We are excited to host our first Women's Health and Well-Being Conference on Thursday, November 6, 2025, 8:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. at the Festival Conference & Student Center.
We have a full day of engaging and informative sessions covering a variety of topics related to women’s health and well-being, fascilitated by campus and community partners. All JMU faculty & staff are welcome to attend this conference!
Register for sessions here: https://jmu.questionpro.com/wellwomen2025
AGENDA
9:00 a.m. - 9:50 a.m. Sessions
Challenging Diet Culture: Embracing Inclusive Fitness & Wellness Principles, Jessie Purcell (UREC)
This session will explore the pervasive impact of diet culture and how it shows up in our language, behaviors, and professional environments. Participants will be challenged to recognize and unpack common diet culture messages, engage with evidence-based rebuttals to widely held nutrition and body myths, and learn practical strategies to foster a more inclusive, health affirming perspective within our communities, among staff, and in our personal wellness practices.
Flexible Body, Flexible Mind, Jana Walters (Kinesiology)
Flexibility provides benefits beyond being able to reach our toes! Having limber muscles means we feel less tense throughout the day and that helps us feel less stressed out. Attend this session where you will spend time stretching, learning correct technique for the stretches, and leave feeling good - with the stretches on a handout to take home!
This Wild & Precious Life: Whole Health for Whole Women, Arlene McCain, Pearl Breeden, Velleda VerNooy, Tina Hahn, and Teresa Back (McCain Whole Health Care/Sacred Paradise Aesthetics)
For women, health is inclusive and transcendent, calling for healthy boundaries that allow for increasingly expansive relationships- with self, family, community, and the world. Because of the deeply relational strength of women, engagement with a safe community that supports the development of all parts of ourselves throughout the different seasons of our lives, is critical to whole health. Dr. McCain and her team share how their co-creation of Sacred Paradise Aesthetics, a med spa focused on services that support the alignment and expression of our inner and outer selves, helps others while providing them a safe space that honors their specific gifts within the demands of their daily lives. Whole health means being able to receive mind-body-spirit care to restore us to overflowing abundance, and from that abundance being able to share the gift of our whole self to promote the healing of the world.
Finding Occupational Balance: Stress Management Through Breathwork & Mindfulness, Caroline Rich (Magnolia Women's Wellness)
As women juggle roles across work, family, and self-care, stress often disrupts occupational balance—the harmony between rest, productivity, leisure, and self-care. This imbalance, if left unchecked, can contribute to burnout and chronic illness. In this presentation, Dr. Caroline Rich, an occupational therapist specializing in women’s health, explores how breathwork and mindfulness can help restore occupational balance, regulate the nervous system, and create sustainable routines that support both daily function and long-term health.
Get on Your Feet with Whole Body Wellness, Michele Reger (Solely On Your Feet Foot Zone Therapy)
Foot Zone Therapy uses therapeutic touch on the feet to support whole body health. Learn what foot zoning can do for you and how to promote the wellness of your family and loved ones with techniques you can use at home.
9:00 a.m. - 10:20 a.m. Sessions
How to do it all...or burn out trying, Jennifer Testa, Ren Oliver, Jojo Griffith, Ashlyn Holz, Krista Dofflemyer, and Jenny Roth (Talent Development)
Kids and parents and significant others. Bills and houses and car repairs. Friends and fun and fitness. We know we can’t do it all. We’re told we can’t do it all. We tell others they can’t do it all. But we will still try. In this workshop, you’ll hear the various approaches members of the Talent Development team take to manage their responsibilities inside and outside of the office. As working women, we also find ourselves trying to do it all and realizing every day that it’s just not possible. So how do we manage? Join us to find out!
Timeless Aging, Dabney Vaccaro (Herbal Hygenist)
Discover the vital connection between oral health and overall well-being. This presentation introduces herbs such as oregano, sage, and peppermint, which support oral hygiene. Learn about airway and the importance of nasal breathing for systemic health along with my recommendations for maintaining an optimal smile.
10:00 a.m. - 10:50 a.m. Sessions
Herbalism and Lifestyle Medicine, Jessica Clarke (Align Integrative Health) and Jen Tullo (The Blackberry Herbarium)
Lifestyle medicine focuses on the foundational aspects of healing, resiliency, and longevity. A solid foundation consists of adequate nutrition, hydration, sleep, movement, quality relationships, mental and emotional tending, a healthy physical environment, and a motivating purpose. During this group session, participants will be guided to pinpoint a step they want to take to support their wellbeing in the months and years ahead. We will also explore the use of bioregional foods and herbs as vital support for lifestyle wellness.
