A Life of Happiness And Fulfillment with Prof. Raj Raghunathan (4/21/22)- In this 1 hour webinar we will discover what it takes to have "A Life of Happiness and Fulfillment" with Prof Rajagopal Raghunathan. Prof Raj is a professor of Marketing at the McCombs School of Business at The University of Texas at Austin. Throughout his career he has given a few TED talks, and is the author of the popular book, "If You’re So Smart, Why Aren’t You Happy?". He teaches an online course on happiness, and relies on themes from psychology, behavioral science, decision theory and marketing to explain consumption behavior. He also studies the impact that people’s judgments and decisions have on their own happiness and fulfillment. If you are at all interested in being happier, join us!
Learn more about Prof. Raj's work through his website: www.happysmarts.com
View Recording HERE
Anxiety Awareness & Management (4/29/21)- Anxiety presents itself in many forms, and the vast majority of people experience some degree of anxiety in their daily lives. More than 40 million Americans are significantly affected by anxiety but due to stigma, misinformation and/or lack of resources, only a third of those individuals are receiving treatment. Anxiety can affect people both mentally and physically, and is often triggered by financial stress, an overwhelming workload, relationship challenges, or environmental stressors.
This presentation will provide an overview of anxiety awareness and will offer a variety of resilience-based coping strategies to manage the experience of chronic or distressing anxiety.
View Recording HERE
Balance Not Burnout (5/28/24) - When chronic stress is not successfully managed, it can lead to burnout—where we feel negative, exhausted, and detached from life. As burnout occurs over time, and because life is busy, it's not always easy to notice the signs of excessive pressure building. Burnout can have a long recovery period. With more and more people experiencing burnout, it's important to understand how to create a balanced life to avoid becoming unwell.
Join this session to
• Learn about burnout
• Understand the risk factors
• Identify the signs and stages of burnout
• Learn healthy ways to protect yourself
• Practice a positive wellbeing exercise
View Recording HERE
Battling Burnout (5/6/22)- Burnout is an occupational phenomenon which can lead people to experience emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and reduced personal accomplishment. Yet, as it occurs over a gradual period of time, it is not always easy to notice the signs of excessive pressure building up
With an alarming number of workers across the world reporting increasing levels of burnout, it is more important than ever to recognize the early warning signs and risk factors and learn how to implement anti-burnout strategies
At the end of this session participants will be able to understand:
What is burnout?
What are the signs of burnout?
Who is at risk?
How to protect yourself
Why the importance of the five ‘R’s
View Recording HERE
Behavioral Neuroscience of Adaptability: Changing Habits with Russell Frohardt, Ph.D. (10/17/22) - Human bodies and minds have evolved to adapt to physical, psychological, and social shifts over many generations. Dr. Frohardt will talk about the surprising health risks of unchecked stress that result from modern life and how to keep chronic stress in check. We will talk about how you can un-hack your brain from some of the bad habits that can lead to stress, addiction, or just annoyance. Having a basic understanding of how some of these systems work allows you to take control of your behaviors, whether you want to improve a skill or break a bad habit, contributing to improved social connections and overall wellness.
View Recording HERE
Building a Meditation Practice (4/8/21)- In this webinar we will explore strategies to build a daily meditation practice. Along with interactive discussion and guided meditation opportunities, we will explore best practices to help you build a sustainable habit. Whether you have meditated before, you have fallen off your practice, or you are a long-term meditator, we hope you will join in for this interactive wellness event!
View Recording HERE
Building Better Brain Health (9/28/23) - Our brain has many important functions including our ability to communicate, make decisions, and problem-solve. It is responsible for how we function and interact with the world around us. Our brains age, just like the rest of our body. This class will cover lifestyle strategies that can support healthy brain aging. This webinar will also include a fun interactive activity to get your brain going!
