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Wellness Newsletter
November 2025
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Deadline to Attest for 2025 Program Incentives and Qualifying for $25 Per Month in 2026 is Nov. 30
If you are a Wellness Program participant who currently receives the $25 Monthly Wellness Incentive and are working toward the additional $100-$200 available in Wellness Program Incentives, don't forget to attest to completing programs in up to two categories within HCM by Nov. 30, 2025, to ensure you receive your incentive dollars in your December pay. View this guide for instructions on how to attest.
If you plan to use a university Benelect medical plan next year and want to earn incentives in 2026, make sure you also complete your three Wellness Activities by Nov. 30 (Health Risk Assessment via WebMD plus at least two of these four options in HCM: Primary Care Provider Attestation Form, Biometric Screening Attestation Form, Dental Check-up and/or Cancer Screening Attestation Form, Tobacco Attestation Form). Please note that you must be earning the monthly incentive in order to be eligible to receive the $100-$200 in program incentives in 2026.
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Visit the Benefits & Wellness Fair, Receive a Flu Shot, and Enjoy a Chair Massage on Nov. 5
Benefits Open Enrollment opens today, November 3, as does the virtual Benefits & Wellness fair. The fair will run November 3-7 online, and there is an in-person fair on Nov. 5 at the Tinkham Veal University Center (TVUC), Ballroom A, between 8 am and 4 pm.
There are virtual events scheduled all week, including the third installment in our fall mini-series with Stella Grizont, MAPP (see details and link to register in the next feature).
On the day of the in-person fair at the TVUC, you can learn about your benefits options, visit with Wellness Program staff and some of our campus Wellness Champions, plus receive a flu shot at the fair between 8 am and 2 pm, and schedule a chair massage between 11 am and 2 pm in the First Floor Conference Room. We hope to see you there!
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Feel, Don't Fix: How to Attune to Foster Respect & Connection
Stella Grizont, national bestselling author, positive psychology expert, and executive coach, will team up with Lisa Zigarmi, MAPP, for her final session for CWRU faculty and staff this fall. Ten lucky participants in the session will be selected to receive a copy of Stella's book, The Work Happiness Method!
In an era of constant change and emotional overload, many professionals are conditioned to respond to others' distress with strategies, tools, and solutions. But what if the most transformative move isn’t to fix another's problem immediately—but to feel with the person? This interactive session introduces the overlooked communication skill of attunement—the ability to be present with someone’s emotional state in a way that fosters connection, clarity, and commitment.
Thursday, Nov. 6, from 12:30-1:30 pm via Zoom
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Self-Care for the Season: Honoring What Matters Most
Holiday seasons often sweep us into a hustle and bustle of intensified pressure and expectations and endless to-do lists – leaving little time to just be. This program is an invitation to step out of this flurry and into what truly matters the most. Through gentle and meaningful practices, we’ll greet the season with calm and comfort, appreciation and thanks, and wonder and joy. Woven into 4 weeks together, we’ll discover compassionate self-dialogue, uncover gifts in all things, spot joy and sparkle, and playfully scavenge for gratefulness. Our practices will be refreshed and reimagined, each a heartfelt invitation into a sanctuary of self-care for the season. Join Heidi Weiker for this 4-session holiday mini-series.
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Thursdays,
Nov. 13, Nov. 20,
Dec. 4 and Dec. 11
12:30-1:30 pm via Zoom
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Plant-Based Meals Mini-Series
Join us for 3 Zoom sessions presented by New York Times bestselling co-authors Jane and Ann Esselstyn of the Esselstyn Foundation. The Esselstyn Foundation is a non-profit committed to healing the world of lifestyle related disease through the promotion of whole food, plant-based nutrition. Click on the titles below to learn more and register for each session you'd like to attend.
Plant-Based Breakfast Options to Jump Start Your Day | Tuesday, Nov. 18, 12:30-1:30 pm
Jane and Ann Esselstyn will present a high energy, plant-based cooking demo to emphasize the variety and flavor possible from a healthy selection of whole food, plant-based breakfast options.
