Wellness Talks


Previously Recorded


Mindfulness, Stress and Social Connection

Presented by: John D. Dunne

In challenging times, stress and anxiety can become overwhelming, especially when combined with decreased social connection.

Presentation Slides

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The Energies of Sleep

Presented by: Wendy Warren Grapentine

Wendy Warren Grapentine shares simple tools and techniques to bring your energy into balance so you can get the rest you need.

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Is There Gain from Pain?

Presented by: Dr. Ruddy, ND and Miranda Merkes, LMT

Dispelling the myths that often get in the way of true recovery and long-term wellness.

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10 Things to Know About Aging

Presented by Dr. Alexis Eastman

A whirlwind tour of the physiology of aging, designed to help all audience identify what is “normal” and what to watch out for in the aging process

10 Things to Know About Aging Handout

Sponsored by

Madison Senior Center and All of Us Research Program

Joyful Movement

Presented by: Miranda Merkes

Joyful Movement is a new trend and mindset. It focuses on finding fun and sustainable ways of moving our bodies, and away from the traditional ideas about exercise which focus on reps, calorie-burning, and sweat inducing movement. Through Joyful Movement you can improve your relationship with your body and mind, ease chronic pain, and release stress. Learning this new approach, emphasizing movement that brings you joy, will help to inspire you to move more.

Recommended Reading

Burnout The Secret to Unlocking the Stress Cycle
by Amelia and Emily Nagoski

Burnout book cover

Anchored by Deb Dana

Anchored book cover

The Body Keeps the Score by Bessel Van Der Kolk

The body keeps the score book cover

Sponsored by

Group Health Cooperative Sponsor

Shingles: What You Should Know

Presented by: Presented by Jonathan L. Temte, MD/PhD

Explore the diagnosis of the painful skin condition known as shingles, its relationship to chickenpox, and the increasing risk of occurrence as we age. Successful treatment depends on early recognition. Prevention—by way of a safe and effective vaccine—is the best way to avoid this nasty condition.

Shingles: What you should know information sheet

Sponsored by

Madison Senior Center and All of Us Research Program

It’s Tick Season Again! What to Know and How to Stay Tick Free

Presented by Dr. Xia Lee, UW-Madison Department of Entomology

Learn about the biology of ticks along with the pathogens that they transmit from Public Health Entomologist, Dr. Xia Lee. He will provide tips and advice on how to best avoid and prevent tick bites.

Helpful Tick Information 

https://wisconsin-ticks.russell.wisc.edu/

University of Wisconsin-Madison Medical Entomology Laboratory with links to Tick Identification Service, The Tick App., and additional resources on ticks and tick-borne diseases.

https://www.cdc.gov/ticks/tickedvisits/index.html

CDC’s tick bite tracker, a tool to view Emergency Department visits for tick bites by month/week throughout the United States.

https://www.cdc.gov/ticks/tickbornediseases/index.html

CDC webpage with additional information on Tick-borne Diseases of the United States.

http://mcevbd.wisc.edu/ticks

Midwest Center of Excellence for Vector-borne Disease webpage with links to the Tick Identification Service along with The Tick App.

https://www.cdc.gov/lyme/removal/tick-bite-bot.html

CDC’s Tick Bite Bot, an interactive tool that will assist individuals on removing attached ticks and determining when to seek health care, if appropriate, after a tick bite.

Sponsored by

Madison Senior Center and All of Us Research Program

Bringing Your Stress Response into the 21st Century

Presented by Wendy Warren Grapentine

Our bodies have an amazing stress response that’s kept us alive as a species for millennia. However, research has found it’s still stuck in the Stone Age.

Join us to learn how you can begin to evolve your body’s stress response — training it to know the difference between a life-or-death threat and the stress of having a difficult boss, a challenging relationship, or bills that are bigger than your bank account.

You’ll leave this session feeling calmer, centered, and in control, with new tools for your stress management tool-kit!

