The 2024 Wellness Series is brought to you by:
FCAAP THRIVE TEAM AMBASSADORS
Dr. Rana Alissa
Deanice Cruz
Events you all look forward to, like the FCAAP Wellness Series and FCAAP Strava Club challenges, are coming back in 2024. We can look forward to a new and inspiring wellness elements.
We’re so excited to have you onboard! Together, we’ll strive for a better lifestyles and motivate each other to attain our self-care & overall wellness goals. Let’s transform our lives and inspire others to do the same!
Enthusiastically,
—Rana Alissa, MD, FAAP
FCAAP Wellness Ambassador
Spring 2024 Wellness Series
The wait is over! Registration for the 2024 FCAAP Spring Wellness Series is open; RSVP. The series starts in May. This five-week event covers a range of wellness topics specifically chosen for busy pediatric providers. Featuring expert speakers, a challenge, and prizes, the series offers something to cater to everyone’s individual health needs. Speakers for the series include Andrew Lagomasino, PsyD, ABPP; Aaron Komarek, MBA; Kabeel Dosani, PhD. and Jennifer Baxley Lee, PhD, MA, BC-DMT.
As the physical fitness component of the series, we have planned an exciting 7-day challenge for everyone. Join the Stairway to Health Strava Challenge starting May 27, 2024. The goal is to aim for a routine of climbing stairs. If you are not an FCAAP Athlete yet, join our community today and then click on the event invite to join the Stairway to Health Strava Challenge.
FCAAP members can register now to receive a calendar invitation for the 2024 Spring Wellness Series sessions.
“When we strive to become better than we are, everything around us becomes better too.”
– Paulo Coelho.
What Lies Beneath Awareness: Psychological Structure of Anxiety and Treatment Implications
Thursday, May 2, 12:30 p.m. ET
Many individuals with anxiety disorders are aware of their painful symptoms, but they need to keep themselves in the dark about the underlying emotional causes of their maladies. Individuals with panic attacks and other disorders mistakenly locate the sources of their conflicts in their bodies. In order to achieve lasting improvements, however, hidden psychological conflicts and discomfort about bringing them to light need to be worked through. Join Andrew Lagomasino, PsyD, for this meaningful discussion.
Foundations on Financial Planning
Thursday, May 9, 12:30 p.m. ET
As we strive for a great sense of wellness, we can incorporate habits that can help us live better; financial practices included. Join Aaron Komarek, Financial Advisor, to learn a fresh, comprehensive way to address your financial success complete with actionable steps. The session will cover an introduction to important financial concepts to maximize your wealth and ensure it is protected.
Empower Med: Assertive Communication Skills for Healthcare Professionals
Thursday, May 16, 12:30 p.m. ET
This presentation will provide an overview of skills to develop and implement for communicating assertively and authentically in healthcare settings. Participants will learn about prevailing barriers and contextual factors related to assertive communication. They will then explore strategies to implement to build confidence in assertive communication to advocate for themselves, their patients, and their overall community. Join Kabeel Dosani, PhD, for this noteworthy discussion.
Dance for Health and Well-being
Thursday, May 23, 12:30 p.m. ET
Join Dr. Jennifer Baxley Lee, PhD, MA, BC-DMT, in this thirty-minute session, where we will enjoy a balance of energizing and relaxing seated and gentle movement together as we explore the benefits of a more deeply- embodied experience through dance. Dance as multi-modal form helps to regulate our nervous systems, create a sense of community, increase our creativity and vitality, and bring energy and relaxation in our physical bodies, our minds, and our hearts.
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 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.
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.
FALL 2023 WELLNESS WRAPUP
FCAAP WELLNESS FUN RUN + MEET UP
Make your wellbeing a priority by joining fellow FPP attendees for a sunrise fun run. Participants will run, jog, or walk around the boardwalk at their preferred pace.
FCAAP WELLNESS BOOK DISCUSSION AND SIGNING
Join Dr. Whitney Casares, the Founder and CEO of Modern Mommy Doc, for a brief discussion followed by a signing of her book, The Working Mom Blueprint. The Working Mom Blueprint is a practical plan for helping working moms thrive—not just survive.
FCAAP WELLNESS MORNING YOGA
Join fellow FPP attendees for an instructor-led morning yoga session. All fitness levels and capabilities are encouraged to participate.
FCAAP WELLNESS BOOK DISCUSSION
Join your colleagues for a discussion of Dr. Ronald Epstein’s book Attending: Medicine, Mindfulness, and Humanity, led by Dr. Fatma Levent. Attending: Medicine, Mindfulness, and Humanity is the first book for the general public about the importance of mindfulness in medical practice.
WELLNESS MARKETPLACE
Stop by the Wellness Marketplace to grab one last snack, chat with new and old friends, visit the marketplace displays, and see if you “Made the Board!”
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
Session 1: Mindfulness
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.
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!
