Wellness Week 2025

2025 GovState Wellness Week

September 15 - 19

“Take the ‘I’ out of Illness, add ‘W’ and ‘E’, and you have Wellness.”
- Malcolm X

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Overview

Wellness Week is an annual event celebrating health promotion, wellness, and prevention across the Governors State University community. It highlights the collaborative professional and academic efforts by our students, faculty, alums, and local community members to address the wellness of our community and support our university’s vision to create an intellectually stimulating public square by leading in excellence and innovation related to health promotion, wellness, and prevention. Wellness Week occurs annually during the 3rd week of September.

Wellness Week is open to all members of the Governors State community, including students, staff, faculty, alumni, and local community members.

The weeklong schedule of events is designed to:

• • Create connected communities through professional development.
• • Identify helpful resources to support community members’ wellness across 8 Dimensions: emotional, spiritual, intellectual, physical, environmental, financial, occupational, and social.
• • Provide tools to support personal and community resilience and self-efficacy.
• • Help reduce stress, enhance connectedness, and foster improved lifestyle practices.
• • Recognize the collaborative work of our community members in creating health promotion, wellness, and prevention programs and initiatives.
• • Support collegiality, teamwork, and collaboration while focusing on helpful topics such as mental health, chronic disease prevention, time management, self-organization, seeking support, and committing to a healthy work-life balance.

If you want to host a vendor booth at our Expo or present during the week, please register using the link below. You will be contacted by the event organizer to provide more details once your interest has been submitted.

Vendor/Presenter Sign-Up FormJoin Our Wellness Book Club

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Mental Health First Aid Course Registration 

 Sign-up here using Mental Health First Aid registration link or QR code below : 

 

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Kidney Mobile Unit Sign Up

• • Free kidney and diabetes screening!
• • Pre-register and complete your questionnaire prior to screening!
• • Talk about your results with a health care professional and receive a copy of your test results same day!

Register NowLearn More

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Event Schedule

Download Event Schedule

"Awe on the Grounds: Walk Wonder, Well-being."
Amy Kelly
10 - 11 a.m.
Engbretson Hall

This session invites participants on a guided "awe walk" through campus grounds, including the sculpture garden and lake. The experience includes a brief introduction to the science of awe, a mindful walk with prompts, and a small-group reflection. Participants leave with research-backed tools to integrate micro-moments of awe into daily routines to reduce stress, improve mood, and restore attention.

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"Group Wellness Walk"
11 a.m. - 12 p.m.
Across Campus

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"Provost Beverly Schneller Introductory Comments and Wellness Week Kick-Off"
Frank Czuba DrOT, OTR/L
12 - 1 p.m.
Engbretson Hall

This workshop will introduce participants to the eight dimensions of wellness that support longevity, health-span and happiness. Explore strategies that will make your future self-thank you for how you lived.

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"The Power of Words: Transform Your Life with Positive Affirmations"
Kim Major-Ford Psy.D, M.S. Ed
1 - 2 p.m.
Engbretson Hall

Affirmations are positive statements that can help you to challenge and overcome self-sabotaging and negative thoughts. When you repeat them often, and believe in them, you can start to make positive changes. This workshop will explore the ways affirmations can have a healing power and will include exercises to guide participants in creating their own.

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To Be Announced
Renee Garbe Ph.D, LMSW
2 - 3 p.m.
Engbretson Hall

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"Hearing Voices"
3 - 5 p.m.
Hall of Honors

Experiential workshop that provides a unique opportunity for participants to learn about auditory hallucinations, through a simulation in which they hear voices, while progressing through simple daily experiences. The workshopalso provides an overview of mental and medical illnesses that cause hallucinations, with specific emphasis given to schizophrenia as it is currently considered the mental illness in which hearing voices is most prevalent.

Course Objectives:

• • Develop a better understanding of voice hearers.
• • Identify medical conditions associated with hearing voices.
• • Identify mental illnesses associated with hearing voices.
• • Dispel myths about schizophrenia.
• • Understand current research and diagnostic criteria related to schizophrenia.
• • Identify the signs and symptoms of schizophrenia.

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IPE Student Workshop
4 - 5 p.m.
Engbretson Hall

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IPE Student Workshop
5 - 6 p.m.
Engbretson Hall

"Group Wellness Walk"
11 a.m. - 12 p.m.
Across Campus

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"Thriving in a Sensory World: Understanding your Sensory Preferences"
Jillian Rancatore MOT, OTR/L
12 - 1 p.m.
Engbretson Hall

You may have learned about your basic senses, but have you ever considered the impact that these senses have on your participation? By better understanding your sensory systems and unique sensory preferences, you will further recognize the influence these preferences have on your engagement and overall well-being. Join me in exploring sensory processing and discover how a deeper understanding of this topic can help us thrive in a sensational world!

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"Recess for Grown-Ups: Why We All Need Play
Amy Kelly
1 - 2 p.m.
Engbretson Hall

This interactive workshop session combines movement, laughter, and connection to explore the seven types of play identified by the National Institute for Play. Adults engage in hands-on activities linked to wellness and emotional resilience. Participants walk away with practical “micro-play” ideas, research insights, and a renewed appreciation for the role of play in everyday life.

