The OCIH Wellness Book Club is for all University of Utah employees. We will choose books that relate to the pillars of health, or how we move, eat, sleep, and connect with ourselves, others, and the world around us. The goal of creating a space to discuss wellness is to elevate the University of Utah employees’ well-being and our campus wellness culture.

Book club conversations will ultimately touch on topics like personal well-being and how to care for self, professional well-being, and how to show up at work and in front of others. In collaboration with the Marriot Library and with support from the Professional Education Department, OCIH has chosen the following three books for spring 2023:

Atomic Habits by James Clear

Marriott Library access here. Virtual book club meeting: *Thursday, February 15th at noon

Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer

Marriott Library access here. Virtual book club meeting: *Thursday, April 11th at noon

In addition, the College of Humanities Tanner Talks will be hosting Robin Kimmerer on April 17th. More information here:  https://thc.utah.edu/public-programs/tanner-talks/

Weathering by Dr. Arline T Geronimus

Marriott Library access here. Virtual book club meeting: *Tuesday, June 4th at noon

*Click on dates to download Microsoft Outlook calendar event

Guidelines for Discussion

1. Try On. Be open-minded to others’ ideas and feelings, even when they are very different than your own.
2. It’s ok to disagree. While we have many similarities, it’s OK to acknowledge our different perspectives.
3. Learn to respond to others with honest, open answers instead of counselling, correcting, or attacking. Make your conversation goal to listen and share, not to change people’s minds.
4. Speak your truth in ways that respect other people’s truths. Our views of reality may differ. Use “I” statements (I think, I feel, I believe), trusting others to do their sifting.
5. Practice “both/and” thinking. This invites us to see that more than one reality or perspective can be accurate simultaneously, rather than “either/or,” right or wrong, good or bad.
6. Observe deep confidentiality. I agree that nothing said in this conversation of trust will be repeated to others.