Feeds:
Posts
Comments

Archive for the ‘Stress Management’ Category

Don’t Get Angry or Depressed, Get Resilient!

Posted in Health and Wellness, Stress Management, tagged , , , , on October 3, 2010| Leave a Comment »

Men's Health Logo
Image via Wikipedia

By Sue Shekut, Owner, Working Well Massage, Licensed Massage Therapist, Certified Wellness Coach, ACSM Personal Trainer

I enjoy reading Men’s Health magazine each month. The editors and writers do a fantastic job of researching a wide range of topics and presenting great workout ideas, simple tasty recipes and a fair number of inspirational stories about men that have overcome cancer, emotional issues and serious accidents.

Last month, the August issue carried an article titled, When the Warrior Returns Home here. In the article, the author describes the use of resilience training for combat troops. The armed forces are employing psychologists to give the troops resilience training is an attempt to help soldiers better communicate (without overreacting) to family and friends after returning home from combat. Resilience training also helps soldiers deal with the effects of being in combat: being able to handle the emotional stress of watching buddies get blown to bits in front of them and of the possibility of capture or death during deployment.  How well does resilience training work? Pretty well. Read the article to learn more.

If resilience training works for combat troops to avoid Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, can it help you and me? Sure it can. Whether you are fighting a tough reorganization environment at work, the stress of having a new baby at home (or two or three!), long-term unemployment or managing long commutes and frustrating traffic, resilience training may help you, too.

How do you get resilience training? Men’s Health gives tips on this page to show you how to better manage your own emotions and avoid the health costs of overreacting, high blood pressure and mental stress.

MayoClinic has a great article on Resilience training here.

Or you can visit a Licensed Psychologist or Counselor that specializes in resilience training.

Check out the Chicago Center for Family Health here. Their website says that their “collaborative, resilience-promoting approach identifies and builds on clients’ strengths, helping them to manage persistent stress and recover from life crises. Our goal is to enhance the functioning and well-being of the families, couples and individuals with whom we work.”

Or i the Chicago area, you may want to contact Michele Dubuisson, LCSW. In her web page she says that ““My areas of expertise include depression, anxiety, relationship issues, grief, and trauma. My approach to therapy is grounded in the belief that we are all resilient, each of us has unique strengths. I work with my clients to build on these strengths, increase their insight, and develop the trust needed to achieve their goals. I do this by providing a safe space in which you may process your experiences, express your feelings, challenge unhealthy relationship patterns, and develop self-awareness.I work with my clients to understand triggers that may contribute to stress and to develop healthier coping skills. My clients appreciate my down-to-earth, relational style, and collaborative approach to therapy.” Contact Michele via this link.

Related articles by Zemanta
Enhanced by Zemanta

Read Full Post »

Reduce Your Stress and Bring Healthy Air Indoors Simultaneously

Posted in Health and Wellness, Nature and Stress, tagged , , , , , , , on September 30, 2010| Leave a Comment »

By Sue Shekut, Owner, Working Well Massage, Licensed Massage Therapist, Certified Wellness Coach, ACSM Personal Trainer

As Fall unfolds and winter approaches, it’s time to think about giving your home and your family a boost of fresh air, reduced stress and visual beauty. How can you do that? With indoor potted plants.

Some plants are known for their ability to remove harmful chemicals from the air. Overall, plants and nature have shown to reduce stress levels and improve mood. And for most people, plants are visually appealing and give our minds a break from “hard attention,” the kind we use when we read, solve problems at work or focus on a task.

To send a friend or relative a burst of healthy air and the gift of stress reduction, you can send them a Potted Peace Lily Plant (Spathiphyllum) for about $40 (with shipping) from Proflowers here.

In Chicago, you can find locations to buy air cleaning plants here.

Breathe deep and enjoy your indoor plants! They may help keep you from getting cabin fever.