View Recording HERE
Building Resilience & Managing Stress (4/13/23) - Join us for a 60-minute webinar on strategies to be more resilient and aware of how stress impacts health. Stress can be a great tool when experienced in the right amount at the right time. It helps us improve performance and achieve goals. Most likely, accomplishments you’re most proud of caused some stress in your life. While stress has an upside, it is possible to experience too much and harm our health in several ways.
In this webinar we will discuss:
• stress, what it is and how it impacts our health (positively and negatively)
• how our mindsets and beliefs about stress benefit our health and
• 3 simple strategies to improve our response to stress and build resilience.
View Recording HERE
Calming the Anxious Mind (4/24/24) - Nearly four percent of people worldwide, or about 264 million individuals, have an anxiety disorder according to the World Health Organization (2022). This makes anxiety one of the most common mental health conditions. Anxiety has many shapes: the symptoms and triggers vary from person to person. A better understanding of what anxiety is and what causes it are the first steps toward managing anxiety. This session covers practical strategies and self-care tools so that participants can feel better equipped on their journey to calm their anxious mind.
Join this session to:
•Define anxiety and understand the symptoms associated with anxiety
•Identify and understand their personal anxiety triggers
•Gain awareness of their circle of control
•Explore the importance of selfcare and self-compassion
•Be able to develop a self-care toolkit to calm the anxious mind
•Learn how to set up a plan of action to better cope with anxiety
View Recording HERE
Enhancing Performance and Productivity in the Modern Workplace (9/23/21)- Join us as Stephen White, Chief Operating Officer for the Center for BrainHealth at UT Dallas, shares strategies to strengthen you and your organization’s performance through SMART (Strategic Memory Advanced Reasoning Training) principles.
Our state workforce is inundated with information, overlapping deadlines and pressure to excel. In this webinar Stephen will provide strategies to help you enhance your brain’s performance and put into practice habits that can capitalize on your brain’s untapped potential.
Whether you are a leader who wants to minimize mental fatigue among your workforce or an employee who wants more time for the things and people you love, you will gain valuable insights from this webinar. The webinar will be conversational in nature and will provide plenty of time for your questions.
View Recording HERE
Fighting Back Against the Loneliness Epidemic (5/20/21)- We are hard-wired for connection. In this webinar we will connect to discuss what we can do to address social isolation and loneliness.
In this interactive session, the licensed professional speakers will unpack:
how loneliness is affecting mental health in the U.S.,
the differences between solitude, loneliness and isolation,
the types of social connections we need as humans, and
strategies to help us all feel more connected to others.
View Recording HERE
Finding Flow at Work and in Life (9/16/21)- Learn how to get in “the zone,” and find your flow with flow master Albert Lucio. Lucio is a Foster Care Development Specialist, internationally recognized sand sculptor and magician who will delve into the powerful benefits of finding your flow as well as the psychology behind the flow state.
You will take away from this webinar:
a working definition of the flow state with practical examples.
strategies to find flow both on and off the job, and
a connection with other state employees that are interested in optimizing performance.
View Recording HERE
Good Anxiety w/Wendy Suzuki, Ph.D.: (3/17/22)- What if our preoccupation with avoiding anxiety is costing us something? What if we could learn how to harness the brain activation underlying our anxiety and make it work for us, turning it into a superpower?
Dr. Suzuki, a professor of neural science and psychology at New York University, unpacks the cutting-edge science that will help readers channel their anxiety for positive outcomes. This shift from bad to good anxiety accelerates focus and productivity, boosts performance, creates compassion, and fosters more creativity.
Learn how to channel your good anxiety and tap into your superpower.
PLEASE NOTE: This is not an ACC/ERS hosted event. This is an event that is being provided though UT Dallas, Center for Brain Health. For more information, visit the Center for Brain Health's events FAQ or contact brainhealthevents@utdallas.edu with any questions.
View Recording HERE
Gratitude: Science & Practical Application (12/8/22)- In this interactive workshop, participants will learn about the proven benefits and practical application of gratitude.
