The FCAAP Wellness Program was launched to support and encourage members in prioritizing their own well-being. The spring and fall wellness series feature expert-led educational sessions held live via Zoom on key areas of wellness. These sessions are offered free to Chapter members. The FCAAP Strava Club provides a welcoming community of “FCAAP athletes” and offers periodic fitness challenges that provide members with a fun way to stay fit and healthy.
Fall 2023 Wellness Series
The Fall 2023 FCAAP Wellness Virtual Series will provide free expert-led sessions to members, continuing to foster a culture of well-being. During each session, participants can identify, share, and practice diverse self-nurturance strategies that result in an improved sense of well-being. Don’t let a day go by without doing a little, or a lot, for yourself. Register here today!
Session 1
Shifting To An Attitude Of Gratitude
Thursday, September 14, 12:30 p.m. ET
Changing our focus has the potential to change our life perspective. Expressing gratitude can bring benefits such as increased happiness, resiliency, greater life satisfaction, reduced burnout, and enhanced physical health, to mention a few. Join Tammy Bernard, M.Ed., C-IAYT, and fellow members to consider how to integrate the habit of gratitude more into our own lives.
Session 2
Physician Self-Care: A Primer On National Sleep Foundation’s Best Slept Self Framework® For Healthy Sleep
Wednesday, September 20, 12:30 p.m. ET
Everyone can relate to having a good (or bad) night’s sleep. This presentation led by Dr. Joseph M. Dzierzewski will describe the National Sleep Foundation’s Best Slept Self® framework for healthy sleep. Included are concrete, evidence-based basics for improving sleep health, national statistics on practicing healthy sleep behaviors, and the rationale for why prioritizing sleep is important to health and performance. Q&A and discussion follow.
Session 3
Setting Healthier Boundaries So You Can Provide Even Better Care
Wednesday, September 27, 12:30 p.m. ET
As health care providers, we care for others day in and day out, but when we don’t learn how to take the best care of ourselves by setting healthy boundaries, we can’t show up as our best selves. Learn the signs of unhealthy boundary settings and three simple steps you can take to protect your relationships with your patients, your co-workers, and yourself with Dr. Whitney Casares. This presentation will be based on her book, The Working Mom Blueprint.
Don’t wait! Register for the virtual series here. We will send you calendar invites!
The Fall 2023 FCAAP Wellness Series is brought to you by:
MESSAGE FROM OUR WELLNESS AMBASSADOR
Hello and welcome! It is with great excitement that we are embarking on a great journey toward wellness. I encourage you to participate in all the activities our wellness program has to offer.
Our career requires a lot from us. At the end of the day, we can find ourselves drained emotionally and physically. Taking few minutes for ourselves every day is crucial to stay healthy. The wellness program in FCAAP is a great tool to do so since it gives us tips on how to improve our wellbeing. Please remember that you are making a difference in children’s lives. YOU matter!
I’m looking forward to a fantastic 2023 Wellness Program alongside you.
—Rana Alissa, MD, FAAP
FCAAP Wellness Ambassador
The wellness series was an awesome and amazing experience. I am excited to put the tools learned into practice in my personal as well as professional life. Each series gave new information and was very inviting. I hope this will continue as I definitely am able to benefit from the series.
Bernavette P.
The joint Florida and Michigan AAP chapter series on wellness was so heartening and fun. So nice to know our colleagues in other states are doing the same work we are and experiencing some of the same stresses. It was so much fun to just meet informally and to share information that was sometimes novel to our colleagues. Here’s to future collaborations!
Lia G.
The FCAAP Fall 2022 Wellness Series Strava Challenge was a wonderful opportunity to virtually participate in outdoor physical fitness along with my colleagues.
Lynn P.
FCAAP Wellness at FPP2023
FPP2023 was packed with wellness events for attendees! Our annual conference featured great participation in the Saturday morning Fun Run, Sunday morning Yoga on the beach, Book Discussions and Signings, and a Wellness Marketplace.
SPRING 2023 WELLNESS SERIES
IN COLLABOTATION WITH PRAAP
FCAAP’s noteworthy Wellness Series returned in May. The Florida and the Puerto Rico Chapters conjoined efforts to bring five remarkable expert led sessions. Colleagues from the Michigan Chapter also participated in the series of virtual events.