Related articles by Zemanta
Enhanced by Zemanta

Read Full Post »

Kankakee River State Park Puts Great Hiking and Clean, Clear Water on the Map

Posted in Fitness, Health and Wellness, Nature and Stress, tagged , , , , , , on September 22, 2010| 6 Comments »

By Sue Shekut, Owner, Working Well Massage, Licensed Massage Therapist, Certified Wellness Coach, ACSM Personal Trainer

Recently I was reading Backpacker magazine’s top lists of hikes around the U.S. They  listed 3 of the top hiking places in Chicago: The Chicago Lakefront, Starved Rock and Kankakee River State Park.  The lakefront is more of an outdoor mall these days than an actual hiking path, but it is a well known Chicago route so I give Backpacker that much. But I was surprised that they did not mention any of the fantastic hiking paths in the rest of the Chicago Area: Tinley Park, Herrick Lake, Palos, Waterfall Glen, Sag Valley, and about 30 more. If you get out of Chicago proper, there are scores of really quiet, well maintained forests, meadows and trails.  I’ve been to Starved Rock a number of times, but had not yet to Kankakee. So, to verify Backpackers recommendation, my man and I bundled up our hiking gear and headed for Kankakee River State Park this past weekend!

Kankakee River. Image by Sue Shekut

The park’s trail system stretches for miles along both sides of the river. Hiking, biking and cross-country ski trails are on the river’s north side, while horse and snowmobile trails can be found on the south.

Kankakee River State Park Map. Image by Sue Shekut

On Sunday, we walked from a boat launch area on the West side of the park, over a suspension bridge, along a picnic area and then to Rock Creek trail where we climbed along the creek.

Kankakee Rock Creek Trail marker. Image by Sue Shekut

The 3-mile route along Rock Creek gives you a great view of limestone canyons and a smallish frothy waterfall. The park offers a bicycle trail that begins at Davis Creek Area and travels 10.5 miles of trails in the form of a linear trail along the river and with a loop in the west end of the park.

View from Rock Creek Trail, Kankakee. Image by Sue Shekut

This region is fairly flat with some nice hike-able cliffs and a few look out points along the river. But the Rock Creek Trail had some really steep paths along the way affording interesting lookouts of the clean clear water below.

Jason taking pics at Rock Creek Trail overlook, Kankakee. Image by Sue Shekut

On our way around the Rock Creek Trail we found a really lovely grove of pine trees. Walking into the trees we felt that special hush I often feel when I am in the presence of a grove of trees. It felt like a church or sacred space.

Pine forest along the trail in Kankakee. Image by Sue Shekut

No matter where we hiked, we could see through the water at every point!  That water is clean–at least to the naked eye–and it’s  a pleasure to be able to see such clear water in a local river.

Super clear water in Kankakee River! Image by Sue Shekut

At this point we had hiked about 7 miles and then got a bit lost finding our way back to our car which added another 2 miles to our hike. We took a wrong turn at fork in the trail and ended up by the stables.

Kankakee River Stables rents horses. Image by Sue Shekut

All told, according to my handy pedometer, we hiked 10 miles and still had another half of the park to explore on another day.

For directions, info on equestrian trials, biking, hiking, etc. click here.

A beautiful spot to relax in Kankakee River State Park. Image by Sue Shekut

Related articles by Zemanta
Enhanced by Zemanta

Read Full Post »

Breaking News About Breakthrough’s Clothing Drive!

Posted in Fitness, Health and Wellness, Stress Management, tagged , , , on September 3, 2010| Leave a Comment »

By Sue Shekut, Owner, Working Well Massage, Licensed Massage Therapist, Certified Wellness Coach, ACSM Personal Trainer

I posted today about the Breakthrough Running club serving the youth of East Garfield Park. If you don’t have time to be a coach/mentor, you can still help out. The Running Club is nearing their first race of the fall season. To help keep the excitement and motivation going for our kids we are asking all our friends to collect running clothing and gear, new or very lightly used, to give to the boys and girls running in this program.

Items needed:  all sizes-for both boys and girls! Boy’s, girls, men’s woman’s, running specific clothing (shorts, pants, tops, jackets) and accessories (socks, sport bras, gloves and hats) and any other gear you wish to donate that is running appropriate.  Please no cotton clothing and no shoes needed.

Thanks to a Breakthrough supporter, all participating kids just got brand new shoes from Fleet Feet Sports on Tuesday! Fleet Feet discounts the shoes and threw in a pair of running socks for each child- way to go Fleet Feet, they are an awesome partner to this program.

