Register now for September Hokie Wellness programs

From: Hokie Wellness

Hokie Wellness offers a range of programs during September. They include:

Walking Wednesdays: Take a break from your desk and office, and enjoy a 30-minute walk around campus with a member of the Hokie Wellness for Employees team at noon on Wednesdays. Walking lifts your spirits, boosts your energy and brain power, and sparks creativity and productivity. All good reasons to move away from your desk! We’ll meet at the locations listed below.

• Sept. 6, 12-12:30 p.m. Vet Med (in front of Space Rabbit Coffee)
• Sept. 13, 12-12:30 p.m.: North End Center
  
• Sept. 20, 12-12:30 p.m.: Burruss Hall
  
• Sept. 27, 12-12:30 p.m.: Vet Med (in front of Space Rabbit Coffee)
  

TimelyCare Information Session: TimelyCare is a virtual health mental wellness service available to benefitted faculty and staff and non-student wage employees at no cost. Employees can access TimelyCare services regardless of their location in the United States. In this session, employees will learn more about the three free services offered by TimelyCare: free individual counseling sessions, TalkNow on-demand mental health support, health coaching, and more.

• Sept. 6, 10-10:30 a.m. Registration is required.
• Sept. 29, 12-12:30 p.m. Registration is required.
  

Sept. 7, 12:15-1 p.m., Healthy Nutrition for Sleep: Both nutrition and sleep are essential for well-being. This workshop will explore the relationship between nutrition and sleep. A healthy diet can promote better sleep health, while adequate sleep can empower us to make healthy choices. This virtual workshop will also discuss various foods associated with improved sleep and additional tips for sleep hygiene. Registration is required.

Sept. 12, 12:15-1 p.m.: Mindful Meetings: The intention of a mindful meeting is to create the conditions that allow for focused attention, thoughtful responses, and deeper connection between participants, and to foster emotionally intelligent participation. Gain insight into how to hold your own mindful meeting. Registration is required.

Mental Health First Aid: Mental Health First Aid takes the fear and hesitation out of starting conversations about mental health and substance-use problems by improving understanding and providing an action plan that teaches people to safely and responsibly identify and address a potential mental illness or substance-use disorder.

• Sept. 15, 8:30 a.m.-4 p.m. Registration is required.
  
• Sept. 22, 8:30 a.m.-4 p.m. Registration is required.

Sept. 18 through Dec. 18: Walk through Virginia Tech History: Hokie Wellness is excited to announce a fall challenge. Walk 11.5 miles per week or 1.5 miles per day. Not only will we share tidbits about Virginia Tech’s history and traditions, we will offer you the opportunity to learn more about sleep and its effect on your well-being and encourage you to walk to improve your sleep habits. Please complete this interest form if you would like to learn more and participate in the challenge!

Sept. 19, 8:30-9:30 a.m.: Koru Mindfulness: This four-week virtual program will help attendees learn more about mindfulness and how meditation can help improve mindfulness. We have found that folks get a lot more out of Koru if they stick with it from beginning to end; therefore, attendance at all four sessions is required. Sessions are 8:30-9:30 a.m. on Sept. 19, Sept. 26, Oct. 3, and Oct. 10. Registration is required.

Sept. 19, 12:15-1:15 p.m.: Brain Break: For this month’s Brain Break, we’ll practice mindful doodling with watercolors. We typically think of doodling as a distraction – a sign that your mind was not where it was supposed to be. Yet research has shown that doodling may in fact be beneficial for well-being, improving memory, focus, and relaxation. Materials will be provided, and employees may also bring their own creative projects. Registration is required.

Sept. 20, 12-1 p.m.: Wednesday Walk and Talk with Rami Steinruck and Josie the Therapy Dog: Join Rami Steinruck and Josie the Therapy Dog for a campus walk that begins at the front entrance of the North End Center. No registration is needed.

Sept. 22, 8:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.: Aging in Place: Do you have a plan to help you age in place? This workshop addresses considerations including if you will be comfortable in your home, whether you will have access to the healthcare you need, if you will be able to transport yourself safely and affordably to where you need to be, if you will have sufficient personal finances for your later years, and if you will have enriching social and cultural opportunities to participate in as you age. Registration is required.

Sept. 28, 2-3 p.m.: Ware Lab Tour: The Ware Lab is one of the first spaces on Virginia Tech’s campus dedicated to the development of an undergraduate engineering build space. More than 450 students, some receiving academic credit and others serving as volunteers, participate as early as their freshman year. The lab is equipped with a 10,000-square-foot project center complete with numerous work bays, a welding shop, a machine shop, and a computer design lab. Tour the Ware Lab and see students working on projects such as the concrete canoe, an all-electric racing motorcycle, a high-performance formula style race car, and more. Please meet at the North End Center and we will walk to the Ware Lab. Space is limited and registration is required.

If you are an individual with a disability, and/or desire an accommodation, please contact Hokie Wellness by e-mail at hokiewellness@vt.edu.