Stress Shifting Sequence Movements Video

Sponsored by

Group Health Cooperative of South Central Wisconsin

Feeling Stuck? How Awareness Can Move Us Forward

Monday, January 24, 2022

Presented by Wendy Warren Grapentine

It’s easy to feel tossed and turned by the fast pace of our society and get stuck, unsure of how to move forward. We know there’s something better, but all we can see is what’s wrong – whether in our personal life, work-life, or the world as a whole. In this session, we’ll learn how to move forward powerfully by becoming aware of where we’re resisting. Awareness leads to letting go, allowing space for possibility, and helps us align with what we do want. Not only does this provide a sense of personal peace, but it also positively impacts our friends, families, coworkers, and communities.

Program Handout

Sponsored by

Group Health Cooperative of South Central Wisconsin


Successful Aging: Stress Management and a Healthy Immune System

Recorded Friday, September 3, 2021

Presented by Dr. Ruddy, ND

Learn natural, practical solutions to manage stress and promote a healthy immune system for successful aging. Dr. Ruddy will talk about an essential, holistic regimen that’s proven to improve our health and resilience in each decade of life.

Program Slides and Book List

Sponsored by

Group Health Cooperative of South Central Wisconsin


Nature Connection: Forest Bathing and Exploring Wisconsin’s Scenic State Parks

Recorded Thursday, April 22, 2021

Kate Bast, Certified Nature and Forest Therapy Guide
Founder of Shinrin-yoku Madison

Missy VanLanduyt, PMP, LEED AP
Recreation Partnerships Section Chief, WI DNR

Have you ever wondered why you feel so wonderful after digging in the garden, fishing a stream, soaking in the sun, watching the clouds drift by, hiking or just going for a long walk? Kate Bast, Certified Nature and Forest Therapy Guide (ANFT) will talk about forest bathing and the current research on nature connection as a pillar for a healthy life. The event will be informational and experiential, with a short, guided sensory opening.

Also, discover some beautiful locations you can visit to bond with nature. Missy VanLanduyt, Recreation Partnership Section Chief for the Wisconsin State Park System, will show you what our wonderful state parks have to offer – from favorite places and hidden gems, to outdoor recreation opportunities. We’ll take a trip around the state and explore remote beaches, wooded campgrounds, serene nature trails, and picturesque vistas.

Sponsored by MSC and All of Us Research Program

Sponsored by:


A Simple Self-help Tool for Stress Reduction

Presented by Wendy Warren Grapentine

Recorded Thursday, December 3, 2020

One of the biggest causes of ongoing stress in our lives is our body’s Fight, Flight, or Freeze response that can keep us on high alert unnecessarily. EFT or Emotional Freedom Techniques is a simple self-help tool to short-circuit that innate response to stress.
You’ll learn more about what Emotional Freedom Techniques is, the science behind it, and how to use it in your day-to-day life.

Wendy Warren Grapentine is a former news anchor and medical reporter at Channel 27. She is currently a practicing massage therapist, energy worker, intuitive coach, and mind-body advocate at Group Health Cooperative and in private practice.

Sponsored by:

Group Health Cooperative of South Central Wisconsin


Finding Happiness During Difficult Times

Tina Hallis, Ph.D.

Recorded Tuesday, October 13, 2020

It’s easy to get stuck, focused on all the stresses and challenges in our lives and in our world, especially now. Take a break with Tina Hallis and learn how you can find more happiness despite the uncertainty and chaos. Tina brings the science of Positive Psychology to our everyday lives so you can spend more time in gratitude, peace, and happiness.

Tina Hallis, Ph.D., is a professional speaker, positivity catalyst, and founder of The Positive Edge. She is the author of Sharpen Your Positive Edge: Shifting Your Thoughts for More Positivity & Success. Tina worked for 20+ years in biotechnology before discovering Positive Psychology in 2011. She was so inspired by the powerful impact of this information, she decided to become certified and dedicate her career to helping people realize that positivity is a choice and how to make that choice easier.

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