Join us!
October 10 is World Mental Health Day, and this year’s focus on workplace well-being highlights an urgent truth: for young families balancing office deadlines, childcare, household responsibilities, and team projects, stress isn’t the exception—it’s the norm.
CanBeWell and IASK are working to change that by offering accessible, science-backed strategies to support mental health at work, at home, and everywhere in between. With 12 presentations across three time zones, our World Mental Health Day events are packed with ideas to help families and organizations fill their wellness toolbox.
How is Dr Michelle Greenwell, CIH BioEW involved? As President of CanBeWell and on the World Mental Health Day committee with IASK, she has been supporting the presentations and resources available for this special day. This is a program that you will want to share with the loved ones in your life who are struggling to “do it all” and overlook their mental and physical fatigue. Read on…
Why This Matters
Workplace stress is no small issue:
- The World Health Organization notes that long hours, unclear roles, and lack of support are major contributors to poor mental health.
- More than 70% of Canadian employees are concerned about psychological safety at work.
- Empowerment—having autonomy, meaning, and confidence in your role—is directly linked to greater well-being, resilience, and lower burnout.
For parents juggling school runs and project deadlines, these challenges multiply. That’s why CanBeWell and IASK focus on empowerment through practical tools that can be used by anyone, anywhere, anytime.
Moving Beyond “Take a Deep Breath”
Traditional workplace wellness advice often circles around mindfulness, stretching, or deep breathing. While valuable, these don’t always meet people where they are—especially when juggling multiple responsibilities or facing ongoing stressors.
Instead, we highlight bioenergetic wellness tools that integrate the brain, body, and emotions for a deeper reset:
- Emotional Stress Release (ESR) Points – Gently holding the forehead can help the body calm the fight-or-flight response, reducing stress and bringing clarity back to the mind.
- Cook’s Hook Ups – A simple posture that balances the brain and body, encouraging focus and calm, especially useful before presentations or problem-solving tasks.
- Switching on the Brain – Gentle cross-body movements activate both hemispheres of the brain, helping with concentration, decision-making, and creative thinking.
- Integrative Movement Patterns – Activities like cross-crawls or figure-eights connect brain and body, improving focus, coordination, and energy.
- Eye Tracking Exercises – Following visual patterns can improve concentration and relieve digital fatigue.
- Grounding & Nature Connection – Stepping outside, feeling the earth, or simply noticing the natural environment restores balance and reduces tension.
- Hydration – Drinking water is a powerful yet overlooked tool for energy, clarity, and resilience throughout the day.
- Movement for Calm – Practices like Tai Chi and yoga release stored tension, regulate breathing naturally, and calm the nervous system.
These strategies don’t require special equipment or long breaks—they’re quick, practical, and deeply effective for restoring balance during busy workdays.
Empowerment Through Self-Care
One of the most powerful findings from workplace research is that self-management matters. A 2025 study found that mental health self-management practices improve well-being, work performance, and resilience—even under high stress. When employees are given the tools and permission to use them, both individuals and organizations thrive.
That’s exactly what bioenergetic wellness tools provide: self-empowerment. Each person can learn techniques they can apply independently to reset their own system. Instead of waiting for external support, they have tools at their fingertips to reduce stress, boost energy, and enhance focus.
Creating Supportive Work Environments
For leaders and administrators, mental health is more than an individual issue—it’s cultural. Encouraging bioenergetic wellness practices means:
- Normalizing mental breaks – Just as coffee breaks are routine, organizations can encourage short wellness resets using ESR points, movement patterns, or Tai Chi.
- Providing access – Making quick reference cards, videos, or workshops available so employees can learn and practice these techniques.
- Modeling practices – Leaders who take “wellness pauses” demonstrate that self-care is valued and respected.
- Respecting family needs – Flexibility around childcare, remote work, and schedules reduces the stress load for young families and supports long-term engagement.
CanBeWell & IASK: 12 Presentations, 3 Time Zones, Oodles of Ideas
This World Mental Health Day, CanBeWell and IASK bring together 12 unique presentations across three time zones, ensuring accessibility for participants worldwide. Topics range from practical workplace tools to deeper explorations of bioenergetic wellness and how individuals can build sustainable habits for mental health.
Participants will leave with:
- A personalized wellness toolbox they can use daily
- Strategies for balancing family responsibilities with work demands
- Tools to improve focus, reduce stress, and calm the mind—without needing long breaks or specialized spaces
- A deeper understanding of self-empowerment in mental health and how small, intentional practices can shift energy, productivity, and resilience
Research Highlights
- Self-management and empowerment buffer the impact of high job demands, improving flourishing and productivity.
- Psychological empowerment—autonomy, competence, and meaning—directly increases job satisfaction and decreases burnout.
- Integrating movement and brain-body tools supports both mental and physical resilience, especially important for busy families and high-stress workplaces.
Take Action: Join Us
We invite you to register at www.iask.org under Events → World Mental Health Day 2025, or at www.canbewell.org.
We recommend signing up for all three presentations and receiving the recordings to review at your convenience. Along with the recordings, participants receive a journal filled with tips and tools for easy reference, plus background information to support ongoing use of the practices.
For leaders and administrators, we encourage you to consider inviting our presenters to host a workshop or help design a wellness plan tailored to your office. Supportive action in the workplace creates an environment that not only nurtures well-being but also inspires success for everyone.
This World Mental Health Day, let’s go beyond awareness and into action. By embracing bioenergetic wellness practices, we empower individuals, strengthen families, and create workplaces where resilience and creativity thrive.
Are you interested in learning more and bringing it to your office or team? You can reach out to our office at info@greenwellcenter.com to book an introductory call with Dr Michelle Greenwell CIH BioEW. She will be happy to get you started with the best in workplace wellness.