The Power of Well-being

Greenwood’s Alumni Executive hosted a panel discussion on The Power of Well-being on Tuesday, March 30. The panel was composed of distinguished speakers from the Greenwood community who talked about their experiences in the field of health and well-being and how the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted their roles this past year.

Jamie Lougheed, Executive Director, Advancement, welcomed our guests and introduced Kathryn Connelly, Director, Student Well-being, who formally introduced our panel of speakers and asked them a variety of questions throughout the discussion.

Our panel included:

Read below to see some of the questions and answers that were discussed throughout the event.

“This is a really loaded question. There has been a lot of PPE fatigue which has caused so much micro-stress all the time. With all of these changes and so much uncertainty, we are all burnt out. Some nurses have left because it has been really hard, but we have tried to develop our own little wellness groups...The first time I entered a COVID-positive room being fully vaccinated, I felt a weight lift off of my shoulders.” - Gigi Labrie ‘07

“Connecting with clients can be difficult, but the biggest change is the possibilities that have opened up. We can now connect with people virtually, so it’s easier to meet with clients who can’t come to our office. There have been some positive changes with being able to stay home. I find that accessibility has been greater.” - Daniel Martin ‘09

“My business was shut down quick and hard. I opened a boxing studio in February of 2020 and it closed in March 2020. I have been training people one-on-one, in small groups, or families, either outside or online. It’s been really testing and a huge challenge since it’s my first year as a business owner. It’s really pushed me to think outside the box.” - Sammy Kronick ‘13

“At Greenwood, we don’t have an abundance of outdoor space, so that has been tough for sports. A lot of the programming at Greenwood such as Outdoor Education, Athletics, the Arts and so on, is designed to keep us connected, so that has been challenging. There are many bright things coming from COVID because we are forced to be creative, but I think the biggest thing we are missing is connectivity.” - Sam Clark

“I’m currently working with patients at a shelter on Skid Row (in Los Angeles). COVID has actually brought out a lot of services that didn’t exist before. There is now a free-phone program for the homeless population, which has allowed me to do sessions with people who I might not have been able to connect with before. I have learned that people are more resilient than we ever thought.” - Emma Wookey ‘12

“People who have been relieving themselves from social pressures are going to have to learn how to get out of their comfort zone of staying home. I think it’s important to get outside and meet with friends when it’s safe to do so.” - Sammy Kronick ‘13

“It will be nice when we can hug our loved ones and have that interaction with people again. I think COVID gave us the confidence that if we can get through a tough year, we can get past anything.” - Emma Wookey ‘12

“There needs to be a balance of services and accessibilities. If we are going back to ‘normal’, we need to think about how we can make everything accessible. There will always be peaks and valleys; the transition won’t be a linear one.” - Daniel Martin ‘09

“We still need to be careful and have the right policies and procedures in place. We have this idea of how life used to be but given the circumstances, we have to help our students in dealing with restrictive measures. Our students have missed out on some big milestones, so we really need to be there to support them.” - Sam Clark

“It’s important to not fear relationships and human connections. To me, we are never really going to go back to ‘normal.’ There will be a new kind of normal. The lessons we have learned on prioritizing our values need to be reflected into our new normal.” - Gigi Labrie ‘07

“If anyone knew me in Grade 7, my main goal was to talk to no one ever and just read books. At Greenwood, I gained a lot of confidence and realized I enjoyed talking to people. When I was at Greenwood, Kathryn Kelly (one of Greenwood’s Guidance Counsellors at the time) really helped me. I would spend hours talking to her, and she really influenced me to be that presence and safe space for others.” - Daniel Martin ‘09

“I love how Greenwood values service and giving back to the community. I will never forget my Grade 7 and 8 days of volunteering at Bloorview [Kids Rehabilitation Hospital]. It’s important to learn from a young age that there is a benefit when you help others. It also helps you in a way, because it makes you feel good.” - Emma Wookey ‘12

“I think I always knew I wanted to help people, but Greenwood helped foster that. I also always liked science, so I would like to give a shoutout to Nancy Clarke and Julie Way, who were outstanding teachers. Those strong female figures in science helped me learn that I wanted to pursue a degree in science. Another thing that helped me was OE. Outdoor education at Greenwood also gave me a deeper understanding of nature and it’s such a grounding way for me to help my mental health.” - Gigi Labrie ‘07

“At Greenwood I felt like I learned to take risks and I really expanded my leadership skills and confidence. It equipped me to learn how to talk to people and to not be afraid to ask for help. The environment at Greenwood makes you feel so at home and I feel like it gave me the confidence to pursue what I love to do.” - Sammy Kronick ‘13

“My number one piece of advice is working on staying present and focusing on what you know in the moment. If you are feeling sad or anxious or have any uncomfortable feelings, it’s okay. Just try to focus on the things you have control of.” - Emma Wookey ‘12

“Find “micro-moments” of self-care. Honouring small moments like drinking your coffee or taking a breath is so beneficial. Meditation and yoga are great, but we shouldn’t have high expectations about feeling better that are too high. Honouring these small moments is just as beneficial.” - Gigi Labrie ‘07

“Take it easy and give yourself the leeway to know that it's okay to not feel okay. Don't be too hard on yourself.” - Sammy Kronick ‘13

“We need to recognize that we are all struggling. One thing that has helped me is celebrating the things I am doing. My spouse and I have a calendar that we fill out retroactively to remember the things we have done. I write down the movies I watch, the takeout places I order from, when I went for a walk, etc.  Remind yourself that you are doing stuff so that you don’t always feel like nothing is happening and you’re not doing anything.” - Daniel Martin ‘09

“I welcomed my first child in December which has brought a lot of happiness to my life. I think it’s important we try to find the joy in things as much as we can.” - Sam Clark

Thank you to our panelists for a great discussion and thank you to our Alumni Executive for organizing this event. It was a wonderful evening!