Gratitude has been studied and researched extensively. We now know that a daily practice can have a profound effect on health and quality of life. This skill (that can be learned) rewires the brain, shifts perspective and builds mental and emotional resilience. Resilience helps us to handle daily hassles and stress more effectively. Participants will leave this workshop with:
• the scientific research on how gratitude affects the brain and increases resiliency
• ways to integrate gratitude into your daily rituals and habits
• a weekly gratitude log that can be used to maintain a consistent practice
View Recording HERE
Gut Feeling - GI Health Influences Mental & Emotional Health (10/21/22) - Emotional regulation, foggy thinking and memory have deep connections to your digestion. You actually have more nerve endings in the bowel than in the brain! Let’s explore the your gut-brain connection and find out how you can improve mental health and cognition with healthy diet and digestive function.
Topics We Cover:
1. Leaky Gut Creates a Leaky Blood Brain Barrier
2. Probiotics Heavily Influence the Nervous System
3. Food Chemicals and Nerve Toxicity
4. Malabsorption and your Nervous System
View Recording HERE
Healthy Boundaries & Work Life Balance (4/26/23)- People often feel torn between work and family obligations, and often report not having enough time for themselves.
This session will help participants identify various ways to achieve balance with personal, family, and work responsibilities. The conflicting demands of work and home can create stress that depletes the energy needed to get everything done. In this session, participants will learn to implement techniques for being more effective and more satisfied with both their home and work lives.
Following this session, participants will benefit by being able to:
•Identify what’s keeping them out of balance
•Determine the meaning of work-life balance
•Learn time management strategies to effectively manage multiple demands
•Discuss the benefits of prioritizing
•Explore the role of delegation and communication with others
•Develop an action plan to balance their own work and life demands
View Recording HERE
How to Better Manage Stress at Work (4/21/23)- The demands of the 21st century workplace create stress for most of us. This practical session teaches individuals to better manage stress by reframing their perceptions of workplace challenges, developing healthier self-talk, avoiding over-reacting to situations, and reducing self-defeating behaviors
View Recording HERE
How to Change Your Perspective to Better Cope with Stress (4/2/24)- This session discusses strategies for managing the way we look at and think about the stressful situations in our lives to improve our stress management capabilities and coping skills.
View Recording HERE
Intro to Mindfulness: What, Why and How (4/6/21): In this 60-minute, interactive, web-based workshop, you will explore the science and practical application of mindfulness. This evidence-based skillset is available to all of us and has been proven to:
Improve productivity
Reduce blood pressure
Improve sleep
Decrease anxiety and depression
Improve immune function
This workshop provides an overview of why and how mindfulness can help you effectively manage stress. You will leave with strategies to help you apply this skill every day!
View Recording HERE
Lifestyle Medicine for Alzheimer's Prevention with Ayesha Sherzai, MD and Dean Sherzai, MD: (FREE Center for Brain Health Event)- Explore the value of healthy lifestyle choices – from nutrition to sleep and relaxation. Take control of your own health and positively affect the most important organ in your body.
Husband-wife team Drs. Dean and Ayesha Sherzai are co-directors of the Alzheimer’s Prevention Program at Loma Linda University. Dean is a behavioral neurologist and neuroscientist dedicated to revolutionizing healthcare through behavioral change models at the community and population level. Ayesha is a neurologist focused on the prevention of neurological disease.
This talk is sponsored through The Center for Brain Health, who has invited us to participate in their Spring Speaker Series!
View Recording HERE
Live a Stress Less Life (5/28/25) - Too busy to find time for self-care, hobbies and time with family and friends? Learn quick and easy ways to better organize each day to create more quality time throughout the week.
View Recording HERE (Link will be provided once available)
Managing Burnout and Compassion Fatigue with Kristen Huff & Erica Grigg (10/22/21)- This webinar will provide explanations, tips, and personal stories exploring mental health and wellness. This material is useful to anyone, but especially those under the chronic stress of helping others in crisis or need.
