Wellness Programs

 

 

Wellness Programs

 

Nutrition and Cancer Awareness & Prevention Workshop – in-person and by Zoom
Wednesdays, October 8 – 29, 2025, 12 – 12:45 pm
Hughes Hotel and Restaurant Management (Bldg 33A), room 138 Presented by Professor Jay Sutliffe and Nutrition Research & Communication students

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and we’re hosting a free 4-week workshop to help you learn practical, evidence-based steps to reduce risk.

What we’ll cover (the 4 pillars of prevention):

• Healthy plant-based eating (simple swaps, fiber, soy basics, and easy recipes and food sampling)
• Regular physical activity (how much, what type, and how to fit it in)
• Limiting alcohol (why it matters and practical strategies)
• Healthy body weight (small, sustainable changes that add up)

Bonus: Participants receive a workshop packet with a quick-start guide, weekly habit tracker, and great recipes. Light refreshments and healthy foods tasting will be offered (in person only), and a chance to win wellness raffle items. This program is open to all employees.

All are welcome, attend as your schedule allows.  To register or to receive the Zoom link, email community-nutrition@nau.edu.

Guided Forest Therapy Walks
Led by Led by Heather Nash, PhD, EAW Director

Thursday, October 30, 2025, 12 – 1 pm
Meet at the clock tower near 1899 in North Quad

Thursday, November 20, 2025, 12 – 1 pm
Meet in front of Starbucks on south campus

These on-campus forest therapy experiences involve taking a guided walk, slowly, with a structured series of invitations designed to help participants relax and connect with nature, its creatures, each other, and themselves. The walks will be about 1/4 mile in length. All are welcome.

To register, email ask-eaw@nau.edu and please let us know which walk/s you would like to attend.

 

Aerobic Winter Challenge begins November 1!

Aerobic Winter Challenge (AWC) is an annual worksite wellness fitness program that incentivizes physical activity with the goal of helping people stay fit during the winter months, November – February and NAU usually boasts the greatest participation in the county!

How to start: form a group of 5 – 10 coworkers (spouses, partners and children are welcome), select a team leader choose a fun team name, and register your NAU team with Coconino County AWC between October 1 – 27, 2025. Online registration will become available the second week of October, but your team may register with paper forms at any time, through October 24, 2025.

How to participate: exercise at least 30 minutes/day for at least 14 days/month for a chance to win monthly and grand prize drawings.

Registration $5 for NAU employees (EAW subsidizes $5 toward NAU employee registration) and $10 person for all others. Hard copy registration forms and fees are due to the EAW office by October…. Online registration is due by October …

For more information visit AWC Program website link, or email ask-eaw@nau.edu.

 

Mini Health Screening
Thursday, November 13, 2025, 8 am – 12 pm
Health and Learning Center, room 2405

This program includes:

-an 8-hour fasting blood draw to measure total cholesterol, HDL, LDL, VLDL, triglycerides, and blood glucose,
-blood pressure,
-height, weight and body mass index, and waist circumference.

Additional/optional screenings include:

-Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA),
-Hemoglobin A1C, for people with diabetes and for people at high risk for diabetes, and,
-Osteoporosis/Bone Density screening, for men and women over 40 years, and post-menopausal women under 40 years.

This screening takes about 20 minutes to complete, and your results will be mailed to you in approximately 10 business days and you will be automatically awarded 1000 HIP points for this screening within 30 days.

To schedule your appointment, visit the Mini health screen scheduler or call 480-968-1886.

 

Kindness Rocks
Thursday, November 13, 2025, 12 – 1 pm
Health and Learning Center, room 2407

Come and paint a word of encouragement, uplifting picture, or something silly to share a smile on a rock. After creating our rock masterpieces, we’ll hide these gems of kindness in plain sight to spread a little light and love around our campus community. Bring a rock of your own or use one of ours, we’ll have plenty!

To register, email ask-eaw@nau.edu.

 

Let’s Talk Menopause
Wednesday, December 3, 2025, 12 – 1:15 pm
HLC room 2405
Led by Laurie S. Perrin, MD, FACOG, DipABLM

Join us for a discussion about the signs and symptoms of perimenopause and menopause, as well what we can do about it regarding hormonal treatments and lifestyle modifications.

To register, email ask-eaw@nau.edu.

 

Smells Like Holiday Spirit
Thursday, December 4, 12 – 1 pm
Health and Learning Center, room 2407

The holidays are here! Time for a new office spray to perk us up and get through the day! Drop in and create your new signature scent for winter. We’ll have fragrance guides and all the supplies you’ll need so just pop on in.

To register, please email ask-eaw@nau.edu.

 

Weekly, Online Groups

Stress Management Group (by Zoom)
Tuesdays, September 2- December 2, 2025, 8:30 – 9 am
Led by Cyndy Soto-Lopez, PhD, EAW Psychologist

Everybody experiences stress which, if unmanaged, can lead to negative physical and mental health outcomes. In this weekly drop-in group we will discuss specific stress-management strategies with the goal of finding practical applications to help manage our stress. Join any time, all are welcome.

Stress Management Group Zoom registration link

 

Self-Compassion for Burnout Group (by Zoom)
Wednesdays, September 10 – November 19, 2025, 8:30 – 9 am
Led by Mike Bouck, LCSW, EAW Counselor and Trainer

The term burnout is so prevalent these days that its real meaning has become diluted. People say things like “I’m burned out on Zoom calls” or “I’m burned out on politics.” But for those who are experiencing true burnout, it’s not just a buzzword, it can be a debilitating syndrome that makes it hard to get through each day.

