Understanding and Managing Emotions: From Self-Awareness to Empathic Communication

Have you ever found yourself thinking afterwards, “Why did I react like that?”? Or do you notice that certain situations, comments or behaviours from others affect you more than you would like? Emotions continuously influence our thoughts, decisions and relationships, yet we do not always understand what is happening beneath the surface.

In the training, led by Annika Beeck (Obelisk), you will discover how emotions work and the role they play in your daily interactions and professional life. You will learn to recognise emotional signals more quickly, understand what lies behind them and make conscious choices about how to respond. In doing so, you will increase your self-awareness, strengthen your resilience and gain greater control over your reactions.

The program also focuses on understanding others. Through empathic listening and a deeper understanding of emotions, you will develop stronger relationships, foster mutual understanding and enhance collaboration with colleagues and stakeholders. What if emotions were no longer something that simply happened to you, but a valuable source of information that helps you communicate, collaborate and act with greater awareness and intention?

Learning outcomes

After having attended this workshop, you will...

• be able to recognise and accurately identify their own emotions,
• have insight into how emotions arise and the role they play in thoughts, behaviour and decision-making,
• be aware of the underlying needs, values and triggers that influence emotional response,
• be able to recognise the impact of emotions on communication, collaboration and workplace relationships,
• be able to apply practical strategies to regulate their emotions in a constructive and effective way,
• be aware of the emotional signals expressed by others and their influence on interpersonal interactions,
• be able to demonstrate empathic listening skills in professional conversations,
• be able to respond more consciously and appropriately in emotionally challenging situations.

Competences

An important part of preparing for any further professional step is becoming (more) aware of the competences you have developed and/or want to develop. In the current workshop, the following competences from the UHasselt competency overview are actively dealt with:

• personal effectiveness:
  • self-development
  • self-confidence
• interpersonal competences:
  • oral communication

For whom?

• PhD students & postdocs
• 12 places available -> places will be allocated on a first come, first served basis!

When and where?

• December 14, 2026 - 13:00-16:30
• Location: campus Diepenbeek, building D, room C20

Preparation?

Any preparation required for this training will be communicated at a later stage.

Registration?

• Register here from September 29 until November 17, 2026.
• As places are limited, registering does not automatically imply that you will be able to participate. You will be notified by email after the registration deadline has passed.
• Please cancel your registration at least one week in advance in case you cannot make it (cf. cancellation & no-show policy).

Acknowledged as?

• DS BSH: category 'career management & personal development' - workshop on personal development
• DS HLS: category 'transferable skills' - compulsory elective course
• DS ST: category 'career & personal development' - course about personal development