Breakthrough Runners get shoe fitting assistance

Breakthrough Clothing Drive Info

When: Sat. Sept 11th at the Breakthrough Joshua Center , (3330 W. Carroll, on Carroll just west of Kedzie)

Why: the kids are in need of real running clothes for the end of summer and fall season

How: go through your running drawer, or tote, or closet shelf and donate anything you can part with or go out and buy some running clothing at your favorite store!

Collect all items and just get in touch with me and I will make arrangements to pick them up.  If you would like to be part of the giveaway session with the kids you can bring them to the Joshua Center by 8am on the morning of the 11th.

You can also bring the items to the Joshua Center any time between now and Sept. 11th and drop them at the door, just label the bag ‘running club donation’ or ‘running clothes’ and they will get to the appropriate people.

Breakthrough Urban Ministries-Joshua Center

3330 W. Carroll, Chicago , IL 60624 (Just West of Kedzie)

ph: 773.722.0179
fax: 773.722.0280

Enhanced by Zemanta

Read Full Post »

A Breakthrough in Fitness and Mentoring-Breakthrough’s Running Program for East Garfield Park Youth

Posted in Fitness, Health and Wellness, Nature and Stress, Stress Management, tagged , , , , , , on September 3, 2010| Leave a Comment »

By Sue Shekut, Owner, Working Well Massage, Licensed Massage Therapist, Certified Wellness Coach, ACSM Personal Trainer

Breakthrough Runners

The world is full of problems and that can be stressful. But feeling like I am doing my part to be part of the solution, versus part of the problem, makes me  feel a lot better and less stressed. I am always happy to hear a new story about people being active in volunteerism and fitness as well. Yesterday, I had a wonderful, heartwarming talk with Melissa Hoovy, Senior VP of Marketing Services from Legacy Marketing Partners, about a fantastic program she’s been involved with for the past two years:  Breakthrough Ministries Running Club for teenage boys and girls in the East Garfield Park area. And Melissa said they are looking for a few more good men and women to be mentors for the kids.

Melissa started her work with the running club last year when it was only offered for girls. But the program was so successful that it’s been expanded this year. According to Melissa, “Developments from last year include the addition of a boy’s group and adult mentors and more children overall participating, we have about 40 kids running now from last years 22.  It is fast becoming a valued program both for the adult coaches/mentors as well as the children getting to develop a love a running as well as new relationships with caring adults.”

The Breakthrough running club focuses on providing an opportunity for boys and girls to partner with individual coaches and train for at least two 5k races in Summer/Fall of 2010. Every student and mentor will meet together for a group run once a week on Saturdays (Girls =8:15am, Boys=10:30am) where there will be a brief group discussion time, hitting specific issues such as physical health, self-confidence, and emotional support, followed by a group run, and finishing with a cool down session where a healthy snack will be served.  There will also be a mid-week run held at Westinghouse H.S on Thursday evenings at 6pm.

The Runners: The young men and women who are participating in this program are from East Garfield Park which is one of the most disadvantaged neighborhoods in Chicago with the unemployment rate at three times the city average and the drug crime ranking in the top %10 of Chicago’s seventy seven community areas (CPD CLEAR DATA 2007).

The Goal: The goal for this program is for our young people to expand their adult network through their individual coach/mentor, develop the knowledge and ability to live a healthy lifestyle through running, and to build self-confidence by accomplishing their commitment of finishing a 5k race.

The Miles: The students in the program will consistently be exposed to different areas of the city outside of their neighborhood through our group runs which will be held in Lincoln Park, the Lake Front, Humboldt Park and other city locations.  Training runs start with a very easy run/walk sequence and progress to runs about 3 miles in length at the end of the program and just prior to race day.

The Training: The training run for the Summer/Fall program began on August 14th and  continues through  Lawndale 5K run on Sept 18th (Both Boys and Girls Clubs will run Lawndale) and finish with the boys running the Hot Chocolate 5k on November 6th and the Girls running the Girls on the Run 5k on November 13th.

The Need: In order to give each student the maximum opportunity to improve their health and fitness we desire to provide them with adult partners, running shoes and athletic wear that they need.

How You Can Participate

Be a Running Partner —Being a running partner involves the relationship that will make this program a success!  Every running partner will be paired with a specific group of girls or boys for the season.  As the student’s partner it is your job to stick with your girl or boy during the group runs and become the positive role model and encourager that he or she needs.  The running partner will also contact the student at least once a week using the phone or text messages to make sure you both are sticking to your plan.

