Dear Wellness Community,
In this month’s wellness corner, we’re exploring tools to access mental health support beyond the wellness service. Finding the care that fits your needs can be tough and worth it.
Need help now? Check out one of these 24/7 resources:
UW Medicine Employee Assistance Program: 877-313-4455
Physician Support Line: 888-409-0141
Text with a live crisis counselor: Text HOME to 741741 to to chat with a life crisis counselor
UW Safe Campus: 206-685-7233
King County Crisis Connections: 866-427-4747
Have some time? Find a community provider:
Check your insurance provider’s website
Contact member services to confirm your benefits and the process for reimbursement. Frustrated that you can’t find an in-network provider? You’re not alone. Propublica recently explored why more providers are leaving the network.
Use a directory
Directories like Psychology Today, Zencare, or Inclusive Therapists allow you to filter your search by geographic location, clinical specialties, and the provider’s social identities. Zencare even includes a filter for therapists who have experience working with healthcare providers. You can also check out this American Counseling Association resource to find directories for specific communities.
Schedule a consultation call
Most private practice providers offer free, 15 to 30-minute calls to see if you would be a good fit for each other. They will likely ask what you’re looking for or what kind of concerns prompted you to reach out. This article from Psychology Today offers a list of questions you might ask to learn more about the therapist.
Take your time
Not every provider is the right fit for you. It’s okay to express your concerns or continue looking for a therapeutic relationship that reflects your needs.
Still have questions? That’s understandable. Complete the intake form for the UW Medicine Employee Mental Health Support (EMHS) program. A Health Navigator will contact you to explore your options.
Of course, therapy is only one of many ways to support your mental health and wellbeing. Read on to learn about people, places, and events that might nourish your wellness this fall.
Take care,
This month’s Wellness Corner authored by:
Amy Wheat LMHC
Mental Health Counselor
amywheat@uw.edu
GME Wellness Counseling
Contents
GME Wellness Service Welcomes Maureen Horgan, LICSW
We are thrilled to welcome Maureen to our team! She has over 25 years of experience in various settings including pediatric oncology, palliative care, and hospice services. Maureen specializes in grief, caregiver stress, and moral distress in professional care provision.
She writes, “I incorporate a ‘strength-based approach’ to therapy that utilizes your skills, traits and patterns of thought and behavior that are positive and to your benefit… The work we may engage in is important, and I consider it a privilege to work with you.”
Beginning September 12, UW Medicine residents, fellows, and their partners can book a session with Maureen on the GME Wellness Website.
GME Wellness Service and the Whole U Launch Bimonthly Outreach Series
The GME Wellness Team and the Whole U are coming to you! Every two months, we’ll visit a UW Medicine worksite to share a meal and wellness resources.
Last month we partnered with Sebastian Ky from the Whole U and GME Appointments Manager, Shinetra Pryor to visit UWMC. Residents and fellows picked up Starbucks tumblers, tote bags, and recipes to nourish their physical wellness.
See you next on October 4 in SCH Room O.9.732 for lunch and resources to help you explore intellectual wellness.
Black Lives Matter
- Bring the whole family to Farm Fest at Rainier Beach Urban Farm and Wetlands on September 21 from 10 am to 3 pm. Connect with Black led organizations advocating food justice while sipping your cycle-powered smoothie.
- Miss the Paris Olympics? Browse this interactive exhibit from the United States Olympics and Paralympic Museum featuring the Black athletes that changed the games.
- On September 27 and September 28, Wa Na Wari will transform the streets of the Central District with their annual art festival, Walk the Block. Register to receive your virtual map of the weekend’s events, exploring themes of anti-displacement.
Snag a Sweet Treat
What Next?
Learn from the Experts
Mindfulness Minute
- Join the UW Medicine Office of Faculty Affairs for Mindful Self-Compassion for Healthcare Communities, a free live online series offered every Thursday from September 5 to October 10. Register now to catch the remaining five sessions.
- Check out the six-week live online training on Adult-Child Self-Compassion offered by the UW Center for Child and Family Well-Being. Parents and caregivers of children ages 7 to 11 are invited to join beginning October 23; scholarships and CEU’s available.
- Meditation isn’t for you? Kristin Neff offers ways to calm your parasympathetic nervous system with supportive touch.
Wellness Corner Quick Links
Gems from Treasure Valley
- Grab your tickets to Bug Day, an outdoor event with food trucks and live music hosted by the Idaho Botanical Garden on September 21.
- Get your dose of fall color with one of these hikes recommended by Visit Idaho.
- Celebrate Hispanic heritage month with a quinceañera pop-up, food, and dance performances hosted by the Idaho State Museum on September 24.
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), and or Amy Wheat (amywheat@uw.edu).