Navigating A Health Crisis, Sarah Koerner (University Career Center)
What do you do when the bottom drops out and your body suddenly betrays you? Earlier this year I was diagnosed with stage III ovarian cancer at the age of 38. Within a few weeks I went from a normal, active life, to er visits, hospitalizations, major surgery, menopause, chemotherapy and radiation. In this presentation I will be sharing my experiences: the early warning signs I missed, how my symptoms were initially misdiagnosed/dismissed, as well as navigating leave, recovery, trauma and healing. I hope to provide insights to anyone who might be facing their own health crisis or knows someone who is.
Pelvic Health for Women, Brittany Wilmoth (Syngery Rehab & Wellness)
Brittany Wilmoth is a pelvic floor PT with over ten years of experience in treating women with pelvic floor dysfunction. This presentation would be over the life span from pregnancy, postpartum, perimenopause and menopause as it relates to the pelvic floor. Diagnoses covered may include urinary incontinence, overactive bladder, core stabilization, painful intercourse, low back pain, and hip pain.
Self-Care: It's Complicated, Kacey Damaty, Annika Westenbroek, and Kylene Zrenda (Ethical Reasoning in Action)
In this presentation, you will have the opportunity to explore the ethical dimensions of professional and personal self-care using JMU's unique ethical reasoning strategy, The Eight Key Questions. How do you make decisions around your own self-care? How do you define self-care? Why is self-care important to you? What are the challenges you face fitting self-care into your normal routine? You will explore these and other questions in this 50-minute workshop guided by JMU Ethical Reasoning experts.
Optimizing Health and Nutrition Outcomes during Midlife: Perimenopause, Menopause & Beyond, Ana Abad-Jorge, EdN, RDN (Department of Health Professions OR Nutrition and Dietetics)
This presentation will address several of the key issues receiving much attention over the past few years related to the peri- and menopausal transition, its numerous side effects, effective medical management, including hormone replacement therapy and with a focus on nutrition, supplementation and physical activity. The initial general outline is found below:
a. Introduction: Current Issues - Lack of Awareness, Effective Education of Practitioners and Gaps in Care.
b. The Physiology of the Menopausal Transition and Impact on Chronic Disease Risk.
11:00 a.m. - 11:50 a.m. Sessions
The Power of Women's Well-Being: Modeling Self-Care in Learning and Work Spaces, Cathy McKay (Kinesiology) and Jill Lassiter (Health Sciences)
Women leaders in education and the workplace often give deeply to others while struggling to prioritize their own well-being. This session explores how women can model authentic self-care—through boundary setting, self-compassion, and sustainable practices—that not only strengthens personal resilience but also inspires students and colleagues. Participants will leave with practical strategies and renewed permission to lead with well-being in both classrooms and workplaces.
Gut Check: Metabolism, Immunity & Mental Health, Kristina Hall (CommonHealth)
If you’ve been hearing a lot about Gut Health lately and wondered what it means, then you are in luck! Learn why Gut Health is crucial for overall wellbeing and how it plays an important role in digestion, immune function, nutrient absorption, and even mental health.
From Mental Overload to Embodied Clarity: A Workshop for Women Who Think Too Much, Rachel Hupp
If your brain is always “on,” this workshop is for you. In this gentle, grounding space, you’ll learn simple tools to quiet the noise and come back to yourself through your breath, your body, and your inner knowing. You’ll walk away with quick ways to feel calmer when stress hits, a reset practice for those moments when your mind won’t stop, and more trust in your body’s wisdom, not just your thoughts. You don’t need to feel calm to come, just curious.
Rest, Resilience, and the Motherscholar: Breaking Free from the Grind Culture, DaNae Peterson (Student Affairs)
Motherhood is often celebrated as empowering, yet the post-birth transition is frequently underexplored, leaving mothers to navigate work, family, and self-care in isolation. Many find themselves caught between societal expectations, career pressures, and the unrelenting demands of grind culture. Rooted in capitalist systems, grind culture often leads to burnout, sleep deprivation, and negative impacts on mental, emotional, and physical health. This session examines the lived experiences of mothers as they confront these systemic pressures, drawing on the work of scholars such as Dr. Tricia Hersey and Anna CohenMiller. It highlights four central themes: the health effects of grind culture, the necessity of self-care, the influence of social support and institutional policies, and the power of rest as resistance. Rest and sleep are explored as not only personal acts of restoration but also political tools that challenge the dehumanizing pace and expectations of modern life.
12:00 p.m. - 1:15 p.m.
Lunch/Keynote: Reclaim Your Health Sovereignty for ALL Stages of Life, Dr. Alexandra Cope (Dr. Cope Health)
Dr. Cope will walk you through how to read your labs and how to heal yourself using integrated medicine.