Be a Snack Coordinator – Since one of our goals is to teach the young people healthy lifestyles, this position is very important!  As the partners finish the group run, we will gather together and eat a healthy snack and drink as we debrief about the run and discussion.  The snack coordinator will be responsible for providing and distributing the food and drink for this post run-activity, we can provide cups, jugs, plates, napkins, and a table if necessary and communicated prior.

Donate Running Clothing and Gear– Breakthrough is doing a clothing drive for running  clothing and would take donations of any size, any gender and any season of; running shorts, running tops (dri fit if possible) socks, sport bras, outer jackets, gloves etc.  pretty much anything but shoes.  Anyone interested can contact Rusty Funk at Breakthrough rfunk@breakthrough.org to find out how you can help out.

Running Kids Need Running Shoes!

Monetary donations– Anyone can donate to Breakthrough via the website and just specify youth and family services when you make a donation online.  Working Well Massage donated 35 matching Breakthrough fleece headbands to Breakthrough’s Running Club for the youngsters this Fall season (a $200 value)! Feel free to match our donation or any amount you can spare!

Breakthrough Urban Ministries-Joshua Center

3330 W. Carroll, Chicago , IL 60624 (Just West of Kedzie)

ph: 773.722.0179
fax: 773.722.0280

Related articles by Zemanta
Enhanced by Zemanta

Read Full Post »

Fitness, Fun, Rest & Relaxation–Just Hours Away From Chicago in Door County, Wisconsin

Posted in Fitness, Health and Wellness, Nature and Stress, tagged , , , , , , , on August 23, 2010| Leave a Comment »

By Sue Shekut, Owner, Working Well Massage, Licensed Massage Therapist, Certified Wellness Coach, ACSM Personal Trainer

I lived in Milwaukee during my grade school years. Each summer, my outdoorsy father would pack up our Vista Cruiser station wagon with tents, a Coleman stove, cots, coolers and our bikes for a camping trip to Door County, Wisconsin. I have fond memories of swimming in Nicolet Bay (the beach at Peninsula State Park), jumping off a pontoon boat in Sister Bay harbor  to swim in the cool Lake Michigan water and watching the goats eat on the roof of Al Johnson’s restaurant. So a few weeks ago, when my partner and I decided to get away for a few days, we headed to Door County to get some R&R, scout for locations for future retreats and seminars, and enjoy some of the last few days of summer.

For the uninitiated, Door County is the area of Wisconsin some call the Thumb. If you look at Wisconsin like a giant hand, the right-hand side has a “thumb” sticking out of it. Along the top of the “thumb” is a lovely area and country called Door County. It has a number of small towns along the lake and it’s been the quieter Wisconsin/Chicago tourist destination compared to the Dells.

Summit House (one of 7 houses) at Eagle Harbor Inn. Image by Sue Shekut

On of the reason I like to go to Door County is that, for this part of the country, there are a lot of outdoor activities you can do within a few miles of your hotel. We stayed in Eagle Harbor Inn in Ephraim and we were so pleased with our suite, we almost did not want to leave our rooms. Eagle Harbor Inn has a small indoor pool and a room with workout equipment. (It’s such a nice place we could see how it would be a great winter get away for snow showing, cross country skiing and sitting by a roaring (gas) fire. This s a great place for a retreat, workshop or even a corporate event since the Inn had about 7 Victorian style houses split into condo-like Suites. We had a one bedroom and it was absolutely cozy, inviting, quiet, and lovely. (The Innkeeper said some people some to Eagle Harbor Inn to enjoy the peace and quiet and to write books or work on software projects.)

Boats in Ephraim Bay. Image by Sue Shekut.

A mere 3 blocks away is South Shore Pier which rents pontoon boats, speed boats and wave runners by the day and half day. We rented a pontoon boat and tooled around the designated bay, boating from Ephraim to Fish Creek to Sisters Bay. Sitting in a boat may give you some time to synthesize vitamin D, but not much fitness, so we dropped anchor around Horseshoe Island, out of the way of speedboat traffic) and swam in the cool refreshing water. Since the boat requires deep water, jumping off the side of the boat means there is no bottom underneath your feet so you get a quite a swim. The water is cool, not freezing, but it’s not bath water either so it really wakes you up. As along as we  kept swimming though, it didn’t feel cold at all.

