Dear Wellness Community,
Here we are at the end of the academic year. Over the next few weeks all of you will undergo big transitions. Many of you will be advancing to a new role or phase of training and we will all be welcoming our new cohort – yay! We will also welcome a NEW counselor to our GME Wellness team! Meet Howard below.
Some of you are off to your next exciting adventure here or in another city – if you are graduating, congratulations!! (Don’t forget to come say goodbye to your counselor. Email us directly if you can’t book online, as we’d like to send you off warmly!) And please take a moment to fill out your Wellness Service Testimonial—these help us keep growing our services and we love hearing from you.
This month we’ll recognize Juneteenth which marks the emancipation of enslaved people in our country. Attune to your body and identity as you decide how to honor this day. You might consider giving yourself rest and care, participating in a celebration like this one in Othello Park, committing to your own learning, or donating to a charity (such as The Bail Project, Black Girls Code, NAACP, or NAAM).
Happy Pride Month, and a shout out to all of the LGBTQ+ members of our UW Medicine community! The parade is back this year and as we enter summer, there are many other opportunities for play on the horizon!
This week’s Wellness Corner authored by:
Julia Kocian, LICSW, MPH
GME Wellness Counselor
Monday – Thursday at UWMC Montlake
206.543.6408
jkocian@uw.edu
GME Wellness Counseling
Contents
Welcome Howard!
We have been wanting to expand our services and availability and thus, we are so thrilled to announce that starting in July we will welcome the newest member of our GME Wellness Team, Howard Schafer! (Pictured at R with his kitty Henri). He comes with a wealth of experience and has written a lovely bio which you can read here. You can expect to see him available for booking this summer!
Black Lives Matter
- See Dr. Ibram X. Kendi speak at Town Hall Seattle on June 23, 7:30pm. Virtual or Live Stream ($35+ for a book and a ticket).
- This podcast with Wesley Morris and Daphne Brooks unpacks the racism embedded in list making. Hopefully it will transform how you consume superlatives. Take a listen!
- Check out the wealth of knowledge these Black gardeners have to share – your plants will thank you! Ron Finley on Master Class, PlantKween on Instagram, Garden Marcus on TikTok
Happy Pride Month!
- Seattle Pride Parade is BACK! June 26 from 11am-3pm on 4th Ave Downtown
- Make sure your child’s book shelf has LGBTQ representation: here are 20 LGBTQ-centric books for kids of various ages! And check out these kiddos talking about Pride Month—it made me smile.
- Check out Alok’s Instagram for a splash of their fabulous perspective!
A Busy Birdie
Northeast Tool Library
Managing Your Money
Entertainment
- Fremont Solstice Parade is coming June 18 at 2pm! FREE
- FREE wine tasting and small bites at Bala Yoga the last Friday of the month. Maybe you’ll take a class while you’re there, but then again… maybe not!
- Dancing “Till Dusk with free live music and dance lessons will be at various locations at 6pm on Thursdays through the summer.
- Tickets to MoPop’s opening night for Afrofuturism in Costume Design with Ruth E. Carter (Yes, she’ll be there!) are $30—that sounds like a bargain to me! (June 17, 7pm-11pm)
Women’s Rights are Human Rights
On a national stage, women’s rights to bodily autonomy and safety are being called into question. (If you’d like to talk with a counselor, we are here to support you.)
- Women’s soccer holds a bright spot.
- Sometimes comedy is the best way to underscore ongoing inequalities in our culture and it can’t hurt to have a laugh– even an out of season one!
- Check out “thatdarnchat” on IG or TikTok to feed the feminist in you! Thanks Lauren Brown for this rec!
Mindfulness Minute
- Here are some science backed meditations, tools and lessons for a healthier, happier you!
- Thanks Cindy Hamra for finding this 10 minute meditation to kick off your week every Monday at 10am! FREE
Wellness Corner Quick Links
What’s Cookin?
Check out this cookbook by master of Gullah Geechee cooking, Emily Meggett. If you want to cook for a crowd (maybe a backyard BBQ), she has you covered!
As more fruit ripens for summer, get ready to make one of my favorite summer treats – a berry shrub. If you see some overripe berries on sale at the grocery store, this is the perfect place to use them up!
Up Your Energy
- Thanks to Nora Burdis, PGY 4 for reminding us that as UW employees, residents and fellows can join the UW IMA at the reduced cost of $325/year (<$30/month) or $100/quarter!
- It’s common these days to feel like building community in a new place is happening slower than you’d like. We3 is an app that’s exclusively for making friends! It matches you in groups of 3 based on shared interests so the conversation never lags. Your new bestie is waiting!
- Having compassion for self and others can revive you. Skip down to the infographic in this article for the quick read.
Gems from Treasure Valley
- The Neighborhood Concert Series will be coming to a park near you! Don’t miss the chance to enjoy music and food in your (metaphorical) backyard. Various dates in June, July and August.
- Push and Pour will be hosting a 5k every Thursday at 6pm from Latah and Alpine Shop. $10 will get you entry to the race and a beer when you finish!
- The Grove Plaza will have FREE live music most Wednesdays through August – Catch the True Loves tomorrow!
Got Feedback for Us?
We’d love to hear it! Share your thoughts about the Wellness Corner, suggestions for future events, discounts or articles to highlight, or anything else you’d like to share. Please email your thoughts to Dipti Chrastka (diptic@uw.edu), Julia Kocian (jkocian@uw.edu) and/or Patty Long-Brohm (pattylb@uw.edu).