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Project Three
Vanessa Peterka
Southern New Hampshire University
PSY 108: Introduction to Psychology
Maria Calkins
August 18, 2025
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PSY 108 Project Three
Connections to Emotional Intelligence
This role asks you to stay mindful of how your inner world shapes every interaction, a single
rushed word or tense posture can unsettle a child or a teammate, while a calm, empathetic
presence can foster trust and connection. By tuning into your own emotions and choosing steady,
caring actions, you ensure that your words and gestures always support the people around you.
There will be times when I feel frustrated, especially if someone I’m helping doesn’t seem
motivated or struggles to follow through. In those moments, I’d need to stay calm and patient,
making sure my tone and body language show support rather than judgment.
One part of the job involves working closely with other staff and supervisors, which means I’d
need to be able to handle disagreements calmly and communicate clearly, skills that come from
emotional intelligence, like conflict resolution and self-awareness. Another task is making sure
kids feel safe and supported, and that really depends on empathy, being able to understand what
they’re going through and respond in a way that helps them feel seen and cared for. As a child
mental health care worker, you must stay attuned to children’s verbal and nonverbal cues, tone,
play, and body language, 3as well as caregivers’ emotions to grasp needs kids can’t yet
articulate. This constant awareness helps you choose sensitive interventions, regulate your own
responses, and build a safe, trusting space for healing. In this role, you become the calm presence
in the middle of a storm, listening to each child or caregiver’s frustrations, reflecting back their
feelings, and gently guiding everyone toward understanding. By modeling empathy, validating
concerns, and inviting creative compromises, you help transform tension into collaboration and
restore a sense of safety.
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Connections to Psychology
The Humanistic Theory I think would be helpful and useful for someone in this position. When I
embrace humanistic theory at work, I start every interaction whether with a colleague or a child,
by truly seeing them and acknowledging their feelings. I make an effort to listen without
judgment, offer genuine support in small everyday moments, and remind both myself and others
of our shared humanity. This approach not only builds trust but transforms our workplace into a
space where everyone feels valued, heard, and motivated to collaborate
Strategies to Increase Emotional Intelligence
I’ve found that I need to work on my self-regulation, so I don’t let my own stress or frustration
slip into interactions, and on my social awareness, tuning in more closely to the tiny changes in a
child’s voice or posture. Strengthening these skills will help me stay calm and fully present, even
when things get tough. I would engage in daily mindfulness exercises, like focused breathing
breaks and brief meditations, to sharpen my self-awareness and pause before reacting in tense
moments. I’d also solicit regular feedback from supervisors and peers and keep a reflection
journal of emotional triggers to track my growth in self-regulation and social awareness. I3n this
role, juggling the unpredictability of kids’ moods will teach me to spot the tiniest shifts in their
tone or body language before they blow up, so I learn to pause and stay grounded. Pairing that
with honest debriefs and shared laughs with teammates will help me see my own blind spots,
turning empathy and self-awareness into second nature. Elevating my emotional intelligence sets
off a ripple effect, by engaging others with genuine empathy and clear, calm communication, I
help defuse tensions before they escalate, fostering more collaborative and supportive
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workplaces and communities. Over time, these small shifts build a culture of mutual respect and
resilience, reducing conflict and enhancing collective well-being
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References