View from the boat on Lake Michigan in Door County. Image by Sue Shekut.

Peninsula State Park is a mere 5 minute bike ride from Eagle Harbor Inn. There are a number of trails throughout the park which is situated on, you guessed it, a peninsula jutting out of the “thumb” of Door County. On our second day in Door County, we hoped on our bikes took a left out of our hotel and in about 5 minutes (And a BIG hill), we were at the entrance of Peninsula State Park. After getting a map from the golf course info center, we found  miles of interior mountain bikes trails and we rode about 17 miles along the crisscrossing trails, through patches of mosquito ridden woods where we saw no other bikers or hikers. In one section of our ride, we joined the other bikers along the main bike path (gravel) that peeks out into the lake. Wooden benches waited for resting bikers and hikers along rocky beach near the bike path.

After a long days hike, we were fortunate (and also because I planned ahead!) to have a two person hot tub in our room at the Inn. Soaking after a long day of biking and hiking was a wonderful way to end our day.

Hot tub, fireplace and a bed. A great way to rest and relax. Image by Sue Shekut

Our final day in Door County, we decided to act like proper tourists so we did a round of Put putt golf at the Pirates Cove and then eat lunch at All Johnson’s.  If you haven’t gone to Door County, I hope you have a taste of some of the things you can do to enjoy the area and getaway from the big city to nature, peace and quiet and some interesting Door County sights.

Pirate's Cove Mini-Golf. Image by Sue Shekut

Map of Penisula State Park Bike routes. iamge by Sue Shekut

Beach at Nicolet Bay. Image by Sue Shekut

Bikes at Nicolet Bay. Image by Sue Shekut

Volly ball at Niceolet Bay. Image by Sue Shekut

Sequeway Tour of the park for seniors. Image by Sue Shekut

Related articles by Zemanta
Enhanced by Zemanta

Read Full Post »

The North Face Gets Youth Out Doors and Off Video Games

Posted in Fitness, Health and Wellness, Nature and Stress, tagged , , , , , , , on August 21, 2010| Leave a Comment »

By Sue Shekut, Owner, Working Well Massage, Licensed Massage Therapist, Certified Wellness Coach, ACSM Personal Trainer

Glen Falls, Cashiers, NC. Image by Sue Shekut

It’s an amazing year for outdoor enthusiasts like you and me! Not only did the federal government establish the America Great Outdoors initiative, but outdoor gear retailer, The North Face, announced the creation of the Explore Fund™ Grant Program to Reconnect Children with Nature. This is such a great idea to tackle childhood obesity, stress and give children great health and fitness experiences in the great outdoors. And it gives children a chance to explore a wonderful world that they might not see if left to play video games indoors.

The North Face Partners is providing more than$100,000 Outdoor Nation Youth Summit Delegates and other groups that help reconnect children with nature. “Today’s young skiers, campers, runners and climbers are tomorrow’s outdoor enthusiasts and conservationists,” said Steve Rendle, President of The North Face and VF Outdoor Americas. “We are providing education, access and connection through ongoing events, funding and PlanetExplore—an online community that helps individuals and families discover local outdoor recreational activities. Our goal is to get more people outside, having fun and exploring their world in ways that are meaningful to them.”

The Conservation Fund also announced a $50,000 matching grant to the Outdoor Foundation to be used with the Explore Fund to support concepts generated by the Outdoor Nation delegates. The Outdoor Nation event brings together 500 young delegates from each of the 50 states to champion the outdoors. The delegates were selected based on interest in the outdoor and a commitment to lead local, regional and national efforts that will reconnect youth and nature.

“Reconnecting young people with the outdoors is critical for the health of our population, our economy and our environment. It’s time for a new Outdoor Revolution and we need young people to step up and lead. Thanks to the Outdoor Foundation, The North Face and our many other partners, the delegates at the Outdoor Nation Youth Summit will for the first time be able to do just that,” said Larry Selzer, President and CEO, The Conservation Fund.”

