Transparency
REDDING, Calif. — In a heartfelt and interactive workshop aimed at restoring balance and combating burnout, longtime former Far Northern Regional Center (FNRC) professional Robin Larson, MA returned to deliver a powerful self-care training session, blending her decades of service with her deep expertise in wellness practices.
With over 45 years of experience in developmental services, including roles as a service coordinator, intake specialist, and case management supervisor, Larson infused the presentation with both practical tools and personal insight. Now a certified massage therapist with over 30 years of yoga and breathwork practice, she guided FNRC staff through a series of activities designed to lower stress, improve posture, and renew focus.
“The focus of my presentation is how to decrease stress rather than only identifying it,” Larson said. “Everyone in the audience knows you have stress. We all do. I’d much prefer offering some innovative and creative ideas to reduce your stress.”
Participants engaged in breathing exercises, posture resets, and hands-on techniques using tennis balls to reduce physical tension. Larson also cited research showing how reducing screen time can dramatically improve mental well-being.
She addressed compassion fatigue and burnout, which are common among professionals in caregiving roles. “It is not the responsibility of your employer, your coworkers, your partner, your parents or anyone else to manage your stress. It is entirely up to you,” she said.
Larson closed with a message that resonated deeply with attendees:
“I think that it’s important for everyone every day to become self-aware about where their stress level is, because it can add up and stack up on top of each other and then we lose sight of it. And instead of our stress being, ‘here’s our center’”—she gestured to the center of her chest—“and we go, ‘Oh, I’m not at my center. Oh no, I’m not at my center. Oh no, I’m not—wait, I am at my center.’” She brought her hand back to her chest and smiled. “And so we have to start from the center in order to return to the center as often as we possibly can. Just like you’re more likely to succeed with self-compassion than self-criticism,” she added, quoting Terry Flynn.