Pictured: Sonya Shine, Alissa Jolly, Joseph Mathews

Pictured: Sonya Shine, Alissa Jolly, Joseph Mathews

April 2023 Newsletter – Mental Wellness

We hope that last month you enjoyed connecting with your body. You might have found a resource from the Physical Wellness Toolkit, joined us for our Monthly Wellness Walk, or checked out some of the nutritious recipes on the Recipes for Wellness Padlet.

A shoutout to the small (but mighty!) group who participated in the ‘Couve Clover Run on Sunday, March 19. Be:Well will be sharing info about more races in the future, so keep an eye out, break-in your sneakers, and join us for the next group pic!

Newsletter content written by Be:Well members Alissa Jolly & Samantha Leonard

Live:Well – Mental Wellness

Mental Health Awareness Month is coming up next month in May and we wanted to get a head-start by featuring mental health in our April newsletter. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), mental health “is a state of mental well-being that enables people to cope with the stresses of life, realize their abilities, learn well and work well, and contribute to their community.” It is an integral component in our lives and an important one to think about.

Check out the resources below and take a moment to learn more about mental health and give yourself space to reflect on your own mental wellness, and of others close to you.

Be:Well hosts weekly Brain Breaks and Wellness Walks that can support your mental health – keep reading to learn more about these great activities!

The Benefits of Brain Breaks

During any kind of brain break, you pause and take a moment to rest and reenergize your mind and body, which can be a quick and simple way to focus on your wellness. Brain breaks are proven to…

  • Reduce your stress
  • Help you to be more productive throughout the day…and even the whole week!
  • Allow your brain to build stamina
  • Improve your ability to focus and manage tasks in your daily life

Learn more about the benefits of Brain Breaks:

Every Friday at 12:00pm we hold a Brain Break on Zoom hosted by Gahlya Auel, the ESD 112 Inclusionary Practices Coordinator. Gahlya leads participants in simple practices for 5-15 minutes to calm and refresh your brain. In this brief time together, you will learn and practice new strategies that can be utilized and implemented throughout your day so that you can be as comfortable and productive as possible. Keep an eye out in your email on Fridays for a reminder and a Zoom link.

Not able to join the Brain Break on Fridays at noon? No problem! Use the resources below to take a brain break whenever it works best for you.

If you’re looking to combine your brain break with movement, mindful walking can be a great option for pairing mental and physical wellness. You can walk solo or join the Be:Well group for the weekly Wellness Walks!

Wellness Walks Are Now Weekly!

In the spirit of improving our social, physical, mental and emotional health, we will now be hosting a Wellness Walk once a week!

Refer to the Wellness Walk schedule below for dates/times. We are rotating the days and times to accommodate as many different schedules as we can. Meet in the ESD 112 lobby at the times listed on the Wellness Walk schedule to take a stroll outside. We plan to walk, rain or shine, so please plan accordingly.

  • First Tues of the month @ 10:00am (April 4)
  • Second Wed of the month @ 3:45pm (April 12)
  • Third Thurs of the month @ 10:00am (April 20)
  • Fourth Fri of the month @ 3:45pm (April 28)

If you aren’t at the ESD 112 Vancouver campus, we welcome you to get a group together and take a walk at your location, at a time that works best for you. We’d love for you to share any pics and email to bewell@esd112.org.