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In This Issue:
Kate Sargeant, left, and Greta Thomsen demonstrate deep breathing techniques.
Take a deep breath in through your nose. Exhale slowly through your mouth, and envision all the stress leaving your body as you do so.
Tucked away on Shapiro 3 and closed off to the hustle and bustle of the hospital, a group of employees and patients sat in a circle, inhaling the soothing scent of green tea as they practiced deep breathing techniques to reduce stress and tension.
The deep breathing sessions earlier this week were the first of the Heart Wellness Classroom, a new series that promotes different ways to reduce stress and improve overall heart health and mental well-being.
“There are many different ways you can be expressive and cope with everyday life,” said Greta Thomsen, who leads the sessions along with Kate Sargeant. “We hope that people find these are some of the ways they can take care of themselves.”
Thomsen and Sargeant are psychology interns who worked with JoAnne Foody, MD, in the Cardiovascular Division, to assemble a list of diverse Heart Wellness Classroom sessions including zen writing, art for adults, heart-healthy cooking and techniques for getting what you want.
“More and more evidence suggests a relationship between the risk of heart disease and factors such as stress, job strain and depression,” said Foody, director of the Cardiovascular Wellness Program. “These classes will help individuals build the tools necessary to reduce stress and the toll it takes on one's health.”
Thomsen and Sargeant hope that employees and patients will find at least one of the methods works for them.
“We want people to find something they can take away and do on their own regularly to reduce stress,” Sargeant said. “This group of classes gives a snapshot of some of the different ways to help us relax.”
Heart Wellness Classroom Schedule
All sessions are held in the Shapiro third floor public lounge and begin at noon.
Coloring Outside the Lines: Oct. 26 and 29
Zen Writing: Nov. 2 and 5
Lighten Up with Heart Healthy Cooking: Nov. 9 and 12
Reaching Your Goals: Nov. 16 and 19
Mended Hearts: Nov. 23