Mind Body Wellness Events
Upcoming Events
Past Events
Mind Body Wellness Summit 2022
From Adversity to Resiliency
October 27, 2022
8:45 am – 12:15 pm
UTHSC Student-Alumni Center
800 Madison Ave
Memphis, TN 38163
Open to students, faculty, staff, and community members.
It’s tough to find peace in this chaotic world.
How do we cope with life’s adversities and transform our experiences into resilience? How can we, as healthcare professionals, communities, and society as a whole, benefit from mindfulness and increased self-awareness?
A fundamental tenet of UTHSC’s mission is to improve the health and well-being of our global community. As proponents of this mission, it is critical that we invest in our wellness to strengthen our impact and generate meaningful change.
This summit will equip UTHSC healthcare professionals and community members with tools and practices that sustain our wellbeing to ultimately better help those we serve. We will explore mindfulness practices, Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs), coping strategies, and behavioral health resources. Join us for a half-day of offerings from accomplished speakers and practitioners leading sessions that focus on mindfulness, healing, and building resilience.
Transforming Adversity to Resiliency
9:25 – 10:25 am (Auditorium)
Dr. Juliet Hwang, MD
Come learn and explore mindfulness and embodied practices to help regulate your nervous system and come home to your body. We will address obstacles to embodiment and practice techniques to facilitate more ease and comfort in our daily lives. This session will have a didactic component as we explore our nervous system and the Polyvagal Theory.
Dr. Hwang (she/her) is a faculty member at the Kaiser Permanente Bernard J. Tyson School of Medicine in Pasadena, California. She teaches mindfulness and resilience to medical students and is a pediatrics preceptor for second year medical students. She is a certified professional coach for medical students who are aspiring to address health care disparities.
She is a community pediatrician at Kaiser Permanente in Long Beach, California, with a special interest in childhood trauma and transgender care. She incorporates mindfulness techniques and embodied practices in her clinical practice to help her patients feel safer in their bodies and regulate their nervous systems.
She has practiced mindfulness in the Plum Village tradition since 2004 and became a dharma teacher in 2021. She has focused on creating and supporting trauma-sensitive BIPOC (Black Indigenous People of Color) sangha spaces so people can feel safe and supported during their journey of healing and transformation.
Dr. Hwang was born in Korea and grew up in Queens, New York. She identifies as a cis Korean American queer woman. She loves to play traditional Korean drums and dance Cuban Salsa.Mind: Guided Meditation
10:35 – 11:05 AM (Auditorium)
Sister Peace
Join us for a guided meditation and short collective practice to find calm and ease
within ourselves. You will be gently guided to pay attention to the quality of your
breath. Come practice inner stillness to help instill positive changes in your daily
life.
Sister Peace (she/her) is an ordained nun in Thich Nhat Hanh’s Order of Interbeing. Born in Washington, D.C., and educated in Catholic schools, Sister Peace graduated from Georgetown University. She built a successful nail salon business and entered local politics, working on Anthony Williams’ mayoral campaign and administration.
Practicing with the Washington Mindfulness Community, she met Thich Nhat Hanh when she assisted with a meditation retreat he led for the U.S. Congress. In 2006, she went to Plum Village to deepen her understanding of what a nun’s life entailed, and her ordination took place in 2008. She has had many roles in the Plum Village community including organizing retreats in Europe, Asia, Liberia, South Africa, and the US.
Body: Healing Yoga
10:35 – 11:05 AM (Gymnasium)
Kayla Brooks
This short class is designed for all levels. You will be taken through a Vinyasa flow
that emphasizes breath and gentle body movement.
Kayla Brooks (she/her) is a 200-hour Registered Yoga Teacher. She began her yoga journey in 2019 with a 30-day challenge that quickly evolved into a daily practice. Kayla started yoga to remedy back problems and stayed on the mat when she realized how good it felt. Yoga gave her the opportunity to get back to herself and to give back to herself. She believes yoga is for everyone and every body. She aims to create yoga practices that are accessible, approachable, and fun.
Wellness: ACEs | Center for Youth Advocacy and Well-being
10:35 – 11:05 AM (Room 100, Fitness Studio)
Arnita Kimbro, Christopher Williams, Lolitha Barbee
Join us as we explore Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and raise our awareness
of self and of our Memphis community’s struggle with childhood trauma. This session
will explore ACEs, the role of resilience, and guide you through a reflective exercise.
The Center’s goal is to improve the health and well-being of youth and families in our community by connecting them to community-based services and coordinating the delivery of those services to ensure they have a chance to succeed. We work with youth 21 and younger experiencing challenges such as chronic school absences, disciplinary issues, gang involvement, trauma, mental health challenges, and chronic illnesses.
UTHSC CYAW website | 901.448.4200
Practicing with Playback
11:15 AM – 12:10 PM (Auditorium)
Playback Memphis
When you look back at this time, what will you remember about how you chose to be? Discover Playback wisdom and tools that will help you navigate fear and uncertainty more skillfully, stay connected, and practice active hope. We will explore resilience practice through a brief story-telling and experiential activity followed by shared reflection.
Playback is an original form of improvisational theater in which audience members tell stories from their lives, then watch as actors and a musician bring them to life. Since 2008, Playback Memphis has offered their listening and story-sharing practice to catalyze community wellbeing, social cohesion, and flourishing culture.
playbackmemphis.org | 901.264.0841