The Spring 2023 Wellness Series focused on mindfulness, identifying, and regulating emotions, adequate sleep, and healthy tips and recipes.
Visit the FCAAP members-only website for a link to videos of all the Spring 2023 Wellness sessions.
SPRING WELLNESS 2023 SESSIONS
Thursday, May 4, 12:45 p.m. ET
We invite you to take a minute or thirty to stop everything you are doing and focus on yourself. Practicing mindfulness can be an effective way to reduce stress levels. Join Lindsey Kugel, Executive Director for Search Inside Yourself Leadership Institute (SIYLI), to learn ways to incorporate mindfulness into your everyday life, including while providing care. The aim of mindfulness is to help with self-awareness, reduce stress levels, and overall be kinder towards yourself.
Session 2: Identifying Our Emotions
Thursday, May 11, 12:30 p.m. ET
Mrs. Milagros Santos-Diaz, Certified Wellness Consultant, will share ways to develop the skill to identify our emotions. Our emotions help to guide the decisions that we make every minute of our lives and can be useful tools if we know how to recognize them.
Session 3: Managing Our Emotions
Thursday, May 18, 12:30 p.m. ET
Mrs. Milagros Santos-Diaz, Certified Wellness Consultant, will share tips to regulate our emotions. Each emotion serves a helpful function. Learning the skills to manage them will help us prevent they become too intense, affect our relationship with others or lead to a problematic response.
Session 4: How’s Your Sleep? Good Sleep For Better Health
Thursday, May 25, 12:30 p.m. ET
A good night’s sleep or the lack of it has a mental and physical impact on the body. We invite you to join Dr. Akinyemi Ajayi, board certified in Sleep Medicine and a Diplomate of the American Board of Sleep Medicine, who will share information on getting quality sleep as an integral component of feeling better and living healthier and more productive lives.
Session 5: Healthy Tips & Low Effort Recipe Soiree
Thursday, June 1, 12:30 p.m. ET
Busy schedules call for healthy yet simple prepared food. This session is for you if you seek strategies to sustain a balanced diet and schedule. Join Dr. Cynthia Roque & Dr. Angela Fals for a fun soiree to exchange recipes and tips that can keep us in optimal health while saving some time. We also encourage you to bring and share your own recipes and tips to maintain a healthy diet during this discussion for inclusion in a special PDF book we will send to all participants after the session.
FALL 2022 FCAAP WELLNESS SERIES
FCAAP’s popular Wellness Series returned in September with expert-led sessions designed to help health care providers improve their overall health and quality of life. Whether you are seeking a better work-life balance, effective ways to combat stress and burnout, or simply want to talk with colleagues who understand the issues you face, FCAAP’s Wellness Program has something for you.
The Fall Wellness Series focused on mental health, connectedness, physical well-being, and mindfulness, and ran through September. The program is available only to members of FCAAP and the Michigan Chapter of AAP.
FALL WELLNESS 2022 SESSIONS
Session 1: Provider Burnout
Presenter: Dr. Zakia Alavi
Thursday, September 8, 12 p.m. ET
Burnout is on the rise across the health care industry. While providers work in highly stressful environments and situations, stress management is not usually part of the medical education curriculum. Dr. Alavi will discuss preventive measures to combat stress and burnout, and the importance of showing the same care and kindness to ourselves as we do to our patients.
Session 2: Work-Family Life Balance
Co-Presenter Florida: Dr. Robin Warner
Co-Presenter Michigan: Dr. Lia Gaggino
Friday, September 16, 12:30 p.m. ET
Work-life balance is an inclusive approach to all the facets of life that give us the utmost satisfaction and leads to a feeling of fulfillment. Learning how to balance everything isn’t easy. While work-life balance may have a slightly different meaning for different people, there is common ground. Join Drs. Warner and Gaggino for this enjoyable and meaningful discussion.
Session 3: Connect with Nature: Spending Time Outdoors & Wellbeing
Presenter: Britney Moore, Assistant Bureau Chief, Florida Office of Greenways & Trails
Wednesday, September 21, 12:30 p.m. ET
Spending time in nature can offer a mental and emotional refuge when you need to unwind and recharge. Whether exploring a nearby park or one of Florida’s many diverse natural sites, spending time outside is beneficial to our wellness. Britney Moore, Assistant Bureau Chief, Florida Office of Greenways & Trails, will guide us in exploring how to get outdoors and incorporate nature into our everyday lives.
