Upcoming mental health webinars
Understanding Trauma
Date & Time: Wednesday November 12, 2025 | 8:00 – 9:00 AM (PT)
Trauma is defined by the emotional and psychological effect an event has on people, and less by the event itself. Explore the science of trauma and discuss how trauma impacts physical & mental health in this one-hour seminar with a licensed therapist.
Wellness Wednesday: Beating the Winter Blues
Date & Time: Wednesday, November 19, 2025 | 12:00 – 1:00 PM (PT)
BC Brain Wellness Program presents top tips for Beating the Winter Blues. For this month’s Wellness Wednesday, Dr. Lam will talk about the common symptoms of seasonal affective disorder, or feeling down and lethargic during the winter months, and how they relate to seasonal changes in biological rhythms. He will discuss management strategies for treating and preventing the winter blues, including tips for diet, activity and light exposure
Well-being Self-Assessment New on MindWell platform! |
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This interactive tool provides individuals with a personal snapshot of their well-being across 12 key dimensions, including physical activity, nutrition, mood, thoughts, and social connection. Participants can retake the Self-Assessment over time to track progress and see how their well-being evolves. We’ll be in touch soon with customized resources to help you share the tool across your organization and maximize its impact.
Take the Assessment Now: www.mindwellu.com/viu/assessments/2
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Empathic Leadership in Action: Strengthening trust through vulnerability
In recognition of World Mental Health Day, we're excited to share this special session MindWell hosted last week with you: The Better Brain Diet: Eating for Mental Health and Peak Performance. Renowned Canadian mental health pioneer Dr. Bonnie Kaplan and MindWell Founder, Dr. Geoff Soloway, walk you through simple, science-backed nutrition strategies that support mental clarity, lower stress, and improve performance. We've gathered all the session resources in this convenient link for you: The Better Brain Diet
Homewood HealthTM EFAP is pleased to release the Q4 2025 edition of their Vitality article, “Empathic Leadership in Action: Strengthening trust through vulnerability.”
Read the article or play the video
Mental Health Awareness Training for Leaders
VIU is offering training to support leaders in fostering a psychologically safe and healthy workplace during the months of October and November. This session will provide practical tools to recognize mental health challenges, respond with empathy, and connect employees to the right resources.
If you’re a leader interested in attending, please contact Jenny Gomes, Manager, Health, Well-Being and Benefits (jenny.gomes@viu.ca) for details and to sign up.
On demand webinar: Diabetes: The Basics
According to the Statistics Canada, nearly 1 in 10 Canadians aged 20 years and older has been diagnosed with diabetes. Join Dr. Serena Natale in this webinar to gain a foundational understanding of diabetes, its types, causes, and management strategies. Learn about:
- The different types of diabetes (Type 1, Type 2, and gestational diabetes)
- Symptoms and risk factors associated with diabetes
- Effective management strategies, including diet, exercise, and medication
Play recording (56 mins)
Recording password: uDwzie9?
Self-paced wellness sessions
From Homewood Health: You’ve heard about the monthly live wellness sessions under our Speaker Series for Employee Well-Being. Now some of Homewood Health’s most popular Wellness Sessions have been condensed and made available as a self-directed service! Jam-packed days? These sessions are 15-30 minutes, and you can stop and start as desired. To find the sessions:
- Log into Homeweb, using VIU’s invitation code: BCI714 (note: 3 capital letters, 3 numbers).
- Then navigate your Dashboard:
- Browse Homeweb:
- Then click on the Wellness Sessions button online to find the following sessions:
- The Science of Happiness
- The Journey to Wellness: One Step at a Time
- The Fundamentals of Change and Transition
- The Art of Relaxation
- Managing your Time and Energy
- Improving Workplace communication
- Building Working Relationships
- Building Resilience
- Beyond Stigma
Physiotherapy services at VIU
Need help getting back to feeling your best? VIU offers physiotherapy services to students and employees, including education, exercise programs, and manual therapy. Book an appointment at the Health & Wellness Centre (Nanaimo campus, building 200, Floor 3) or call 250.740.6416 to learn more.
Your wellness, your voice!
Your voice matters! VIU is committed to supporting the health and well-being of our employees, and we want to hear from you.
Please take a few minutes to complete the Employee Wellness Survey, designed to better understand how you're engaging with current wellness initiatives and where we can do more. Your feedback is anonymous and will directly help shape future wellness programming, services, and supports.
Let’s work together to create a healthier, more connected workplace.
For more information on this and other well-being events, visit the RENEW pages. Questions? Email Benefits@viu.ca.