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Female BYU professors discuss the strengthening of relationships with international women's day

The Marriott School of Business Professor Eva Witesman speaks to participants in the Women's Day Conference. During her address, she told stories about her previous and current professional relationships. (Emily May)

The Byu title IX office Honored International Women's Day by inviting female Byu professors to discuss female BYU professors at a conference in the alumni and the visitor center of Gordon B. Hinckley on March 8, to discuss healthy sexuality and professional relationships.

Title IX also welcomed the participants to take part in a service project for non -profit organizations Lift hands internationallyDecorating note cards with “You are loved” that are contained in nursing kits for refugees.

Designing common experiences for a better social connection

Camilla HodgeAssociate professor in the Department of Experience and Management, discussed how important it is to create sensible social connections and strategies.

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Hodge deals with the participants of the Women's Day conference on the importance of the social connection. She said social relationships were of essential importance for well -being. (Emily May)

“When women come together when women connect, the world changes,” said Hodge. “You don't just have to wait for a connection – you can create, maintain and design something.”

Hodge found by the Survey center for American life The percentage of the Americans, the information not to have close friends, quadrupled themselves between 1990 and 2021.

Hodge said that building a common reality, when two or more people interpret events in a similar way, can lead to a deeper connection. People in a common reality can even begin to synchronize their breathing, heart rate and emotional behaviors.

“When Alma christened the faithful in the mormone waters, they join in to share their life experience together,” she said. “You did this by carrying the other's stress, mourning together, giving and receiving comfort – and the result of these alliances: hearts in unity and love.”

According to Hodge, personal shared experiences with larger groups, such as basketball fans in an arena, can be a larger social connection and even synchronized heart frequencies than in smaller groups that watch on a screen from home.

Even short interactions can improve well -being, argued Hodge. People who used public transport who welcomed and thanked their drivers reported greater life satisfaction.

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A participant in the Women's Day Conference writes “You will be loved” on a note. As part of a service project, Title XI invited the participants to decorate these notes in order to take on the international lifting of non -profit lifting. (Emily May)

The disclosure of personal, emotional information to others can lead to an increased closeness and intimacy, even if the information could poorly reflect the individual, she said.

“We tend to overestimate how hard we are judged when we show a weakness, a failure of other people, and we underestimate how much people will appreciate our honesty or courage,” said Hodge. “In general, people's perceptions are far more positive in relation to vulnerability than they would imagine.”

The storytelling can create a common story with another, especially if the listener is completely immersed in history and it is driven and emotional, she said.

“Story counting can make it easier for practicing empathy,” said Hodge. “Listeners can put themselves into the proverbial shoes of a protagonist when the story is developing.”

Experience an event with another person helps to transform an individual perspective into a connected perspective in order to build similarities, said Hodge. Sounded measures during these events such as singing together or dancing together increases compassion and cooperation.

“We are not here by chance,” said Hodge. “The relationships we have, be it with family, friends, colleagues or even acquaintances, are the opportunity to illuminate, bring warmth and strengthen human connections that make life meaningful.”

Deconstruct unhealthy settings for sexuality

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Leavitt talks to participants of the conference about healthy sexuality. She said open communication about sexuality and intimacy was essential in marriage. (Emily May)

Chelom LeavittAssociate professor at the school of family life, discussed how both single and married adults can tackle the harmful attitudes towards sexuality. She argued that the connection, communication, vulnerability and understanding of the differences between your own and his partner are essential in sexual relationships.

“What do we do if a partner is a partner with a higher deser and one is a partner with a lower dessire?” Said Leavitt. “Do you know what we call this in research? Normal.”

Leavitt appealed that people can shape themselves about sexuality. To combat this, Leavitt recommended a BYU course, SFL 376This promotes the open conversation about sexuality, leads questions to trustworthy family or friends and appreciates sexuality as something that has been given by God.

Talks about sexuality must be open, gentle and productive. Spouses should also ask each other what their expectations and limits are, and intimacy should always concentrate on the other partner.

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Stickers, flyers, sweets and more peace on a table at the entrance to the conference room. The Title XI's BYU office is working on raising students and preventing sexual misconduct on campus and outside the campus. (Emily May)

“There should be no pressure to move in certain expectations,” said Leavitt. “If sex is aligned in other ways, I should never want to put my partner into the line. I should want to keep them firmly within healthy limits. “

She noticed that many women, the members of the Church of Jesus Christ of the saints of the past few days, develop asexual attitudes, feel shame towards their sexuality and therefore do not learn how to express their own sexual wishes.

“Maybe as a woman, she was told that sex is really only for her husband. So it is only your job to help him feel satisfied, ”said Leavitt. “Very unhealthy attitude.”

She expressed the need to replace these unhealthy settings by those who accept sexuality.

Build life -changing professional relationships

Eva WitesmanProfessor at the Marriott School of Business discussed life -changing professional relationships. She argued that the description of a professional relationship as “transaction”, which focused on simply expanding a network or leading to a career, is flat. Instead, professional relationships should be considered deep and human.

Witesman noticed that her relationship with her husband is also professional.

“The work that I do in my professional life and my career is authorized by the way my husband supports me in the passions I have and to help me develop the skills I have,” said Witesman.

A former manager of her revolutionized her job and increased efficiency and enjoyment. He even reduced the time to develop prototypes from 12 months to a single week. She attributed this manager to influence her decision to attend the graduate school.

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“You Loved” Notecards was on a table at the Women's Day Conference. The participants took part in a small service project that created these Notecards for non -profit lifting penses internationally. (Emily May)

Then she mentioned byu sociology professor Curtis child Who was in the program of their master.

“He is a friend, he is a colleague, he is a co-author, he is a colleague all of these things, but all of these things are too dry,” said Witesman. “In no these words there is enough emotional response to really determine what it means to love someone in a professional context.”

Witesman was pregnant during her master's program and organized an independent study with her professor. He became a lawyer in her studies and arranged her doctorate. Template to concentrate on parenting.

Witesman praised one of her Ph.D. Professors for the redesign of your worldview. Another professor gave her opportunity to work with him, and he wrote her letter of recommendation for a position at BYU, which was an important factor for the decision of BYU, she said.

Another friend of Witesman taught her how important it is to have someone who challenges ideas in a professional team.

She said the Marriott School of Business Dean Brigette Madrian Witesman and others inspired with their vision for school.

Witzesman mentioned Paul LambertThe religious initiative director at the Wheatley Institute. They cultivated a relationship with their joint support of the work of the other.

“One of the things I noticed on this international Women's Day is that he deliberately raises a lot and in particular enabled fellow women,” said Witesman.

She said Lambert expressly emphasized the work he and Witesman did at a conference in order to show the students a healthy professional relationship.

Witesman then focused on how she became a mentor for her students. One of these students described Witesman as a “frien goal” and combined “friend” and “mentor”.

“It is much more than just this dry, professional relationship,” said Witesman. “There is something deep and sensible and man in these connections.”