The Office of Postdoctoral Affairs (OPA) offers wellness programs for postdocs. Offerings from OPA vary across the year and are often also open to graduate students and staff.
Below find ongoing wellness activities and resources that are currently open to postdocs, as well as all upcoming OPA wellness programs.
Mental Health Resources for Postdocs:
If you are experiencing stress during these uncertain times, there are many options for care via your benefits. For a complete listing, visit this link:
- If you think you are in crisis, call the mental health line provided by your postdoc medical plan: (800) 424-4047
- If you think this is a life threatening emergency, call 911 (9-911 from a campus phone)
- Phone support is available 24/7 via the Postdoc Assistance Program: (855) 666-0519
Vaccination Resources for Postdocs: We know that those people who come to campus may be especially anxious to know when they can be vaccinated against COVID-19. We are optimistic that expanded vaccination delivery is on the horizon, but the guidelines are still somewhat unclear. Please use the vaccinations page of the Health Alerts website as the most updated information we have.
REOCCURRING WELLNESS OFFERINGS:
Stanford Recreation & Wellness: 20 Minute Drop In Meditation Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, 11:30am-11:50am; Schedule an Appointment HERE Need a break to meditate? Sign up for a quick 20 minute session with Sarah Meyer Tapia, Associate Director of Health & Human Performance and Head of Wellness Education.
Stanford Recreation & Wellness: Virtual Fitness Classes Monday-Friday, Times vary, via Zoom; Info & Register HERE Stanford Recreation & Wellness is offering a series of online fitness classes to keep you moving during these tough times. Classes include: barre sculpt, yoga, core workouts and more!
ORSL & YogaX: Tuesday Evening Yoga Tuesdays, 6:00pm, via Zoom; Info & Register HERE This live-streamed class explores gentle movement, breath, and mindfulness to support sleep, healthful rest, and enhanced resilience. Minimal prop use is required to allow participants to do this practice at home, sharing it with roommates, partners, children, and pets as desired. Class lead by Heather Freeman.
ORSL: Thursday Evening Guided Meditation Thursdays, 6:00pm, via Zoom; Zoom Link HERE (Passcode: 202020) This session, led by Rebecca Nie, is designed to offer basic meditation skills, to encourage regular meditation practice, to help deepen self-reflection, and to offer instructions on how meditation can be useful during stressful and uncertain times.
FSHC: 1:1 Counseling Appointments Monday-Friday, 8:00am-5:00pm, via Zoom; Schedule an Appointment HERE The Faculty Staff Help Center (FSHC) offers a variety of services for the Stanford community, including counseling sessions, which are entirely free to Stanford postdocs.
Mind Over Money: 1:1 Financial Coaching Remote Coaching Appointments; Explore Coaches & Make an Appointment HERE Financial coaching strives to help students and postdocs develop skills and behaviors they can improve upon independently over time. Coaching sessions are entirely free to Stanford students and postdocs. Mind Over Money also provides personal finance training with learning modules, recorded workshops, and budget templates.
WELLNESS OPPORTUNITIES AVAILABLE ANYTIME:
ORSL: Meeting the Moment Each facet of the Meeting the Moment was designed to inspire and resource Stanford students to thrive and derive meaning during a highly unusual academic year fraught with societal, economic, and spiritual upheaval. Explore their resource page which includes audio stories, articles, podcasts, and more!
FSHC: Short Skills Based Videos A number of FSHC therapists have created short skills based videos for you to watch and practice along with, from breathing skills to tips for 'Journaling Made Easier'.
Stanford Libraries: Well-Being at Stanford Stanford Libraries is proud to support the Well-Being at Stanford program which aims to empower individuals and communities to flourish through education, connection, and positive culture change. Use the red menu to browse recommended readings across wellness topics selected by the Well-Being at Stanford staff.
ORSL: Spiritual Resources The Office for Religious & Spiritual Life invites you to explore these spiritual care resources in time of crisis. These resources include: daily reflections written by Stanford students, staff, faculty and alumni; podcasts fostering hope; sermons from University Public Worship; and space to connect with other.
Stanford Recreation & Wellness: Mental Health Resources Stanford Recreation & Wellness has a series of wellness resources to help members of the Stanford community stay connected. Access past wellness webinars, meditation exercises, and the Well-Being A-Z Toolkit to support your mental health!
Well-Being at Stanford & Vaden Health Services: Virtual Well-Being Resources Well-Being at Stanford and Vaden Health Services have created a virtual well-being site filled with resources designed to support your well-being! Explore the robust list of virtual resources, services, and programs offered, along with general well-being tips, an adaptation of the Red Folder, and a list of virtual events supporting well-being.
BeWell: Volunteer Opportunities During COVID-19 As COVID-19 imposes limitations on everyday life, it is easy to feel powerless. Some may feel eager to contribute to the increased needs of the community, and yet it can be challenging to find opportunities. To help, BeWell has put together a list of 30+ volunteer opportunities!
