The Jamaica Gleaner published an article (October 8, 2008) bringing attention to World Mental Health Day (October 10, 2008) under the headline, “Your feelings do matter.”
“Based on Pan American Health Organisation statistics, as many as one in every four persons is affected by a mental disorder, and the mental illness disease burden has increased from 8.8 per cent in 1990 to 22 per cent in 2002.”
The Jamaica Ministry of Health has published a training manual, Raising Emotionally Smart Children.
Emotional intelligence involves Self-awareness, Emotional management, Empathy, and Managing Relationships.
The BRAVE technique (developed by Dr Wendel Abel, head of University of the West Indies’ Department of Psychiatry): Become aware of your feelings; Relax; Acknowledge, affirm, assert your feelings; Ventilate your feelings; Exercise these techniques.