If this concept of burnout sounds familiar, you may be intrigued by its solution: self-compassion. Self-compassion involves relating to your own emotional distress, with warmth, understanding and support. You may worry that self-compassion means blowing off responsibility for mistakes, but the opposite is true; self-compassion helps us take responsibility for missteps and is an effective motivator of change.

This group is based upon the book Mindful Self-Compassion for Burnout by Kristen Neff, PhD and Christopher Germer, PhD. It is not necessary to read the book in advance, but it may be helpful to read along in tandem with the group. Ideally, you’ll participate in the class in its entirety as some of the skills and tools build on earlier ones, but feel free to drop in as often as you are able. All are welcome.

Mindful Self-Compassion for Burnout Group Zoom registration link

 

Thursday Morning Happiness Club
Thursdays, October 9 – December 11, 2025, 8:30 – 9 am
Led by Led by Heather Nash, PhD, EAW Director

Join Heather every Thursday for ideas about how to increase our happiness and resilience. We will discuss strategies or concepts related to increasing happiness, including relevant research findings, and we will leave with at least one strategy to apply over the next week.

Thursday Morning Happiness Club Zoom registration link

 

Support Group

Good Grief: Can anything good come of grief? (by Zoom)
Tuesdays, October 14 – November 18, 2025, 12 – 1:30 pm (no meeting on November 11)
Led by Shawnee McDowell, LCSW, Grief Counselor

Grief, death, and loss are a normal part of life, and yet it feels so disorienting and difficult after a loved one dies that we might feel like we will never feel “normal” again.

Join others in this small, online grief group to come together in our emotions of grief and loss. We will honor ourselves and our loved ones as we share memories and experiences. There may be an option to meet in person for the final session.

To register, please email ask-eaw@nau.edu.

 

Grief During the Holidays (by Zoom)
Tuesday, December 9, 2025, 12 – 1 pm
Led by Shawnee McDowell, LCSW, EAW Counselor

Wondering how you will survive the upcoming winter holidays? Are you dreading these times, knowing that so many things have changed? This workshop is for people grieving the loss of a loved one/s. We will talk about how to deal with the many emotions you might face during the holidays, helpful tips for surviving social events, and discovering hope for your future.

Grief During the Holidays Zoom registration link

 

Free Employee Fitness Classes

Zumba classes at the Rec Center
Tuesdays, September 9 – November 4, 2025, 12:05 – 12:55 pm
Multi-Purpose Gym in the Rec Center, Health and Learning Center
Led by Alison Mercado, M.Ed., Academic Advisor Sr, and Zumba Instructor

Take a break from your desk and groove during the lunch-hour with Zumba! The instructor leads dances that will encourage you to move your body to a variety of music (Latin, pop, rock, hip hop, and more) all while enjoying a fun workout! No pressure, just positive vibes as you follow along.

Bring comfortable clothes, shoes, water, and a smile! All are welcome, join anytime.

Zumba registration link
*See registration instructions below

Beginner Yoga at the Rec Center 
Wednesdays, September 10 – November 5, 2025, 12:05 – 12:55 pm
Wellness Suite, Campus Recreation Center, Health and Learning Center
Led by Kelsey Jung, M.S., ACSM-EP, YA 200RYT

This gentle, beginner-friendly yoga class is the perfect introduction to a yoga practice. We’ll focus on foundational poses, proper alignment, and connecting movement with breath in a supportive environment. You’ll learn the basics of yoga and build strength, flexibility, and balance at a comfortable pace. This class is open to all NAU employees. No prior experience is needed. All are welcome, join anytime.

Yoga registration link
*See registration instructions below

Power Pilates at the Rec Center 
Thursdays, September 11 – October 30, 2025, 12:05-12:55 pm, Campus Recreation Center, Wellness Suite
Led by Kelly McCue Nation, MPH, Power Pilates-certified instructor

This is a mat-based Pilates class to build mobility, strength, and core. Music is played to energize the room, and light equipment (e.g. bands, rings) may be used to engage and isolate muscles.

This class is for everyone, whether you are brand new to Pilates or a seasoned practitioner, modifications will be provided to ensure you are getting the right workout for you!  This class is open to all NAU employees. All are welcome, join anytime.

Pilates registration link
*See registration instructions below

Registration for each class is required, and the registration link is open 48 hours prior to the class and remains open until 1 minute before the class begins.

*Rec Center Registration Instructions:

1. Up to 48 hours in advance of the class, navigate to the registration links listed in the fitness class descriptions.
2. Select the day you would like to attend, then click “Sign-In.”
3. Select “NAU User ID login” (big yellow button) which leads to the NAU CAS login page.
4. Once signed in, click “Select” next to the class for which you are registering.
5. Click “Register” at the bottom of the screen.
6. Click on the large yellow “Proceed to Checkout” button.
7. Click on the “Check Out” white box.
8. Select “Check Out” at the bottom right corner of the screen. These classes are covered by EAW and offered free of charge to NAU employees, so a credit card or payment is not required.
9. The message “Your Order was processed successfully” will display and a confirmation email with the class schedule will be sent to you. Questions? Please contact ask-eaw@nau.edu.

Northern Arizona University is committed to providing universal access to our programs and services. Please contact EAW at 928-523-1552 to request disability related accommodations. Advance notice is necessary to arrange for accessibility needs.