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To our Staff and Faculty,
Thank you for supporting our health and wellbeing programs, services, and initiatives throughout the year. Your participation and engagement help sustain a culture of care and make it possible for the Be Well at Work - Wellness program to continue offering meaningful resources for our campus community. We are especially grateful to everyone who took part in UC Moves this year, with nearly 200 participants joining in to celebrate movement, connection, and fun. A heartfelt thank you as well to our UC Moves volunteers, whose time and enthusiasm helped make the event a success.
Warm appreciation goes to our guest instructors whose creativity and energy enriched our offerings this year: Patricia Juárez for the Joy of Movement: Dancing for Energy and Wellbeing series, Annie Yeh for Cello Yoga, and Laurie Ferris for Yoga for Tension and Stress Relief. Your contributions brought new ways for our community to move, restore, and recharge. A special thank you to our Wellness Ambassadors for the many ways you promote, role model, and help create a healthy workplace across departments. Your ongoing commitment extends the reach and impact of our programs every day.
On behalf of the Be Well at Work – Wellness Program, we extend our warmest wishes for a restorative holiday season and a very Happy New Year.
With gratitude,
The Wellness Program Team
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Creativity and Your Well-Being:
Virtual Vision Boards
Wed, Dec 10 | 12:10-1pm | Zoom
Brought to you by our wellness and employee assistance teams, this workshop will help you draft your very own vision board as we approach the end of the year. Vision boards can help you clarify your goals and hopes for the future. Posting it somewhere visible helps remind you of your goals often. Vision boards also encourage creativity and daydreaming, which we do less and less as adults. Get started on your 2026 virtual vision board as we guide you through the process of choosing your goals, finding meaningful images, using free software to design it, and deciding how to use it once it is completed. A planning document will be sent prior to the workshop in case you’d like to get a head start.
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Diabetes Prevention Program
New 2026 Cohort - Begins, January 28, 2026
Wednesdays, 5:30-6:30pm (Zoom)
The UC Diabetes Prevention Program is a virtual campus-based small-group, one year healthy lifestyle program that uses a scientifically based approach developed by the CDC to help you make important lifestyle changes. If you think you could be at risk of prediabetes or developing type 2 diabetes, register to attend an information session to learn more about the upcoming cohort starting January 2026.
Visit uhs.berkeley.edu/dpp for more information on eligibility and to complete the enrollment application.
| | Click the bolded date to access the respective registrations. | | |
Yoga for Tension & Stress Relief
12/12
12:10-1pm
Zoom
Instructor:
Laurie Ferris
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Virtual Programs
Did you miss a class or want to try one on your own schedule?
Recordings of past cooking, dance, yoga workshops and webinars are available for you to revisit on our virtual programs page.
| | Nutrition Resources and Programs | | |
Recipe of the Month:
Rava Dosa & Coconut Chutney in a Jar
Rava dosa are similar to crepes and are often served with chutney. Assemble the dry ingredients as a clever gift-in-a-jar recipe from Vegan Richa. For more homemade gift ideas, see our Recipes by Class page, under “Holiday Treats.”
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Eat Well Berkeley Restaurant:
Kiklo
Located in Stanley Hall on the northeast side of campus, Kiklo offers breakfast, salads, sandwiches, soup, fruit, and a variety of coffee, tea, and bottled drinks. In an effort to reduce waste, Kiklo offers reusables for eating in, and your choice of compostables or Buoy reusables to go. As an Eat Well Berkeley Restaurant, Kiklo is compliant with the UC Berkeley Food & Beverage Choices Policy.
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Cook Well Berkeley: Holiday Treats
Thu, Dec 4 | 12:10-1pm
Zoom or Tang Center (Section Club)
Stand out from the crowd with unique holiday treats this year and save money by making your own gifts and desserts. Demonstration, recipes, and samples provided.
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Group Cook-Alongs
Looking for a fun way to cook and connect with your colleagues? Request a virtual cook-along for your team. Learn more and register.
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Have a general question about food or nutrition?
Submit your question through our Ask the Dietitian service.
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Upcoming Ergonomic Workshops:
Click highlighted date to register!
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Ergonomics for Managers and Supervisors 12/3
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Advanced Ergonomics 12/17
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Important Update for the Ergonomic Matching Funds Program
The Ergonomics Matching Funds Program will be placed on hold indefinitely beginning January 1, 2026. The application deadline is December 19, 2025. Incomplete applications and applications that have not received consultation from our ergonomics team will not be considered after this date. The program matching funds incentive rate is up to $500 per employee*, with limited funding and applications reviewed on a first-come, first-served basis. Learn more about the changes to the program at the Matching Funds homepage.
*Must be a UC Berkeley employee (faculty, staff, Postdoc, GSR) receiving payment from the university and with job tasks involving the use of computer work for the university to be eligible. Postdocs and GSRs are only eligible for Matching Funds usage for campus workstations.
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Holiday Reset: Recharging with Intention
The holiday season offers a natural pause that allows us to step back from our routines and reconnect with what matters most. A holiday reset is not about starting over or striving for perfection. Instead, it is an opportunity to:
- Reflect on the past year
- Notice what supported your well-being
- Consider what you want to carry with you into the next one
- Build awareness of habits that nourish you and habits that drain you, which can guide more intentional choices in the months ahead.
A meaningful holiday reset often includes creating space for balance, rest, and connection. A few ways to begin this reset include:
- Stepping back from constant digital stimulation - to be more present with yourself and others and create quiet moments for emotional clarity
- Setting gentle boundaries around your time - to protect your energy and focus on genuinely supportive relationships and activities
- Leaning into traditions that bring comfort and meaning - whether long-standing or new, to deepen a sense of grounding
As you move through the season, these small acts of reflection and intention can help you recharge and step into the new year with greater clarity and steadiness.
| Be Well at Work Resources | | |
Fostering Connection With Your Elder Over The Holidays
Thu, Dec 11 | 12-1:30pm
Zoom
In this workshop, family caregivers will be introduced to creative ways of engaging with loved ones so as to nurture the relationship between caregiver and care receiver. Participants will learn ways to put meaning into daily interactions and suggestions for making outings fresh and fun for all. Christa Kagin from the Hummingbird Project will present this popular workshop.
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Staff Garden Volunteer Day
Thu, Dec 18 | 12-1pm
Staff Garden
UC Berkeley staff, faculty, retirees, and students are welcome to help us maintain the garden. We gather once a month, generally the 4th Thursday unless otherwise specified.
Note: Volunteer days may potentially be rescheduled due to unfavorable weather or scheduling conflicts.
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Mindfulness Mondays
Mondays (Weekly) | 12:10-12:30pm
Virtual
Take a moment for a short mindfulness break at 12:10pm on Mondays! This weekly class, hosted by Wellness Ambassador Liza Schlosser, allows us to practice mindfulness, reflect, and come together as we take on the rest of the week.
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