The Psychological Counseling Unit, in collaboration with the University Psychological Counseling Unit at the College of Nursing, University of Baghdad, held a counseling workshop specifically for master’s students titled “Strategies for Coping with Anxiety and Stress During Academic Presentations.” The workshop was presented by Prof. Dr. Azraa Hussein Shawq and attended by a group of graduate students. It focused on providing direct counseling and psychological support to master’s students to help them overcome the challenges they face during their academic journey.
The workshop aimed to empower master’s students to manage the feelings of tension and anxiety associated with giving presentations and participating in academic discussions, and to equip them with the psychological and academic skills necessary to manage anxiety and overcome psychological stress during academic presentations and discussions.
The workshop addressed several key topics, including identifying the psychological and physiological causes of academic presentation anxiety, reviewing skills for organizing thoughts and effectively using body language when presenting before academic committees, and discussing breathing techniques and positive thinking to reduce stress and mental distraction.
The workshop concluded by emphasizing how to overcome presentation anxiety by changing preconceived notions and mental frameworks regarding academic presentations, thereby supporting the academic and psychological well-being of graduate students and contributing to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (Goal 3: Good Health and Well-being, and Goal 4: Quality Education).