National Emergency Library To address our unprecedented global and immediate need for access to reading and research materials, the Internet Archive has temporarily suspended all waitlists, allowing people to immediately check out any of the 1.4 million books currently in their lending library. Until the end of the US national emergency, every borrowable book will be immediately accessible by anyone -- creating, in effect, a National Emergency Library.
BEAM: PhD & Postdoc Career FAQs Check out BEAM’s Frequently Asked Questions resource, aimed at helping PhDs and postdocs stay active, well, and focused when thinking about the future of work.
BEAM: Faculty Job Search Toolkit on Canvas BEAM, Stanford Career Education, has compiled a comprehensive set of resources to help students navigate the faculty job search via this self-service Canvas site. Each module focuses on one of the discrete elements of the job search. Each module has resources including worksheets, videos, and written resources.
Stanford Continuing Studies: Building Resilience In this webinar recording, you will learn research-based techniques that help you build resilience, navigate setbacks, and identify your purpose. Drawing on the latest research in neuroscience and psychology, the aim is for you to find solid footing when you are feeling overwhelmed and to give you a way to find the strength to bounce back. Presented by: Antoine de Morrée, PhD, Stanford University.
Stanford Continuing Studies: How Exercise Helps Us Find Happiness, Hope, Connection, and Courage in the Time of COVID View this webinar recording, hosted by best-selling author, TED speaker, and Stanford University lecturer Kelly McGonigal, PhD, on how to harness the power of movement to increase happiness, resilience, and social well-being!
OPA: Wellness with Sarah Meyer Tapia Checkout Sarah Meyer Tapia’s Self-Compassion in Academia & Career wellness recording. During this session, Sarah discusses what self-compassion is, takes a look at current research addressing the ways self-compassion protects ambition, increases productivity, and decreases stress, and identifies several practical tools for how to practice self-compassion in accessible, impactful ways!
HIP: Free Wellness Webinars Stanford Health Improvement Program (HIP) values education and seeks to make it accessible to everybody. Explore HIP’s diverse selection of pre-recorded health and wellness webinars, free for your viewing at any time! Additionally, HIP offers a series of classes on wellness, fitness and healthy living (at an additional cost).
Contemplation By Design: Free Guided Meditation Practices Explore this video archive filled with guided meditation practices, based on the Contemplation By Design P.E.A.C.E. process: Pause, Exhale, Attend, Connect, Express.
Stanford Recreation & Wellness: Free Virtual Yoga Classes Take a minute to explore this hub of YogaX short guided practices. Click on any of the links to begin your journey into managing stress, creating resilience, and finding community!
ORSL: Yoga on the Go The Office for Religious & Spiritual Life offers two yoga practices available anytime to help you establish, maintain and support your practice. Choose from a restorative 30 minute accessible yoga flow or an all-level accessible 60 minute flow in the Baptise vinyasa style.
BeWell and Stanford Recreation & Wellness: Workout Videos BeWell and Stanford Recreation & Wellness are offering a series of free online workout videos that you can do from home! Check out the “BeWell in Five” series and exercise videos from Stanford Recreation & Wellness.
BeWell: 5 Outdoor Activities that Elevate Well-Being Being outside and engaging in outdoor activities is a great way to boost your mental and physical wellness. BeWell offers a guide to five outdoor activities that can elevate your well-being!
Stanford Arts: Arts@Home Features community and student resources to engage with the arts from wherever you are.
Cantor Arts Center: Museums From Home Virtually enjoy the arts from home, by logging in at any time to listen, learn, and explore!
BeWell: Virtual Experiences to Explore From Home While we continue to work from home, BeWell offers a list of other virtual activities to experience from the comfort of home!
Contemplation by Design: 10% Happier App Join the Stanford Contemplation by Design Ten Percent Happier Community for free online Meditation Mondays, and/or to use the free Ten Percent Happier App on your own for 3-months!
Insight Timer: Free App for Sleep, Anxiety & Stress Check out Insight Timer – a free app with thousands of guided meditations. Use its search function according to your particular focus (i.e. anxiety, sleep, stress, etc.).
Headspace: Mindfulness for Your Everyday Postdocs are eligible for the $10 student account (full access) with the Headspace meditation app.
Cardinal at Work: COVID-19 Resources to Assist Children & Families Cardinal at Work offers a list of resources and support to assist families and caregivers in navigating this challenging time.
Stanford Continuing Studies: Navigating Remote Learning: Resources for K-8 Families Denise Pope, senior lecturer at the Stanford University Graduate School of Education, has put together a list of helpful resources to support K-8 families navigate remote learning.
Stanford Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences: Positive Parenting During COVID-19 View this series of webinars covering a variety of topics related to positive parenting during COVID-19. Topics include: effective strategies for creating a homeschooling environment, managing screen time, practical strategies to adapt to change, and much much more!
WFH + Kids Check out this helpful guide on managing working from home with kids. Explore a variety of resources including, tips on working from home, fun kids activities, education materials, and virtual tours!
OPA: Postdoc Assistance Program Available 24/7, GuidanceResources is your one stop website for expert information on the issues that matter most to you. This service is company-sponsored, confidential, and provided at no charge to you and your dependents.