60-Minute Experiential Faculty Wellness Workshop

Facilitator: Dr. Zoya McCants

Workshop Description

The semester may be winding down, but the demands of academia rarely slow down with it. Between teaching, grading, advising, scholarship, service, and supporting students, faculty often find themselves navigating competing responsibilities while placing their own well-being on the back burner. Over time, the emotional and cognitive demands of academic life can manifest as physical tension, mental fatigue, and difficulty disconnecting from work.

Unclench, Unwind, Unplug invites faculty to pause, reconnect, and explore what it means to prioritize wellness within the realities of higher education. Grounded in somatic awareness and mindfulness-based approaches, this interactive workshop creates space for meaningful conversations about faculty wellness, the mind-body connection, and the importance of intentional restoration.

Through guided somatic grounding exercises, progressive breathwork, mindfulness practices, and reflective discussions, participants will explore how stress manifests in the body and experience accessible strategies for supporting nervous system regulation, releasing accumulated tension, and cultivating moments of calm. Rather than viewing wellness as another responsibility to manage, this workshop encourages faculty to recognize restoration as an essential part of sustaining their personal and professional well-being.

Participants will leave with practical mind-body strategies that can be integrated into their daily routines, both within and beyond the academic environment.

Learning Objectives

By the conclusion of this workshop, participants will be able to:

1. Examine the relationship between academic responsibilities, occupational stress, and the physiological and emotional manifestations of stress within the body.
2. Demonstrate at least two somatic wellness strategies, including progressive breathwork, sensory grounding, or mindfulness-based techniques, to support nervous system regulation and stress management.
3. Identify opportunities to incorporate intentional pauses, grounding practices, and restorative wellness strategies into their academic and personal routines.