One of the major components of the Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) training for helping someone experiencing a non-crisis mental health challenge is to encourage the individual to engage in self-care. As an instructor for MHFA, each time I conduct the training I am struck by how difficult it can be to help someone engage …

Commuting across Atlanta does not need to be a waste of time as I often take the commute as an opportunity for self-care and enhancing my understanding of wellbeing.  Most often, this is via podcasts that inform, educate, motivate, and challenge me regarding wellbeing.  Many of the books sitting on my nightstand are books I …

Naaman was the commander of the army of the king of Aram. He was a great man and highly regarded by the king, but he had leprosy. Eventually, Naaman found his way to the prophet Elisha, who provided Naaman with a cure: “Go, wash yourself seven times in the Jordan, and your flesh will be …

It’s the time of year when many organizations are setting their calendars for the coming year. Hopefully, part of that strategic planning includes an annual wellbeing calendar containing carefully selected wellbeing campaigns. A wellbeing campaign details an employer’s time-specific strategic focus on a designated emphasis related to employee wellbeing. A campaign may include motivational education, …

At first glance there may not appear to be any difference between the two words. Words like car and automobile or exercise and workout are nearly identical in meaning. However, wellbeing and wellness are more like exercise and spin-class or cat and tabby. The two are related but one has a narrower and more focused …

Do your well-being incentives reinforce the well-being activity? While cash or a gift card to a favorite retailer might be appreciated, employers often miss the opportunity to further promote healthy activity by using well-themed incentives. In a previous post, Wellness Incentives: Everyone Doesn’t Have to Get a Trophy,  we shared how a raffle-style big reward …

It was late November and we were visiting family in Phoenix when we made reservations to go horseback riding in the desert. At the stables, we met our guide, who gave us limited instructions and helped us mount. I can’t remember much of what he told us as he shared the instructions, but I do …

Giving your corporate wellbeing program a name can be a strategic step in gaining engagement in the program. The wrong name can be a turn-off; a great name can entice employees to participate. Key Considerations Make sure the program name is a good fit for your overall employer brand. Consult with your marketing team before …

If I am going birding, there is one question I must answer before I set out. And that same question has to be answered before I can suggest a wellness solution to an employer. Whether we are looking for birds or looking to implement a wellbeing strategy, knowing our objective is critical to success. In …

Wouldn’t it be nice if COVID-19 was the only thing you had to deal with right now? This time last year, our family was in the middle of nine solid weeks of going to the hospital every day. We visited with and cared for our daughter, who had broken her neck and was now paralyzed. …