Managing mental health during times of adversity is critical to effectively and ethically serving others. Compassion fatigue can lead to depression, anxiety, and substance abuse. Resources from the Texas Lawyers’ Assistance Program and the Employees’ Assistance Program will be included.
View Recording HERE
Managing Psychosocial Risks in the Workplace (5/25/23)- Non-physical factors in the workplace can become detrimental to employees’ health and wellbeing. When poorly addressed, factors such as workload, change management, and team dynamics become psychosocial hazards.
These hazards can threaten our mental and physical wellbeing and may lead to several outcomes such as loss of concentration, poor decision-making, at-risk behaviors, increased error rate, reduced effectiveness and productivity, depression, or anxiety. This training is designed to help organizations identify psychosocial risks and hazards and how they can be managed to promote employee wellbeing.
Following this session, participants will be able to:
•Learn how to recognize psychosocial risk factors and their impact on employees
•Discover the legal, commercial, and moral case for risk management
•Define employer duty of care and relevant responsibilities
•Understand effective intervention techniques to manage psychosocial risks
•Find their own coping strategies to deal with the risks
View Recording HERE
Managing the Stress of Change (10/3/23) - Our constantly changing world creates stress and difficulty for most of us. This important session provides several techniques designed to help individuals more effectively cope with, and adjust to, the changes in their lives. In addition, the presentation covers strategies for increasing the overall resilience of the participants.
View Recording HERE (Link will be provided once available)
Mental Health during the Holidays (12/14/23) - Join us in a 60-minute webinar where we will discuss mental health, mental illness (and the stigma that surrounds it), stress that comes with the holiday season and practical tips to manage it, such as:
• managing our expectations
• staying connected with loved ones
• mindfulness
• labeling and addressing difficult emotions
View Recording HERE
Mental Health Awareness: Shedding the Stigma (5/20/25) - Mental health issues can affect anyone regardless of age, gender, geography, income, social status, race/ethnicity, religion/spirituality, sexual orientation, background or other aspect of cultural identity. This session will outline the differences between mental health well-being and mental health issues. It explains on how to nurture mental health wellness and indicators when support may be needed.
View Recording HERE (Link will be provided once available)
Mindfulness: How it works and building a practice (4/4/24)- Join us for an evidence-based webinar on mindfulness, where we'll explore scientifically proven techniques to develop a daily mindfulness practice. Delve into the neuroscience behind mindfulness and its impact on cognitive function, stress reduction, and overall well-being. Learn practical strategies to integrate mindfulness into your daily routine, backed by research on its effectiveness in enhancing mental clarity, emotional regulation, and resilience. Whether you're curious about the science of mindfulness or seeking evidence-based tools for personal growth, this webinar offers valuable insights and actionable steps for a healthy mind.
View Recording HERE
Mindfulness Methods: Cultivating Calm, Focus and Well-Being (10/22/21)- In this workshop, lawyer and mindfulness teacher Jon Krop shares the skills to cultivate the calm, clarity, and focus that can be so elusive during this time of crisis. Jon teaches a simple, effective sitting meditation practice and other mindfulness tools tailored to a lawyer's unique challenges and busy workday. He guides participants through short exercises that sharpen focus, calm the mind, and cultivate resilience in the face of anxiety and stress.
View Recording HERE
Money on My Mind: Dealing with Anxiety (4/14/23) - Continued exposure to financial uncertainty in a constantly changing world has had a direct impact on employee mental health. A sense of instability — triggered by living amidst a shifting landscape and the rising cost of living — has seen a surge in levels of anxiety.
This session will help participants recognize and understand financial anxiety, and distinguish it from worry and stress. It will teach attendees how to manage anxiety in order to work towards feeling more stable in their own situation.
