Dear Wellness Community,
I watch the birds flitter around, gathering nesting material as they prepare their nests for new beginnings. The weather has been a bit of an enigma: a smattering of wet hail mixed with snow amid the whirr of lawnmowers, blooms in the yard and neighborhood, birds chirping in the early morning, squirrels, and even a bunny sighting in the yard. The mornings may need a warm beanie and gloves only to change to sunglasses or layers in the afternoons.
The colors of spring with showers and flowers bring to mind the idea of renewal, of getting the ground ready, of planting seeds, watering, nourishing, and tending our gardens. As you near the end of this academic year, you might reflect on the hard work you continue to put in, the new ideas you build, and the fruits of your labor that you will carry to your next adventure.
How do we continue to nourish our bodies and souls, while we pause, take a breath, smell the flowers, and savor our small wins? As we end this academic year, the Wellness Team reminds you to check in. If you are connected to a Wellness Counselor, do schedule a time with your counselor to help celebrate you, help bridge you to where you may be going next.
This month’s issue explores the beauty of gardens and flowers around Seattle, shares ideas for outdoor entertainment including Earth Day activities, where to catch a fun game with your M’s, ways to connect with happiness, fun and laughter. April is National Poetry Month. The poet I am following is Rena Priest, Washington’s Poet Laureate. Check out her work in “I Sing the Salmon Home”.
Sharing a list of quiet spaces at the hospitals where you can take a moment to pause, reflect or have a virtual wellness session.
This month’s Wellness Corner authored by:
Dipti Chrastka, LMFT
GME Wellness Director
Monday – Friday at Harborview
206.744.0655
diptic@uw.edu
GME Wellness Counseling
Contents
Welcome Amy!!
- The Wellness Team has great news to share! We are very lucky to have Amy Wheat join our team this month. Amy brings her unique perspective as a therapist, as well as her life experience of being partnered with a physician. Read more about Amy here. Amy’s calendar will be open for wellness sessions soon. Check on Schedulicity for more details.
Discounts and Free Offerings
- Free State Park admission on April 22nd. Choose from over 140 Washington State Parks.
- Take me out to a ball game! Cheer on the M’s with discounted tickets.
- Experience the joy of “Origami” Japanese art of artistic paper folding at Seattle Japanese garden as part of the first Family Saturday (free event for youth 12 and under) 11 am to 1 pm.
Program Director Development Series
- Program directors, associate program directors, key faculty and program administrators (as space allows) are invited to join us at PDDS events. PDDS is UW GME’s core curriculum in support of continuous learning, development, and educational innovation, and is designed to meet ACGME annual faculty development and Common Program Requirements. Please see upcoming dates and topics on our website. Registration is now open for April 27 (Programming will be from 9am-1pm).
Tulips, Daffodils and More!
- Take a trip out to the beautiful tulip and daffodil fields to get a boost of “color therapy.” A festival passport may win you a stay at a local inn, dinner at a local restaurant or gift certificates. Don’t miss the Tulip Street fair (April 21-23)
Celebrate Earth Day!
Blooms around the city
Walk into Monica’s Kitchen
Laughter is the Best Medicine
- Meet Tita Begashaw, Certified Laughter Yoga Coach. Thanks Tita Begashaw for sharing your philosophy and practice with me. Tita is a certified laughter coach, patient services specialist and leader of Harborview’s Tee Hee Hee Laughter Group. Tita says, “Laughter is a short distance between two people”. Tita discovered laughter therapy in 2001 at Harborview Medical Center. She loved the idea as it resonated with her spiritual practice. She started attending classes and building joy every day. Tita shares her experiences with many audiences including radio, TV, in groups locally and internationally. Laughter Yoga is an exercise program developed by Dr. Madan Kataria, a physician in India. It is now practiced in over 110 countries. Laughter is universal and contagious and has many benefits. It can improve our immune system, reduce stress hormones, enhance creativity and memory, and build community. Join Tita and the Tee Hee Hee Laughter Club on Mondays and laugh out loud!
Zoom; Meeting ID: 821 3959 2480; Password: HAHAHOHOHO
You can find more resources at https://www.laughteryoga.org/ and https://www.worldlaughtertour.com/about/meet-steve
- Does this tickle your funny bone? Delight in this pup’s mad skateboarding skills. Nord Boss lives up to his name and is a viral sensation.
BIPOC Poetry day
All things butterfly!
Volunteer your time during National Volunteer Month!
Black Lives Matter
- Join in the 12th Annual “Stand against Racism” event moderated by Sally Jewell featuring speakers Hannah Wilson and Jamie Stroble sharing their views on environmental impacts on communities of color (Free online event) by YWCA. May 5th noon to 130 pm.
- Seattle Black Film Festival (from April 22-30) featuring film screenings, chats, workshops, and panel discussions.
- From the Ground Up: at Learn about Black architects, designers and pioneers. Runs till Apri 30th.
- Explore the intersection between Black and brown communities at Wing Luke Museum: “Back Home: The journey of remembering” runs through June 25th.
Mindfulness Minute
- Thanks to the Greater Good Science Center (Berkeley) for this share. The Science of happiness podcast shares the research behind being happy and how small, daily acts of kindness can produce meaningful changes
- “RAIN”: a practice that can foster self-compassion. This is from the work of Tara Brach.
- Mindful Breathing with your child’s Breath Buddy using the Teddy Bear Breath.
Food, farm animals and fun
Shoreline short short film festival
New Moon Night Market for 21+
Shop, snack, drink and dance your way through the historic Magnuson Park, Hangar 30 with over 30,000 sq ft of indoor/outdoor marketplace featuring 100 booths, food trucks, cocktail bars, photo booth and live entertainment.
Wellness Corner Quick Links
Gems from Treasure Valley
- Meet me at the Market: Check out Idaho’s largest and oldest farmer’s market opening on Saturday, April 15th Capital City Public Market every sat from 9:30 am to 1:30 pm.
- Americans and the Holocaust: an exhibit that asks critical questions of Americans response to world events and history. Free to the public. Runs till April 30th.
- Honor Earth Day by joining a celebration of art, nature and the environment. Land Art Exhibit at Idaho Botanical Garden from April 8th to May 6th.
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), Patty Long-Brohm (pattylb@uw.edu), and/or Howard Schafer (hischa5@uw.edu).