Dear Wellness Community,
As we step into January, you may find yourself reflecting on the year ahead. If the idea of setting goals or embracing change feels overwhelming, you might experiment with practice rather than perfection.
Sustainable change isn’t about transforming overnight: it’s about progress, no matter how small. Incremental change can make a meaningful difference in how you approach your work, your relationships, and your own well-being.
This month, we’re highlighting local events and mindfulness practices to help you set a sustainable tone for the year ahead. Whether it’s expressing gratitude, walking with a friend, or carving out a few moments for journaling, there are countless ways to pause, recharge, and reconnect. These small but meaningful practices can provide a sense of balance and clarity amid the demands of your training.
Let’s make 2025 a year of steady growth and renewed commitment—to your health, your goals, and the extraordinary work you’re here to do.
Take care,
This month’s Wellness Corner authored by:
Amy Wheat LMHC
Mental Health Counselor
amywheat@uw.edu
GME Wellness Counseling
Contents
GME Events
- 2/28 marks National Thank a Resident Day. The GME Wellness Team will be coordinating celebrations at HMC, UWMC, and SCH. We’re collecting anonymous stories of appreciation to share with our community. Use this link or the QR code below to celebrate the contributions residents and fellows make to our teams every day:
- Residents and fellows interested in Navigating Parental Leave are invited to join the GME for a webinar to learn more about taking leave and successfully returning to work on 2/4 from 6:30 to 7:30 pm.
- Looking to support your peers? UW Medicine invites residents and fellows to join the Peer to Peer Program. Submit an application or nominate a peer today!
- At our December GME Wellness outreach event, the community turned out to greet Diesel, the emotional support horse, and Palmer, the emotional support dog. Stay tuned for more opportunities to connect with these caring critters.
Black Lives Matter
- The Whole U has compiled a directory of ways to engage, reflect, learn, and support our communities to honor the legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. Have a few free hours on 1/20? Why not sign up for the King County Day of Service?
- Ready for an ongoing commitment? Add your name to MD Connections, a directory hosted by the UW School of Medicine Career Advising Office. The directory allows first gen and BIPOC students to connect with physicians who may share their identities as they navigate their education and training.
- If you’re in the mood to learn, the Campus Library Social Justice Team at UW Bothell has compiled a virtual display of streaming videos related to the fight for racial and social justice in the 20th.
Tet in Seattle
Let it Shine
Banff is Back!
Mindfulness Minute
- Stop and drop into being with Job Kabat Zin in this five-minute guided meditation. Have more time? Check out his seminal work Wherever You Go, There You Are.
- Mindfulness isn’t always guided meditation. Sometimes it’s bringing focused attention to your actions. You could mindfully arrange a bucket of flowers from the Seattle Wholesale Grower’s Market, mindfully walk the perimeter of Seward Park, or mindfully wash the dishes with your favorite soap.
- Explore the benefits of journaling with this article from Positive Psychology. For a quick prompt, try GLAD: reflect on the past week and jot down one thing you’re grateful for, one thing you’ve learned, one thing you’ve achieved, and one thing that’s delighted you. Try it again tomorrow and notice any patterns that arise.
Wellness Corner Quick Links
Gems from Treasure Valley
- Join the Boise State MLK Living Legacy Committee for their annual MLK Day of Greatness, including a march and rally that begins at 11:30 am at the Boise State student unio
- Grab the kiddos (or the young at heart) and head to Bogus Basin for a day of tubing, just 16 miles north of Boise.
- Join the community at Beginners Mind Sangha for sitting and walking meditation every Wednesday evening and Sunday morning.
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), Howard Schafer (hischa5@uw.edu), Amy Wheat (amywheat@uw.edu), and/or Maureen Horgan (mhorgan@uw.edu).