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SFU's Vancouver campus strives to promote and foster the health, wellbeing and resilience of our staff, faculty and students. We have shifted much of our focus to wellness-related programming and initiatives and have put together a selection of workshop offerings, blog posts, podcasts, articles and tips that we hope our community will find useful and turn to often.
Thriving in Challenging Times blog posts are written by SFU Health and Counselling staff members and serve as a resource for the SFU Vancouver community, especially as we navigate through the challenging COVID-19 pandemic. Topics include Resilience, Mindfulness, coping strategies and more, and will hopefully remind us that we are not alone; we are in this together.
Please check back for upcoming workshops!
Seasonal Wellness Workshop – March 28, 2023
Yoga instructor, Fiji McAlpine, discussed how embracing the natural elements present in the spring season allows us to remain resilient and invites us to remember that there are cycles of growth and expansion, and of release and rest.. This event was part of SFU Wellness Days.
Mental Health Panel Discussion – November 16, 2021
Dr. Scott Lear, Len Pierre and Tricia-Kay Williams provided tips on: preventing and managing anxiety, stress, and burnout; the 7 Sacred Teachings; the benefits of Moments of Stillness; and how to promote overall life satisfaction. This event was part of SFU Wellness Day.
Cook & Chat with Steve & Laurie – March 23, 2021
As part of SFU Wellness Day, Steve Dooley, Executive Director, SFU Surrey, and Laurie Anderson, Executive Director, SFU Vancouver, led a short cooking demo for healthy lunch ideas. Check out the recipes for Steve's Glory Bowl and Laurie's Summer Harvest Tortilla Soup and Spiced Toasted Pita Chips!
Adding Gratitude to Your Resilience Routine – March 23, 2021
Yuna Chen, (Acting) Associate Director, SFU Health Promotion, led a journaling exercise to help us understand how gratitude helps to cultivate mindfulness, disengage from negative thinking and support wellbeing. This event was a part of SFU Wellness Day.
Mental Health Dialogue with Dr. Scott Lear – March 23, 2021
As part of SFU Wellness Day, Dr. Scott Lear, Professor of Health Sciences at Simon Fraser University, led an informal discussion about mental health. People often suffer in silence, concerned with societal stigma about speaking up or seeking help. Sharing stories and bringing these challenges into the open can help reduce the stigma. Dr. Lear shared his story and how helpful it’s been for him to open up.
Keeping You Fit to Play: Home Workout Edition – March 23, 2021
Just as working from home can present challenges, so can exercising from home. In this workshop, Registered Physiotherapist, Adam Chin, demonstrated exercises and stretches to help prevent injuries from at home workouts and running. Adam also briefly discussed tips and tricks to optimize your workspace. This workshop was a part of SFU Wellness Day.
Keeping You Fit to Work: Working From Home Edition – May 1, 2020
Working from home presents unique challenges, particularly with odd desk set ups, more screen time, and less reasons to get up and move. Check out the webinar we hosted with Registered Physiotherapist, Adam Chin, to get some tips on how to optimize your workspace and improve your work from home routine!
Snack Your Way to Better Health with Bite-Sized Exercise Breaks
The new Guidelines on Physical Activity and Sedentary Behaviour published by the World Health Organization are notable for what is missing: the minimum time for an exercise session. In this article published in The Conversation, Dr. Scott Lear, SFU Professor of Health Sciences, explores the benefits of short bursts of activity we can snack on throughout the day.
When it comes to recommending exercise and physical activity, there’s no shortage of guidelines out there. Do you need 10,000 steps a day, 150 minutes a week, or workouts with high intensity? Read this blog post by Dr. Scott Lear, SFU Professor of Health Sciences, to learn more.
Myth Busters About Your Metabolism
Your resting metabolism burns the highest amount of calories in a day (60 to 80%), while physical activity accounts for a much smaller amount (10% to 30%). Julia Belluz discusses metabolism and common misconceptions in this article published in the online magazine, Vox.
SFU Human Resources COVID-19 and Your Well-Being
SFU HR has put together a comprehensive list of resources for staff and faculty including those for resilience, well-being and mental health, COVID-19 specific resources, counselling and crisis supports and more.
SFU Health & Counselling Apps & Recordings
Need a little help to relax and de-stress? There are many great apps and recordings on SFU Health and Counselling’s website.
Join Gisele Bündchen on the InsightTimer app for a gentle guided meditation to reignite hope. This practice reminds us that the more you nurture hope, the more joy and positivity you will create in your life.
How to Hack Your Brain: How to Free Your Mind
Join neuroscientist and mindfulness expert, Dr. Karolien Notebaert, in her 7-day InsightTimer app course that will focus on how to connect with your inner power and release your unique potential.
Mindfulness for Beginners by Jon Kabat-Zinn (LinkedIn Learning Course)
This LinkedIn Learning course, led by Jon Kabat-Zinn, explores five guided meditations based on Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR), a well-researched program offered in medical clinics and hospitals around the world.
Podcast: The Connection Between Your Brain and Your Plate with Dr. Uma Naidoo
In this episode of the Sakara Life Podcast, Danielle Duboise and Whitney Tingle sit down with Harvard-trained psychiatrist and chef, Dr. Uma Naidoo, to discuss the direct connection between the foods we eat and how we feel both mentally and physically.
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