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"Holistic Approaches for a Healthier Self and Planet"
Uday Shinde
3 - 4 p.m.
Engbretson Hall

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IPE Student Workshop
4 - 5 p.m.
Engbretson Hall

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IPE Student Workshop
5 - 6 p.m.
Engbretson Hall

"The Resilience Game Human-Centered AI for Wellness: Supporting Mental Health, Resilience, and Personal Growth"
Jan Figa, MSLIS, PhD
10 - 11 a.m.
Engbretson Hall

The Resilience Game provides a Health Engagement Journey (HEJ) through AI-created persona’s wellness story in a game-like experience to motivate change, reflect struggles, and experiment with possible solutions. Additional supporting elements includes:

• 1) an AI Wellness Studio -- The Diorama concept offering creative and practical suggestions to showcase an interactive, empathetic, and reflective tool using AI personas with wellness challenges. This approach visually communicates how AI can be used for education, training, service design, and personal growth through visual storytelling and interactivity
• 2) an AI Persona Reflection Toolkit: Empathy-Driven Learning for Wellness, Growth & Service Innovation -- An Open Educational Resource for Education, Training, Service Design, and Personal Growth.

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"Group Wellness Walk"
11 a.m. - 12 p.m.
Across Campus

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"Mindfulness and Well-Being"
Tim Pedigo Ph.D.
2 - 3 p.m.
Engbretson Hall

Mindfulness is the ongoing awareness in the present moment of what is going on within us and around us, with acceptance. As we practice mindfulness, we become aware of our reactivity and triggers which cause us experience stress and conflict or ill-being. By working with deeply with triggers we can eventually experience greater well-being and improved relationships. In this workshop participants will be introduced to the practice of R.A.I.N. (Recognize, Allow, Investigate, and Nurture). Participants will learn use mindfulness and the steps of R.A.I.N. to improve their well-being.

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"Taping the World for Heath"
Clem Carder OTA
3 - 4 p.m.
Engbretson Hall

Having pain? Take a pill. Can’t sleep? Take a pill. Trouble breathing? Take a pill. Take a pill and you are taking a chance of developing one of numerous potentially serious side effects. In this work shop you will be introduced to the Kinesio Taping method (that can address all of the above plus many other conditions) with the only side effect being the resolution of your problem. Learn how Kinesio tape came to be, how and why it works and have the opportunity to experience for your self (completely volunteer) how it feels once applied and how to apply it to the lumbar (low back) area of your lab partner.

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IPE Student Workshop
4 - 5 p.m.
Engbretson Hall

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IPE Student Workshop
5 - 6 p.m.
Engbretson Hall

Wellness Expo
11 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Hall of Governors

Local vendors, community and student organizations, service providers

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"Group Wellness Walk"
11 a.m. - 12 p.m.
Across Campus

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“Yoga: Techniques to Enhance Mindful Movement for Healthy Living”
1 - 2 p.m.
Julia McDonald BFA, MOT, OTR/L

This session requires no previous experience and is meant for all bodies. Learn ways to focus and calm your thoughts while clearing out tension in your back, hips and shoulders. Participate at any level you are comfortable using guided movements that link mind and body. Leave feeling refreshed and restored. Most movement will be seated in a chair or standing if able.

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"Mental Health Strategies"
Jianna Termini MOT, OTR/L, DrOT Student
2 - 3 p.m.
Engbretson Hall

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IPE Student Workshop
5 - 6 p.m.
Engbretson Hall

Stretch Lab
Frank Czuba
10 - 11 a.m.
Engbretson Hall

Occupational Therapy and Physical Therapy Students and Faculty will guide and assist participants through a comprehensive stretch routine to revive and energize. This workshop is designed to teach participants a variety of techniques to support holistic health, postural balance and overall flexibility. If you are feeling any muscular pain, tightness or tension, this workshop will help you address those issues and leave you feeling more relaxed, flexible and ready to take on the challenges of your day.

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"Group Wellness Walk"
11 a.m. - 12 p.m.
Across Campus

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IPE Student Workshop
5 - 6 p.m.
Engbretson Hall

Mental Health First Aid*
9 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Engbretson Hall

8-hour training course designed to give members of the public key skills to help someone who is developing a mental health problem or experiencing a mental health crisis.

Course Objectives:

• • Recongnize potential risk factors and warning signs for a range of mental health problems, including depression, anxiety, trauma, psychosis and psychotic disorders, substance use disorders, suicidal ideation, and self-injury.
• • Use a 5-step action plan to help an individual in crisis connect with appropriate professional help.
• • Interpret the prevalence of various mental health disorders in the U.S. and the need for reduced ngative attitudes in ont's own community.
• • Apply knowledge of appropriate professional, peer, social, and self-help resources available to help someone with a mental health problem treat and manage their problem and achieve recovery.
• • Assess one's own view and feelings about mental health problems and disorders.

*Registration Required

Register for Mental Health First Aid

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Questions?

If you have any questions regarding 2025 Wellness Week, please get in touch with the event organizer Dr. Frank Czuba, DrOT, OTR/L, Assistant Professor, Department of Occupational Therapy, at fczuba@govst.edu.