HIGHLAND PARK — The SAY Detroit Family Health Clinic christened its inaugural female-focused monthly support group on Wednesday by embracing a topic that’s often difficult to discuss: stress.
Called “Wellness Wednesdays,’’ the monthly initiative aims to bring diverse groups of women and mothers together to work interactively through discussion and role play to help find solutions that affect their daily lives. Another goal of the program, which was delayed nearly a year because of the coronavirus pandemic, is to expose participants connected with the SAY Play Center at Lipke Park, and other organizations, to the free health services provided at the SAY Clinic in Highland Park.
Led by facilitator Maia Campbell, SAY Clinic’s community outreach coordinator, the group on Wednesday openly discussed the physical and emotional affects of stress and shared self-care tips with one another. Some of the suggestions included listening to music, taking a walk, washing your hair, doing word searches and meditating.
“As mothers, sometimes it seems we’re made to feel guilty, like, ‘You’re a mom, you don’t need to take time off,’’’ Campbell said. “Self-care is very important – and very personal.’’
Among the participants Wednesday was a woman who works at a child protective services agency. She said she was going to recommend Wellness Wednesdays to others in her community.
Although the program was held under a tent in the clinic’s parking lot, the 1 1/2-hour session felt intimate, Campbell said. Participants were offered a healthy lunch of fresh fruit, vegetables and antipasto, and received swag bags filled with goodies to help “de-stress,’’ including notebooks for journaling, essential oils and cooling eye masks.
“I think we had every age group represented — I loved that it happened that way,”Campbell said. “We need the energy from our youth and the wisdom from our elders. I’m excited for our future meetings.’’
The next Wellness Wednesday session will be held July 21 at the SAY Clinic at 211 Glendale, Highland Park. Although the program is open to all women, participants who are patients at the SAY Clinic or whose children attend SAY Play will be given priority registration. For more information, and to register for the second session, please call 313-758-6100. A date and focus topic for August will be released in the coming weeks.