1:20 p.m. - 2:10 p.m. Sessions
The Fulfillment Formula: How to Reclaim Control and Redesign Your Life Beyond Your Inbox, Scotti Quam (Living Solutions)
'The Fulfillment Formula' empowers mid-career professionals to escape the relentless cycle of last-minute requests, after-school chauffeuring, family obligations, and endless household chores. This workshop provides practical strategies to prioritize what truly matters, align daily actions with personal values, and cultivate a more intentional, fulfilled life.
Your Second Brain-Understanding the Gut-Brain Connection, Dawn Hall (IHHS)
This presentation will cover the science behind the relationship between our thoughts, feelings, and our GI system. Topics covered include the vegus nerve, parasympathetic nervous system, and the microbiome. Learn practical strategies to activate the parasympathetic nervous system to self-regulate. Discover research based food choices to balance the microbiome and feel better overall.
Smart Money Moves for Women at Every Life Stage, Marissa Zane (Department of Health Professions)
This presentation includes tailored financial strategies for: Early Career, Motherhood, Midlife, Retirement, Post-Divorce Recovery.
Embrace The Change: A Perimenopausal Perspective, Celia Layman (Higher Health) and Dr. Alexandra Cope (Dr. Cope Health)
This session is designed to offer a safe space in which those in this sacred stage of life can ask questions, find answers, be seen, and support each other. Content will include a brief explanation of the physiology of this life transition, hormone testing options, nutritional guidance, and the importance of emotional support. We openly discuss the challenges of this life phase and particular emphasis will be given to the discovery of the gifts of the perimenopausal transition.
2:20 p.m. - 3:10 p.m. Sessions
Neurographic: Experiences as a Women, Amanda Evans, Care Meixner, Morgan Williams, Emily Plowright, Destiny Moore, and Daisy Foncha (Graduate Psychology)
In this presentation, we will introduce an experiential activity that explores the concept of woman using neurographic interventions. Through progressive muscle relaxation, a mindfulness prompt and art materials, we intend to cultivate an environment that asks 'what does it mean to be a woman in 2025,' using neurographic activities to stimulate discussion. Attendees are encouraged to participate and process their neurographic images with other folks.
Wellness Refreshment: Drinking From the Well, Debi Kipps-Vaughan (Graduate Psychology)
We will 'drink from the wellness well' as we learn about nourishing our minds with helpful thoughts and beliefs, practicing healthy coping habits, and developing a wellness plan to move forward in goodness and health. We will take time to engage in some brief calming activities just to make us feel good!
Ethical Reasoning in Women's Healthcare: Using the 8 Key Questions, Annika Westenbroek (Ethical Reasoning in Action)
The presentation will include an introduction to ethical reasoning using the 8 key questions. Following the introduction and practice with the 8 key questions, participants will engage in an ethical reasoning scenario, where they will be asked to apply the 8 key questions and make a decision. The main scenario will guide participants through a common situation that women face, teaching them how to use ethical reasoning to determine when to advocate for themselves and when to accept a diagnosis from a doctor. This was inspired by the fact that the average time it takes for endometriosis to be diagnosed is 6.6 years worldwide, according to the University of York, due to a lack of research in the field of women’s health and the normalization of pain in women’s health.
Power Down, Gear Up: Mindful Next Steps After A Crisis, Kristen Kelley (JMU Learning Centers)
First, the crisis: sudden, time sensitive, action required, and high stakes. How do we make meaning and recover in the days that follow? Dr. Kristen Kelley speaks from the heart as she guides her audience through the obstacles, emotions, and actions that lead to moving forward with integrity, no matter how big or small recovery seems. Suitable for leaders, managers, parents, change agents, and disruptors, Power Down, Gear Up offers actionable steps to apply at any stage after a crisis as you move to rest in your character and use the resources around you. Dr. Kelley’s academic background and research interest in the social psychology of transformative change roots her talk in evidence and experience as she explores crisis and care for women navigating the hardest times.
Money, Mindset, and Peace of Mind, Lindsey Scott, (Women for Madison)
When we think about financial wellness, we often measure it by what’s in our bank account. But true financial health is more than numbers—it’s about confidence, peace of mind, and clarity on what matters most financially. In this session, we’ll explore the unique ways women experience money pressure, unpack the money scripts we carry, and gain simple tools to ease financial stress. You’ll walk away with a fresh perspective and practical steps to build a more grounded, holistic relationship with money. This session is presented in partnership with Women for Madison, an organization investing in the wellness of women in the JMU community and the future of JMU.
3:20 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Chair Yoga, Anna Smith (School of Art, Design and Art History)
End the day by enjoying the benefits of yoga in a supportive and accessible way with a chair yoga session.
Register for sessions here: https://jmu.questionpro.com/wellwomen2025
Reach out to Tara Torkelson, Coordinator of Employee Well-being, with any questions. torkeltb@jmu.edu
