TO: Sonoma State Employees
FR: Wellness Program, Payroll and Benefits
National Wear Red Day
Join SSU’s Employee Wellness Program, staff, faculty, students and friends to bring awareness to heart health by wearing red on Friday, February 2nd in honor of national Go Red For Women Wear Red Day.
Please plan to join us at 1:15pm in front of Lobo Vision to take a quick group photo of everyone wearing their red to show our campus’ support for the American Heart Association and its work to bring awareness and research to heart disease and stroke.
Yoga Classes
Lunchtime yoga classes continue and are open to all experience levels. A great opportunity to meet employees from other units, while also taking a break to stretch and have a midday reset.
- Mondays and Thursdays (12:05 - 12:55pm, Ives 80): Meditative Yoga with Jeanne Janae
- Tuesdays and Wednesdays (12:05 - 12:55pm, Ives 80): Yoga Flow with Kim Purdy
Spring Mindfulness and Self-Care Classes
Please join our 30-minute virtual Mindfulness and Self-Care classes with Dr. Andy Wallace, SSU Philosophy professor (pre-registration required). Each class begins with a short description of mindfulness followed by a 15-20 minute mindfulness-based exercise and concludes with a poem. Dr. Wallace will also be available following the class for further discussion.
“The benefits of mindfulness stem, I believe, from the role that it plays in the human caregiving system. Kindness, compassion, and love are the system’s core emotions, and unconditional acceptance of self and other is its raison d’etre. When we meditate mindfully we activate or elicit those emotions and learn to care authentically for ourselves in the same loving spirit as we authentically care for others.” - Dr. Andy Wallace (bio)
These mindfulness classes are held on Fridays from 12 - 12:30pm and will continue throughout the spring semester. Employees interested in attending are asked to please register in order to receive the zoom link for the class.
Wellness Webinars
We are excited to share this month’s wellness webinars offered by Kaiser Permanente. These webinars are open to all employees regardless of your health plan election. Webinars remain available on-demand for six months after the live stream (with the exception of the live Calm Meditation Sessions which are available only at the time of the event).
Living Heart Smart
When it comes to living heart smart, there are many strategies that we can practice caring for our hearts as they care for us.
February 21, 2024 (Noon - 1pm)
Register
More Than Words: Couples Communication
Learn strategies on how to improve non-verbal communication, how to improve listening and validating skills, and how to implement problem solving skills and strategies.
February 22, 2024 (12:30 - 1:30pm)
Register
Calm Meditation Sessions (4 live sessions offered)
15-minute de-stress exercises using the Calm app.
February 7 & 14, 2024 (10 - 10:15am)
Join here at the time of event
February 21 & 28, 2024 (2 - 2:15pm)
Join here at the time of event
Additional information regarding our SSU Employee Wellness programs can be found here: https://hr.sonoma.edu/payroll/