March Wellness Program Newsletter

Wellness Newsletter

March 2026

Functional Nutrition

Join Lindsay Malone, CWRU Nutrition faculty and Registered Dietitian, for this 8-week series to enhance your knowledge of gut health, nutrient deficiencies, prevention of cognitive decline, food sensitivities, meal planning, and more. Food is medicine, nourishing our bodies and souls - every bite is a new opportunity to feel healthier and happier!

Thursdays, March 26 - May 21 (no session 4/9)

12:30-1:30 pm via Zoom

Those earning the Monthly Wellness Incentive in 2026 can earn a $100 Program Incentive for this series in the Nutrition or Weight Management category. Sessions will be recorded.

Sleep Well

Learn more about the importance of quality sleep, as well as common sleep disorders and how they can affect our health and well-being, during this 8-week program facilitated by Metro Health Sleep Medicine physicians and additional health professionals.

Wednesdays, March 4 - April 22

12:30-1:30 pm via Zoom

Those earning the Monthly Wellness Incentive in 2026 can earn a $100 Program Incentive for this series in the Sleep category. Sessions will be recorded.

View the list of session topics on our Sleep page.

Tuesdays, March 17 - May 5 12-1 pm via Zoom

Building Inner Resilience:

Navigating Modern-Day Stress

Join Heidi Weiker for an engaging and impactful 8-week series that is not just another canned ‘stress-management’ class telling you what you already know – this is real-world, hands-on, real-time – packed with relevant science, contemporary theory, and quick, yet powerful and proven practices.

Together, we’ll dialogue, share, practice, and enjoy moving out of unrelenting distress; breathing into relaxed, calm, peaceful, and focused energy; building greater positivity; and attuning to and affirming our inner strengths.

Those earning the Monthly Wellness Incentive in 2026 can earn a $100 Program Incentive for this series in the Stress Management category. Sessions will be recorded.

Attentional Fitness: Sneaking Mindful Habits into Real Life

Physical exercises strengthen the body. Mindfulness exercises strengthen attention. Learn how exercising your attention – with or without meditation – can develop attentional capacities for relating more effectively to the challenges of daily life. Join Daron Larson as he shares how to develop attentional skills without drawing attention to yourself. This 8-week series will explore flexible ways to turn mindfulness practice into a secret mission.

Thursdays, April 2 - June 4 (no session 4/9 or 5/21)

12-1 via Zoom

Those earning the Monthly Wellness Incentive in 2026 can earn a $100 Program Incentive for this series in the Stress Management category. Sessions will be recorded.

Schedule for March 18

Schedule for April 16

Upcoming Chair Massage Opportunities

A chair massage can help relax and loosen sore muscles, as well as reduce stress, tension, and anxiety. Experience these benefits by treating yourself to a chair massage this March and/or April. On both of the following dates, chair massages will take place in the Thwing Center, Meeting Room 224.

Wednesday, March 18, from 11 am - 2 pm

Thursday, April 16, from 12-3 pm

The chair massages, provided by a massage therapist from One to One Fitness, last for 13 minutes and cost $15. Registration and pre-payment are required. You can reserve your slot and pay via the links to the left. Enjoy this treat!

NEW Series! Journey Through Grief:

Healing and Understanding Together

Join us for a new 9-week series dedicated to understanding grief, death and dying, designed to share information important for individuals navigating these complex emotional journeys. Insights into the various stages of the bereavement process and practical coping strategies will be shared. Participants will gain a deeper understanding of grief and develop tools to manage these experiences with resilience and compassion. Presentations will be led by an experienced grief counselor and a death doula.

Thursdays, March 19 - May 14 , from 12-1 pm via Zoom

Those earning the Monthly Wellness Incentive in 2026 can earn a $100 Program Incentive for this series in the General Wellness category. Sessions will be recorded.

Attend Mental Health First Aid Training and

Earn a Wellness Incentive!

Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) – an evidence-based training program offered through University Health & Counseling Services – is led by certified CWRU faculty and staff trainers (including the Wellness Program team!).

Mental Health First Aid prepares participants to recognize warning signs of mental health challenges, offer compassionate initial support, and guide individuals toward appropriate campus or community resources. The curriculum covers common conditions such as depression, anxiety, trauma, psychosis, and substance use, and emphasizes non‑judgmental listening, risk awareness, and referral steps. MHFA training is an empowering opportunity for faculty, staff, and students to actively contribute to a caring, resilient campus environment.

Faculty and staff who are earning the Monthly Wellness Incentive, and complete Mental Health First Aid training in full to receive a certificate of completion, can attest for a $100 Program Incentive in the Stress Management category (the attestation forms will be live in HCM in April).

Schedule Mental Health First Aid Training

Workplace Well-being Sessions with the

Professional Development Center

The Wellness Program has partnered with the Professional Development Center to offer several training opportunities this spring. Please join us for the following Zoom sessions.

The Importance of Well-being as a Supervisor

Wednesday, April 1, from 10:30 - 11:30am

The Importance of Well-being for Your Team

Wednesday, April 8, from 10:30 - 11:30am

Individual Strategies to Recognize & Prevent Burnout

Wednesday, May 13, from 10:30 - 11:30am

Navigating the Impact of Burnout on Organizations

Wednesday, May 20, from 10:30 - 11:30am

FREE Diabetes Prevention Program for the Community

For those trying to make healthy lifestyle changes to prevent type 2 diabetes, the CWRU Department of Nutrition is offering a virtual Diabetes Prevention Program. A trained lifestyle coach and fellow participants will encourage you to make healthy changes that will last a lifetime.

Participants will learn to:

Make healthier choices without giving up the foods you love
Increase physical activity
Manage stress in several ways
Cope with challenges that can derail you from meeting your goals

This program is free and open to faculty, staff, and community members. To learn more about the program, register for the virtual Discovery Session on Thursday, March 12 from 5:30-6:30 pm.

With questions, please contact Helen Dumski, MA, RDN, LD, at hxd24@case.edu.

Center Yourself with Weekly Well-being Breaks

Weekly Well-being Breaks, part of the university's Expressions of Care initiative, are offered weekly all semester. These 30-minute Zoom sessions provide faculty and staff the opportunity to focus on well-being through self-care activities such as relaxation, mindfulness, and movement. Register for the remaining Tuesday and/or Wednesday sessions and participate whenever you can attend. Sessions are recorded and shared.

Tranquil Tuesday

9-9:30 am on March 10 & 24, April 7 & 21

Wellness Wednesday

3-3:30 pm on March 4 & 18, April 1 & 15 & 29

The Department of Human Resources invites all faculty and staff to attend Employee Appreciation Day on Friday, March 6, from 2-4 pm at the Tinkham Veale University Center Grand Ballroom. Attendees can enjoy snacks from Bon Appetit, sign-up for the virtual prize raffle, play games with colleagues, and more! Make sure to bring your CWRU ID to attend the event.

CWRU Wellness Team

Elizabeth Click, Medical Director - erc10@case.edu | 216-368-5790

Deanna Duffy, Wellness Manager - dxd516@case.edu | 216-368-5997

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