Session 4: Music Therapy & How It Helps
Presenter: Courtney Arndt, MT-BC
Tuesday, September 27, 12:30 p.m. ET
Can anyone try music therapy? Yes. Musical skills or talents are not required to participate. Humans have long appreciated the healing power of music. Join Courtney Arndt, Founder of Florida Music Therapy and Board-Certified Music Therapist, to learn how the practice can help and why it’s been proven effective in psychological, emotional, physical, spiritual, cognitive, and social areas.
I really enjoyed participating in the Wellness Series, especially the Strava Challenge which was very motivating. The collaboration of the FCAAP with colleagues in Michigan was appreciated also.
Carroll B.
The FCAAP wellness series hit all the key topics. I could not attend most sessions in real time but enjoyed catching up with the recordings. I found the whole program very helpful for self care and will participate in the next series for sure!
Judith A.R.
The webinars were also very helpful in guiding us to reflect on what we feel, what we do, and suggesting other options for building awareness, resilience and practicing mindfulness as part of a daily routine.
Otto A.
Spring Wellness Series 2022
FCAAP and the Michigan AAP (MIAAP) want to thank everyone for their participation in the Spring Wellness Series. This five-week event covered a range of wellness topics specifically chosen for busy physicians. Featuring expert speakers, meditation classes, prizes, and even some surprises, the series offered something to cater to everyone’s individual health needs.
Visit the FCAAP members-only website for a link to videos of all the Spring 2022 Wellness sessions.
SPRING WELLNESS 2022 SESSIONS
Week 1: Physical Fitness and Health
Session 1: Tuesday, May 3, 7 p.m. ET
Dr. Theresa Holtrop shared the importance of self-care at work, along with ways to start taking better care of yourself. Finding ways to replenish your well-being during work hours can improve your productivity and motivation.
Session 2: Wednesday, May 4, 12:30 p.m. ET
Regular physical activity is one of the most important things you can do for your health. Dr. José Zayas discussed the benefits of exercise and how you can incorporate it regularly into your schedule.
Week 2: Nutrition
Session: Monday, May 9, 6 p.m. ET
When you eat right, you’re more likely to feel right. Balanced nutrition is essential and affects how you’ll feel tonight, tomorrow, and into the future. Dr. Debora Duro presented on sustainable nutrition.
Week 3: Mental Health and Self Care
Session 1: Wednesday, May 18, 6:30 p.m. ET
During this session, led by Dr. Thresia Gambon, members from both the Florida and Michigan chapters shared the experiences and strategies they employ to overcome the challenges of stress and the inability to unplug.
Session 2: Friday, May 20, 12:30 p.m. ET
Having occasional feelings of anxiety is a normal part of life. Pediatric psychiatrist Dr. Jeanette Scheid explored different forms of anxiety and simple strategies to reduce or eliminate it.
Week 4: Mindfulness
Session 1: Monday, May 23, 12:15 p.m. – 1 p.m. ET
We have a personal and professional obligation to tend to our own wellbeing. We must pay attention to all aspects of our lives because neglect in one area affects our overall quality of life. Pediatric psychiatrist Dr. Sheila Marcus shared wellness strategies to help us become more proactive during our journeys.
Session 2: Wednesday, May 25, 12 p.m. – 12:30 p.m. ET
Dr. April Yuki led 30 minutes of guided meditation and relaxation.
Session 3: Thursday, May 26, 6:30 p.m. – 7 p.m. ET
More guided meditation and relaxation with Dr. April Yuki.
Week 5: Coaching and Application
Session: Tuesday, May 31, 6:30 p.m. ET
Dr. Dianne Ansari-Winn, author of the book Doctor, Heal Thyself: A Guide for Physicians to Prevent Burnout and Promote Wellbeing, held an interactive workshop that focused on how members can apply the self-care tactics they learned throughout the month.
Walk the Path to Wellness Strava Challenge
Thank you to all the FCAAP members who participated in the Walk the Path to Wellness Challenge on Strava. Joining the FCAAP Strava club is free. Sign up today and stay tuned for another challenge coming soon!
