additional Articles and Resources•1 minute
Thank You!•1 minute
In Closing...It's Time for an Emotion Revolution!•1 minute
2 assignments•Total 30 minutes
Reflection: Envisioning the Change•15 minutes
Review Key Concepts•15 minutes
Instructor
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M
MT
5·
Reviewed on Jul 27, 2025
This course put into perspective many of the emotions and topics I was not able to identify. I believe that this course and the topics we covered will prove beneficial for many more years.
K
KP
5·
Reviewed on Feb 14, 2021
Timely reminder of concepts I know but am lax on applying. Supportive content that further equips me for emotional success in myself and my students. Provides tools for reflection and application.
S
SS
5·
Reviewed on Aug 14, 2023
Thank you very much, I have learned a lot from this course. This course help me to understand my students more and know how to use Mood Meter, RULER which I could apply to my work and personal life.
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When you purchase a Certificate you get access to all course materials, including graded assignments. Upon completing the course, your electronic Certificate will be added to your Accomplishments page - from there, you can print your Certificate or add it to your LinkedIn profile.
Is financial aid available?
Yes. In select learning programs, you can apply for financial aid or a scholarship if you can’t afford the enrollment fee. If fin aid or scholarship is available for your learning program selection, you’ll find a link to apply on the description page.