Campus Recreation invites OHIO community to participate in free Spring Wellness Series

Ohio University’s Department of Campus Recreation is expanding its mission beyond physical fitness. With a focus on helping members of the OHIO community commit to wellness and their overall well-being, the department is again offering a free program designed to outline six dimensions of wellness that contribute to one’s quality of life. 

Campus Recreation will kick off its second annual Spring Wellness Series on Wednesday, Feb. 7. Free and open to all OHIO students, faculty and staff, the bi-monthly series features six sessions that explore physical, intellectual, social, emotional, spiritual and environmental wellness.

“The goal of this program is to help people see a broader vision of what wellness is and to understand the different components of wellness,” explained Joe Schillero, assistant director of fitness and wellness who developed the Spring Wellness Series. “The concepts of wellness and health are growing in popularity, but I think a lot people still associate those concepts with bringing a salad for lunch at work or a Weight Watchers program. Those things are great, but the goal of our Spring Wellness Series is to emphasize the areas of wellness beyond that – and to provide a program that is free of charge and accessible to everyone.”

According to Schillero, more than 200 people participated in last year’s inaugural Spring Wellness Series with about seven or eight individuals completing all six of the program’s sessions – a feat that earned those individuals a Bobcat Wellness Package that included various recreation and wellness-based items. That incentive will be available again this year with information about the Bobcat Wellness Package distributed at the first Spring Wellness Series session. 

All Spring Wellness Series sessions will convene in OHIO’s Charles J. Ping Recreation Center and will include:

• Wellness Series Kickoff, 5 p.m., Wednesday, Feb. 7 – Schillero will lead the first program of the series, which will address the physical dimension of wellness and how it fits into overall wellness and connects to other areas of wellness. This session will also include an overview of wellness, a discussion designed to dispel myths about wellness and a look ahead to future sessions. 
• Intellectual Wellness Workshop, 5 p.m., Wednesday, Feb. 21 – Titled “Practical Nutrition Tips to Help You Perform and Feel Better,” this session will be taught by Selena Baker, a nutrition counselor at OHIO’s WellWorks.
• Social Wellness Workshop, 5 p.m., Wednesday, March 7 – Titled “Getting It Together,” this session will feature staff from OHIO’s Career and Leadership Development Center.
• Emotional Wellness Workshop, 5:30 p.m., March 28 – Titled “Wellness Strategies for Reducing Anxiety and Improving Mental Well-Being,” this session will be led by a licensed mental health counselor from HeartWorks who is a doctoral students at OHIO.
• Spiritual Wellness Workshop, 5 p.m., Wednesday, April 11 – Titled “Stress Reduction through Yoga,” this session will be taught by yoga instructors from Campus Recreation.
• Environmental Wellness Workshop, from 2 to 4 p.m., Wednesday, April 25 – The final session of the series will feature a day hike at The Ridges led by staff from Campus Recreation’s Outdoor Pursuits. Transportation from the Ping Center to The Ridges will be provided. 

“A lot of promoting wellness is helping individuals to understand what it is and what it isn’t and helping them incorporate aspects of wellness into their daily lives. That’s what this series is all about,” Schillero said, noting that by partnering with entities outside of Campus Recreation, the department is seeking to connect program participants to wellness resources across campus. “Part of our goal in shifting to more of a wellness focus is to serve as a hub connecting our patrons to other areas.”

While all of the Spring Wellness Series sessions are free and open to all members of the OHIO community, space for each workshop is limited, particularly for the spiritual and environmental wellness events. Those interested in attending any of these sessions are encouraged to register early. Online registration is available here. 

For more information, contact Joe Schillero at schillej@ohio.edu, and for a complete list of Campus Recreation programs and activities, visit https://www.recshop.ohio.edu/.