“Recent high profile government initiatives like the America’s Great Outdoors program and the First Lady’s ‘Let’s Move’ campaign are part of a national trend to encourage Americans – especially youth – to lead healthier lifestyles and reconnect with nature. Across the country programs are trying to get kids outside and moving; however, few programs are focused on young people as leaders,” said Chris Fanning, Executive Director, The Outdoor Foundation. “Outdoor Nation and the Explore Fund initiatives are two of the first efforts that aim to empower youth to champion outdoor change in their communities and on their campuses.”

What is The North Face®?

The North Face, a division of VF Outdoor, Inc., was founded in 1968. Headquartered in San Leandro, California, the company offers technically advanced products to accomplished climbers, mountaineers, snow sport athletes, endurance athletes, and explorers. The company’s products are sold in specialty mountaineering, backpacking, running, and snow sport retailers, premium-sporting goods retailers and major outdoor specialty retail chains.

What is The Conservation Fund?

The Conservation Fund is dedicated to advancing America’s land and water legacy. With our partners, we conserve land, train leaders and invest in conservation at home. Since 1985, it has helped protect more than 6 million acres, sustaining wild havens, working lands and vibrant communities. Learn more here.

What is Outdoor Nation?

As part of a broader national initiative, Outdoor Nation and its community of ‘Outsiders’ are committed to increasing and expanding youth participation through entertainment, education, engagement and action – especially among urban communities and communities of color – resulting in a healthier, more active generation.

What is The Outdoor Foundation?

The Outdoor Foundation is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to inspiring and growing future generations of outdoor enthusiasts. Through ground-breaking research, action-oriented convening and outreach and education programs, the Foundation is working with partners to mobilize a major cultural shift that leads all Americans to the great outdoors. In 2010, the Foundation launched Outdoor Nation — a ground-breaking initiative that aims to empower youth to champion the outdoors on campuses and in communities. For more information click here.

Related articles by Zemanta
Enhanced by Zemanta

Read Full Post »

Tell The Us How You Embrace Healthy Living in the Great Outdoors

Posted in Fitness, Health and Wellness, Nature and Stress, tagged , , , on August 18, 2010| Leave a Comment »

By Sue Shekut, Owner, Working Well Massage, Licensed Massage Therapist, Certified Wellness Coach, ACSM Personal Trainer

If you read my blog you know I am a big nature lover and outdoors enthusiast. Being outside in nature, hiking, biking swimming or whatnot, makes me feel calmer, fitter and happier overall. I’ve written about nature and stress management and how both exercise and nature can help alleviate anxiety and other stress related conditions. Now, I hear that the current Presidential Administration is on the same page!

This past April at the White House Conference on America’s Great Outdoors, President Obama established the America’s Great Outdoors Initiative to develop a conservation agenda to reconnect Americans with our great outdoors.  The President understands that protecting and restoring the outdoor spaces that we love and reconnecting people to the outdoors must happen at the local level. Therefore, President Obama directed the principal leaders of the America’s Great Outdoors Initiative to travel across the country to listen and learn from people directly involved in finding grassroots solutions to reconnect Americans to the outdoors.  The President indicated that the sessions should engage the full range of interested groups, issues, and solutions.

Chicago Outdoor Enthusiasts this is your chance to Shine! Join senior representatives from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), the U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI), the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and the White House Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) for a public listening session and discussions in Chicago, IL on the relationship of health and the outdoors. Discussion will include active and passive recreation, barriers to access, and new ideas, opportunities, and solutions for enhancing healthy living outdoors for all Americans.

Listening Session and Discussion Information

When: Tuesday, August 31, 2010

Where:

GENERAL Listening Session

Northwestern University School of Law

Thorne Auditorium

375 E. Chicago Ave. Chicago, IL 60611

8:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.

 YOUTH Listening Session (high school & college)

Prentice Women’s Hospital

250 East Superior Street – Room L
Chicago, IL 60611

5:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.

Who: National and local leadership from Department of Health and Human Services, the Department of the Interior, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the Environmental Protection Agency, and the White House Council on Environmental Quality will be present to hear your thoughts and to participate in a conversation with you about America’s Great Outdoors.

  • 8:30 am – 12:30 pm: General Session to capture public input for a report back to the President
  • 5:00 pm – 7:00 pm: Youth Session to engage the next generation on ideas for making healthy living outdoors more available, accessible, and affordable

Both sessions are free and open to the public. They will make every effort to accommodate everyone, though space may fill up, so please pre-register via the email address below corresponding to the session you wish to attend (note that adults above age 24 should attend the General Session to allow space for youth ages 16-24 to participate in the Youth Session).