Following this session, participants will benefit by being able to:
•Understand the difference between anxiety, worry, and stress
•Apply practical thinking to help manage overwhelming thoughts and anxiety
•Implement ways to increase financial stability
View Recording HERE
Move More, Stress Less!- We (humans) are designed to move! Whether you enjoy walking alone, dancing, organized sports, or group fitness, any type of physical activity can positively affect your mood and help you to manage any kind of stress!
We often consider movement “me” time and forego our movement to take care of others. The days when you don’t feel like you have time are the days you likely need to move even more!
In this webinar we will discuss:
how movement works as a stress reliever
ways to make time for movement
ideas for incorporating movement into what you already do
View Recording HERE
Optimal Stress with Roxanne Maynard (10/20/22)- Optimal Stress promotes the idea of 'healthy' stress, which is needed to create motivation. Without stress, nothing gets done. Though too much stress results in feeling overwhelmed and may create feelings of anxiety and depression. This 15-minute check-in will offer tips on how to counter the effects of increased stress in the moment and how to identify and strengthen coping strategies to be prepared for future situations that trigger increased stress.
View Recording HERE
The Power of Vulnerability (5/18/22)- In this one-hour webinar, Kristen and Erica, back by popular demand, will discuss why leaning into our vulnerability is one of the ways we can destigmatize mental health in our workplaces and beyond.
Discussion topics include:
The stigma that surrounds mental health
Vulnerability -- what it is, why we experience it, and how it can change your life
Empathy as the antidote to shame
Identifying and embracing “crossroads moments” and changing your direction
View Recording HERE
Psychological Safety in the Workplace (10/17/23)- Psychological safety allows team members to be willing to take risks, speak up, and fail and has been shown to be one of the most important dynamics in highly successful and productive teams.
In this 60-minute webinar we will explore what it takes to create an environment that provides psychological safety.
View Recording HERE
Psychological First Aid: Addressing the Human Aspect of Crisis (5/21/25) - Psychological first aid is a simple, yet powerful way of helping someone in distress. It is a form of helping that involves paying attention to the person’s reactions, active listening and if relevant, practical assistance to help address immediate problems and basic needs. Learning PFA skills and understanding reactions to crises empowers the helper not only to help others, but also to apply the same skills to their own crises.
View Recording HERE (Link will be provided once available)
Recharge Tactics: Strategies to Reset, Plug in & Perform Better- Recharging the body has significant benefit for the body both physically and mentally and will be explored in this interactive webinar on the science of recharge. Participants will be walk away with simple science backed strategies to capitalize on the flow state, improve quantity and quality of sleep and implement the science of gratitude in your day.
View Recording HERE
Self-Care Toolkit (5/10/23)- With the challenges of today’s world and the demands on our time, we often ignore our own self-care routines. Now, more than ever, we need to reflect on our personal wellbeing.
Focusing on our mental health, energy, and work-life balance are the key to maintaining our personal wellbeing. This session explores the concept of the “wellbeing wheel” along with new strategies and perspectives on maintaining a healthy self-care routine.
Following this session, participants will be able to:
•Identify the areas of wellbeing and where you fall on the wellbeing wheel
•Explore a range of self-care strategies
•Develop a personal self-care plan and ways to sustain the plan
View Recording HERE
The Sleep-Stress Connection: How Restful Nights Impact Your Well-Being (4/25/24)- Join us for a webinar delving into the relationship between sleep and stress. Discover the impact that quality sleep has on your overall well-being, including how we perceive and manage stress. Learn how a good night’s sleep is foundational for a healthy lifestyle.
In this presentation you will receive:
practical strategies and tips for achieving restful night’s sleep and
a recording link to a meditation that is designed to help you release tension and fall asleep peacefully.
View Recording HERE (Link will be posted once available)
Sleep Well! Understanding Sleep & your Brain (9/29/22)- Do you stay awake worrying about sleep deprivation? Do you wake up to an alarm feeling like you didn’t sleep enough? Do you wake up in the middle of the night and have a hard time going back to sleep? If you answered yes to any of these questions you will want to attend this informative webinar.
