Current Programs

For Faculty, Staff and their Immediate Family Members

June Programs

Influencing and Negotiation Skills for Personal and Workplace Effectiveness 

Presented by Moshe Cohen (he, him), Master Lecturer, Questrom School of Business 

Friday, June 12, 12-12:45pm via Zoom, Register Here 

Whether at work, home, or in the world, our ability to advocate for our needs, resolve conflicts, and achieve results involves negotiating and influencing other people’s behavior. This session examines what makes these interactions challenging for us and provides skills, tools, and frameworks for managing emotions, reducing stress, managing differences, and meeting our interests. Whether you negotiate with your vendors, students, colleagues, managers, significant others, children, neighbors, or others, the ideas presented in this webinar will help you be more effective and less stressed by these interactions. 

The Presenter:  

Moshe Cohen has been teaching negotiation, leadership, conflict resolution and organizational behavior as founder of The Negotiating Table since 1995 and as a master lecturer at Boston University’s Questrom School of Business since 2000. He has worked with thousands of students as well as companies worldwide. As a mediator, Moshe has worked to resolve hundreds of matters, and also coaches executives, managers, and individuals on leading others and negotiating effectively. He is the author of three books – Collywobbles, How to Negotiate When Negotiating Makes You Nervous; Optimism is a Choice and Other Timeless Ideas; and The Optimistic Pessimist: More Timeless Ideas. He has also written numerous articles and cases, and appears in podcasts, videos, and interviews. Moshe studied Physics at Cornell University and has a Master’s in Electrical Engineering from McGill University, specializing in robotics. After a dozen years in robotics, he completed his MBA from Boston University and fell in love with negotiation, mediation, and leadership. 

Mindfulness Practices for Awareness 

Presented by Colleen McGuire (she, her), LCSW
Tuesdays, June 9 & 23, July 7 & 21, 12:30-1:00pm via Zoom, Register Here 

This four-session series will offer different mindfulness practices and explain their potential benefits. Each session will open with a brief presentation, then move into the guided practice. The goal of these practices is to guide your awareness around how you are present, emotionally and physically, in the moment. Participants can attend as many sessions as their schedules allow. 

May Programs

Somatic Tools for Managing Stress at Work and Beyond 

Presented by Sarah Henderson (she, her), LICSW
Assistant Director of the FSAO
Wednesday, May 6, 12-12:45pm  Link to slide deck 

This workshop introduces practical, body-based techniques for managing stress and building nervous system resilience. Participants will learn how stress shows up physically, and how to use simple, accessible tools to regulate activation in real time. Through guided exercises including grounding, breathwork, and gentle movement you will develop skills to reduce overwhelm, increase emotional regulation, and restore a sense of balance. 

Meeting the Moment: Skills for Managing Anxiety in Uncertain Times   

Presented by Annell Ovalles (she, her), MPH
BU doctoral candidate in Clinical Psychology
Tuesday, May 12, 12-12:45pm  Recording Available 

This presentation will focus on understanding and managing anxiety during times of uncertainty. We will begin by exploring the biopsychosocial mechanisms that contribute to ongoing stress and anxiety, offering a framework for understanding why these experiences are so common and persistent. Building on this foundation, participants will be introduced to practical, skills-based strategies drawn from ACT, CBT, and DBT. Emphasis will be placed on learning how to respond to anxiety, develop effective coping strategies, and engage more fully in the present moment. Attendees will leave with concrete tools they can apply in their daily lives. 

Annell Ovalles is a third-year doctoral student in Clinical Psychology at Boston University studying mechanisms of tailored treatments for pain, depression, anxiety, and PTSD, with a focus on how psychosocial factors in ethnic and racial minorities influence pathology and therapeutic change. She is a clinical trainee at McLean Hospital, providing short-term, skills-focused therapy, conducting structured assessments for acute depression, anxiety, trauma-related, and personality disorders, and delivering evidence-based interventions (CBT, DBT, ACT) while co-facilitating interdisciplinary skills groups. She currently leads a research project adapting an app-based CBT intervention for the Hispanic/Latinx community to ensure cultural and linguistic appropriateness. 

Related Recording from March

OurRelationship Demo    

Presented by Brian D. Doss, Ph.D. Professor of Psychology at the University of Miami and co-founder of OurRelationship (he, him)
Tuesday, March 3, 12-12:20pm via Zoom, Recording Available 

This demonstration provides an overview of the OurRelationship platform, a self-guided and coach-supported digital intervention based on Integrative Behavioral Couple Therapy (IBCT). The demo highlights core program phases, interactive tools, and outcome-driven design, illustrating how evidence-based relationship care can be delivered at scale while maintaining clinical integrity.  

Watch Recordings of Past FSAO Programs

For questions about accessibility or to request an accommodation ( e.g. ASL Interpreters, Communication Access Realtime Translation CART), please email fsao@bu.edu. Please submit requests for accommodations as soon as possible.

Recommended Webinars and Presentations from Other Trusted Sources

McLean’s Mental Health Webinar series