Please Register

To reserve a seat in the discussion, please register in advance via email below with:

·         your name

·         the name of the organization with which you are affiliated, if any

·         your telephone number

·         an email address where we may confirm your registration

(On-site registrations will be accepted if space is available.)

Transportation

Please consider public transportation to the event:

  • CTA Bus Route #66 Chicago Ave
  • CTA Red Line “L” train: exit train at Chicago Ave stop walk/take cab/bike east to event space

Address: Chicago Ave. and 800 N. State Street

Parking at Northwestern Memorial Hospital:
The main parking structure is located at the Huron/St. Clair parking garage, 222 East Huron St.

  • $10 for less than seven hours
  • $22 for seven to 24 hours

A validation for a parking discounts may be available at customer service desks located in Feinberg/Galter Pavilions, 1st and 2nd floor, and Prentice Women’s Hospital, 1st floor.

Questions

If you have questions, please call Andrea Cernich at 240-276-9869.

Website for Your Comments

If you are unable to participate in person, please submit your comments and ideas via the America’s Great Outdoors website at http://www.doi.gov/americasgreatoutdoors/.

Related articles by Zemanta
Enhanced by Zemanta

Read Full Post »

Reduce Your Stress By Better Managing Conflict

Posted in Health and Wellness, Stress Management on August 9, 2010| 1 Comment »

By Sue Shekut, Owner, Working Well Massage, Licensed Massage Therapist, Certified Wellness Coach, ACSM Personal Trainer

A few years ago I read a book that really made me rethink how to handle people when they are angry or anxious. It’s called, “Conflict Unraveled” and it is written by Andra Medea. Recently, I recommended the book to a client that is having problems with conflict and I thought I’d recommend the book to you all on my blog.

From a stress management perspective, conflict, especially unresolved conflict, can create a lot of tension in a home or work environment. Yet, until the last few years when classes on bullying became more common in schools, I don’t recall ever having a class about how to manage conflict when I was in school. Nowadays, I read stories about bullies in the workplace, bullies in adult social groupings and of course,  bullies on the playground. And there are books to help you deal with bullies and conflict at every level.  What I like about Conflict Unraveled however, is that Medea shows us what happens physiologically when we face conflict, how the chemicals in our bodies effectively block rational thought through “flooding.” She also explains how our body language can escalate or deflate conflict.

Reading the book won’t magically make all your conflict related stress disappear. But it may give you some new tools in handling conflict that may make your life a lot less stressful!

Conflict Unraveled: Fixing problems at work and in families at Amazon.com

Who is Andra Medea?

Growing up in one of the many urban villages in South Side Chicago, Andra Medea’s first eighteen years were sharply shaped by her Lithuanian-American background, the extreme diversity of the smaller neighborhoods, racial tension, and the violence of local riots. At age 18 she organized a conference about rape and co-authored the book Against Rape, published when she was just 20. She developed a self-defense technique that depends more on brain power than brawn, and in time studied aikido, which is the art of spirit over brawn. For years, she traveled throughout the country and internationally, teaching self-defense. She worked her way through college and earned a Master of Arts degree from DePaul University with a concentration in conflict management.

While teaching at Northwestern University and the University of Chicago, Andra developed her unique brand of conflict resolution, which had first germinated in her mind with the shoe-on-the-rooftop incident. Her first book on the subject, Conflict Unraveled, was published in 2004 and its follow-up, Going Home without Going Crazy, is scheduled for publication in October, 2006. Her trademark seminars are called Conflict Unraveled Toolkit.™ With a liberal dose of humor throughout her material, Andra presents a method for resolving conflict that really works. Just try it.

“Conflict is not a moral or legal issue,” Andra says. “It is a series of problems to be solved.” And Andra Medea is an unmatchable problem solver who, thankfully, has made her unique insights available to all of us.

She started Medea & Associates in 1987.

Her latest work is a 3-hour DVD from the American Bar Association, Working with Emotional Clients: The Virtual Tranquilizer® for Lawyers.

Read more about Andrea here.

