Self-paced

When the Well is Dry: Reset & Recharge When You're Depleted

Join us for a candid discussion about how the challenges of the last two years and the stress of living in ongoing uncertainty have impacted our mental health.  We’ll talk about strategies to increase self-compassion, have open conversations about one’s needs, and the importance of self-care. You’ll leave the session with take-aways on how to implement changes in your daily routine.

By Katy Ahlvin on Jan. 14, 2022

Emotional Eating - The Connection Between Mood and Food

There are many speculations about the cause of this phenomenon from an increasing sedentary lifestyle, the ready availability of high caloric foods to stress and even sleep deprivation. However, if people ate only when they were truly hungry and stopped when they were full, there would be no obesity epidemic. This workshop will address the relationship between emotions and food consumption and how to retrain your body and mind to recognize the cues of hunger and to eat for physiological and not emotional reasons.

By Katy Ahlvin on Dec. 6, 2021

Walking for Mental Health

Walking is a common source of exercise for many people, and it has well-recognized physical health benefits. But, did you know there are mental health benefits to walking, too? Anyone who walks for any reason could also be enjoying these benefits. This session will look at the benefits of meditative walking and walking in nature. Participants will review ideas for getting started with both types of walks, as well as labyrinth walking. The possible benefits of walking barefoot in grass, known as “grounding,” will also be presented.

By Katy Ahlvin on Dec. 6, 2021

Connecting Mind and Body for Healthy Living

Your body responds to the way you think, feel and act. This is often called the “mind/body connection.” When you are stressed, anxious or upset, your body tries to tell you that something isn’t right. For example, high blood pressure might develop after a particularly stressful event, such as the death of a loved one. People with good emotional health are aware of their thoughts, feelings and behaviors. They have learned healthy ways to cope with the stress and problems that are a normal part of life. They feel good about themselves and have healthy relationships.

By Katy Ahlvin on Dec. 6, 2021

Sleep - An Essential Component of Health and Well-Being

In the past five years, it has been routinely reported by researchers and the media alike that Americans are notoriously sleep deprived. There are numerous reasons why this may be the case. Yet while many people look towards improving their health via diet, exercise and ceasing bad consumption habits (e.g., junk food, cigarettes), sleep is often overlooked—or is it? Sleep medications will surpass $5 billion in annual sales within the next year.

By Katy Ahlvin on Nov. 4, 2021

Learning to Relax

Stress is experienced in the body as tension. To manage stress we have several choices: reduce or eliminate the stressor, think about the stressor differently so it no longer causes tension or change the way our body reacts to stress. The course will address the third option through exploring a variety of relaxation techniques to calm the body and mind. The class will allow participants to learn and experience several simple relaxation tools such as progressive muscle relaxation, abdominal relaxation breathing and visualization.

By Katy Ahlvin on Nov. 4, 2021