We will discuss all of these topics, common sleep disorders and strategies to sleep more and better to take care of your most important organ, your brain!
View Recording HERE
Smashing Stigma and Supporting Mental Health Before, During, and After Crisis- The stigma surrounding mental health has been longstanding and continues to inhibit mental wellness across every identifiable group. Mental health is affected by innumerable factors, and those stressors are inevitably amplified during times of crisis. This discussion, led by Celesta Harris, Ph.D., a clinical-forensic psychologist with the Texas Department of Public Safety, will focus on some of the myths surrounding mental health, and will provide tangible steps one can take to promote mental wellness individually, within families, and within their own organizations.
View Recording HERE
Stress and Nutrition: It’s a 2 Way Street! (4/15/21)- Most of us are not strangers to the concept and practice of “stress eating.” When we are stressed, it is easy to give into our cravings, and can find ourselves eating and drinking things we know are not good for our mental and physical well-being. Eating foods that are highly processed or are high in sugar, salt, and saturated fat can create an inflammatory response in the body that can have an effect on our entire body, including our energy levels!
The emotional impact of stress eating are feelings of shame, guilt, and… MORE STRESS! All of this can become a vicious cycle that is incredibly common.
In this webinar we will talk about:
what food cravings are and why we have them
simple strategies to address our cravings in times of stress
the best foods to decrease inflammation in the body to stop the stress-eating cycle
View Recording HERE
Switching Off: Life Beyond Digital Devices (5/18/23)- The modern working world is digitally connected more than ever and we are driven by the rapid advancement of technological growth. This constant contact has transformed working behaviors, compelling workers to be plugged in 24/7.
The overuse of digital devices has been linked to stress, burnout, insomnia, anxiety, and other mental health disorders. This thought-provoking and innovative seminar will provide attendees with a powerful insight into the true impact of living and working in a reactive, fully connected world. Participants will discover practical ways to reclaim a sense of work-life balance and address existing habits to be able to unplug digitally and mentally for a healthier and happier life.
Following this session, participants will be able to:
•Understand the psychological impact of being plugged in 24/7
•Learn simple strategies to unplug digitally and mentally for a healthier and happier life
•Discover practical ways to reclaim a sense of work-life balance and address existing habits
View Recording HERE
The Healing Power of Breath with Lacy Wolff (5/11/22)- In this 45-minute webinar you will take away techniques to help you manage your response to stressful situations. You will discover how consciously taking over one of your body’s most basic unconscious functions, breathing, will allow you instant access to your nervous system.
Discussion topics include:
How your perceptions of events impacts your blood pressure, heart rate and hormones.
A basic understanding of the Autonomic Nervous System and ways to access it through breathing techniques
4 breathing techniques that you can use anywhere!
View Recording HERE
The Well Woman Webinar Series: Mental Health (5/8/25)) - Join us for the first session of The Well Woman webinar series in celebration of Women’s Health Month!
In this session, Heidi McCandless, RN, Clinical Account Consultant, and Carrie Ozuna, Licensed Master Social Worker, from Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas, will discuss:
Unique mental health challenges women face
The connection between mind and body
Tips for talking to your doctor
Self-care strategies
Helpful resources to support mental well-being
View Recording HERE
Understanding Burnout - In this presentation, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas will define burnout and discuss how it is different from stress. They will also cover the causes, risk factors and symptoms of burnout, and provide you with tips and lifestyle improvements to help you prevent burnout. Blue Cross Blue Shield will also provide door prizes for those participating in person.
View Recording HERE
Your Employee Assistance and Work Life Program (5/17/22)- Want to know more about what your EAP can do for you? This is an overview of the services available to ACC Employees through the Employee Assistance Program, through Deer Oaks. Join this webinar for more information on these services, who is eligible and how you can access the services.
View Recording HERE