Andra Medea Articles

The Virtual Tranquilizer ®
Andra Medea  (Tips for managers and others who need to work under pressure.)

Seven Inexplicable Things Customers Do (and what to do about them)
Andra Medea  (Reprinted in Fortune.com, Fast Company.com and over 40 magazines and newspapers around the country)

Bevel’s Principle of Communication
Bob Burg  (Grace and finesse while working with others.)

Andra Medea Radio

How to Deal with Irate Customers without Losing Your Cool: Entrepreneur Magazine Radio, Lee Mirabal, Host (Hear Andra use VT techniques to defuse an angry onslaught)

Going Home without Going Crazy: PsychJourney Radio, Deborah Harper, Host (This interview has been recommended by mental health workers for suicide prevention. It’s a great resource at 2 am.)

Andra Medea has also been repeatedly interviewed on National Public Radio and WGN Radio.

Read Full Post »

Get Organized and Reduce Your Stress With Fung Shui

Posted in Health and Wellness, Stress Management, tagged , , , , , , on August 3, 2010| Leave a Comment »

By Sue Shekut, Owner, Working Well Massage, Licensed Massage Therapist, Certified Wellness Coach, ACSM Personal Trainer

Recently a reader commented about her lack of organization increasing her stress level. I find that being organized isn’t an innate quality for many of us. I am NOT the Queen of Good Organization, but I luckily do live with The King of Organization and I learn a great deal from him every day. (And he lives with my budding but less than organized self each day. Send him your sympathy.)

My parents were Depression Era babies and they both grew up knowing the value of saving. Saving money, saving string, saving magazines from 1950, saving everything because “someday you may need it.” This was a valuable approach in the Depression of the 1930’s and in some ways it has become useful again today. Except we have so much more stuff these days.

I learned the “keep it in case you need it” approach myself and over time I had accumulated way too much “stuff”. Memorabilia. Gifts people had given me I was reluctant to part with even if they had long been forgotten. Silly gift my parents had given me (we are a family of givers!). Old clothes that no longer fit or never fit my right. I am not a hoarder by any means. But I did have way too much stuff. All that stuff wasn’t hurting me directly, but I did feel the weight of it and felt stress of having too much stuff for my living space.

Then I read a book called “Clear Your Clutter With Feng Shui” by Karen Kingston. And, while it didn’t completely change my life, it did give me “permission” to let go of much of the stuff I had that I was keeping mainly out of guilt or obligation. (If someone gave me something, I didn’t want to “hurt” them by getting rid of it.)

I went though my closets and drawers and found that about 70% of the stuff I was holding onto were things I no longer needed, used or even knew I had. Instead of out-and-out throwing it all away, which felt a bit wasteful  to me, I either regifted things or donated them to charitable organizations that resell or give away items.

I also asked my parents and friend to not give me more “stuff’ especially knicknacks. Instead I prefer to give and get gifts of experience, consumables and time with loved ones. (Of course, cash is a great gift for some occasions, too!)

If you are a clutterer, or feel stressed by your ‘stuff, you may want to read the book and see if any of the ideas presented appeal to you. You don’t have to believe in Fung Shui to get sue out of the book. The tips she presents and ideas are simple and practical.

Check out the book here: Clear Your Clutter With Feng Shui

Another book that has been useful to many of my friends, is “Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity.” However, I found that book more difficult to read and follow. I tried the author, David Allen’s suggested approach of creating 31 file folders to put things in that needed to be done each day. It didn’t work for me, but it may for others. But David does offer other tips that may be useful. For me, the Fung Shui book was an easier read with more practical tips. But read both and use tips that work for you from both books or either book.

And if you feel your cluttering is out of hand, and you may be a hoarder, then check out the show, Hoarders, on A&E. the show shows people who are trying to get a handle on their hoarding habits.

Note: As of this month, I began participating in Amazon’s Affiliate program. So if you purchase a product via links in this post, my blog gets a tiny percentage of the sale (Literally a few pennies). I’ve been recommending products via Amazon (which usually has the lowest prices and best selection) anyway, so I am recouping blog costs via these links. If you don’t want to kick me a few pennies, no worries. Just look up the books yourself on Amazon!

Related articles by Zemanta
Enhanced by Zemanta

Read Full Post »

« Newer Posts - Older Posts »