Did you know that Harvard University Health Services (HUHS) has a team dedicated to promoting the wellness of everyone in the Harvard community—including Harvard Griffin GSAS students? If not, you’re not alone. Only 20 percent of Harvard graduate students take advantage of the University’s Center for Wellness and Health Promotion (CWHP).
The good news is that the new academic year is a perfect time to acquaint yourself with all the Center has to offer. Here’s a rundown of its main resources and services:
- Massage and Acupuncture: The CWHP has a staff of massage therapists and acupuncturists just for the Harvard community. Students may schedule massage appointments Monday through Saturday each week at deeply discounted rates—currently $73 per hour for students who have paid the Student Health Fee. Furthermore, students with insurance through the University can get reimbursed for costs above their copay for up to 12 acupuncture sessions per year.
- Classes: For just five dollars, students can take a wide variety of classes at the CWHP, including yoga, Pilates, tai chi, and mindfulness-based movement. These sessions take place in the Smith Campus Center, though a few are also held remotely via Zoom. Students may drop into most sessions as they please; classes are offered each week throughout the term, no commitment required.
- Workshops: In addition to weekly classes, the CWHP hosts wellness-related workshops throughout the term. Some are movement-based, like the yoga nidra workshop on September 19; others focus on a different aspect of wellness, such as best practices for healthy sleep. Have a group or community interested in a particular topic? Request a session through the Center for Wellness and Health Promotion. The Center’s staff can also work with student groups to design and schedule customized sessions!
- Mindfulness: Mindfulness practice is about developing the ability to be fully attentive to all the moments of your life, reducing the amount of time you spend worrying about the future or fretting about the past. Though many of the Center’s movement classes incorporate mindfulness, there are also a number of offerings focused exclusively on developing or maintaining a mindfulness practice. The free four-week Introduction to Mindfulness course can get you started.
The Center for Wellness and Health Promotion is just one part of Harvard University Health Services’ overall mission to heal, care, and educate. If any of the programs above catch your interest, you can learn more and find links on the CWHP website. Appointments can also be scheduled through the HUHS Patient Portal.
In the months ahead, we’ll write more on each of these topics, as well as news on upcoming events, programs, and wellness tips. In the meantime, if you have a concern or challenge and need hands-on help, be sure to visit the Office of Student Services in the basement of the Student Center at Harvard Griffin GSAS, room B-2.
Until next month, be well!
Banner photo by Justin Casey.