We Cannot Wait for Lunch | Tuesday, Dec. 9, 12:30-1:30 pm
Jane and Ann will focus on one of the most rushed and overlooked meals of the day - lunch. This cooking demo will highlight healthy, delicious, plant-based options for a mid-day reboot!
What to Bring to a Holiday Party? | Tuesday, Dec. 16, 12:30-1:30 pm
During their final session, Jane and Ann will feature plant-based foods to bring to a holiday party or make when hosting a party, including healthy and delicious appetizers, side dishes, and desserts to feast on with family and friends over the holidays.
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Plant Powered Challenge 2026
Hosted by Corewell Health Lifestyle Medicine, the Plant Powered Challenge is a free, 30-day health initiative running from January 5 to February 4, 2026. Now in its eighth year, the challenge helps participants boost energy, sleep better, and improve their diet through the power of plants. All educational events are hosted on Zoom and recorded for on-demand viewing. Participants receive weekly recipes and nutrition challenges.
This is a highly supportive and welcoming community. In past years, up to 3,500 participants have joined from across the United States and around the world. Anyone can join this free challenge, including your friends, family, and anyone who might be interested in taking steps toward better health. Participation includes:
- Weekly Challenges: Small, manageable changes to support a plant-forward lifestyle
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Educational Webinars: Hear from physicians, chefs, health coaches, and registered dietitians through Zoom webinars. All sessions are recorded and available to watch later. View the schedule of webinars
- Delicious Recipes: Tasty, satisfying meals that support health and culinary creativity
Register by January 2 and make sure to sign up with a case.edu email address. Participation is eligible for a Nutrition/Weight Management Wellness Program Incentive.
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2026 Diabetes Prevention Program: Prevent T2
For those trying to make healthy lifestyle changes to prevent type 2 diabetes, the CWRU Department of Nutrition offers the Prevent T2 lifestyle change program. With Prevent T2, a trained lifestyle coach and fellow participants will encourage enrollees to make healthy changes that will last a lifetime.
This program will help participants:
- Make healthier choices without giving up the foods you love
- Add physical activity to your life, even with limited time
- Deal with stress
- Cope with challenges that can derail your hard work, like how to choose healthier options when eating out
- Get back on track, because everyone slips now and then!
The program will begin on Thursday, January 15, 2026 from 12-1 pm (in person) and will run throughout the year at that same time on Thursdays.
With questions, please contact Helen Dumski, MA, RDN, LD, at hxd24@case.edu.
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A virtual information session will be held on Tuesday, November 4 from 12:30-1:30 pm.
Click on the box below, look for the event in the calendar on the right, and the zoom link will be there for you to access the session.
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Share Your Opinion: Potential 2026 Wellness Series
The “How to Thrive: An Introduction to Strengths and Psychological Safety” 60-minute session facilitated by Connection Labs this past October 15th introduced key ideas around strengths and psychological safety. Research indicates that strong connections are critical for individual and team success and overall health and well-being. Last January, Connection Labs ran an 8-session series entitled "Connection 101", which explored these and related topics in much greater depth.
Here is how participants described their experience:
- “This has been one of the most positive experiences I've had in a workshop.”
- “The workshop has given me new tools and perspectives for exploring and improving my relationships, both personal and professional.”
- “Just. . . wow! I've learned some variations of some of the content of this training in other books, training, etc. but putting all these together is just mind boggling in such a good way!”
We’re considering offering the series again for the CWRU community in 2026 and need your input! Please take about 1 minute to complete this interest survey. Thank you!
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Expressions of Care:
Join us for Remaining Weekly Well-being Breaks
Registration is still open for Weekly Well-being Breaks! Part of the university's Expressions of Care initiative, these 30-minute Zoom sessions provide faculty and staff the opportunity to focus on their well-being through self-care activities such as relaxation, mindfulness, movement, and stretching — helping them maintain their well-being during chaotic and stressful times. Register for the Tuesday and/or Wednesday sessions and participate on whichever dates you can attend.
Tranquil Tuesdays
9-9:30 am via Zoom
11/11, 11/25, 12/9
Register for the Tuesday sessions
Wellness Wednesdays
3-3:30 pm via Zoom
11/5, 11/19, 12/3, 12/17
Register for the Wednesday sessions
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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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