Session 204: “Be Like a Tree” – Taking a Forested Long View of Faculty and Staff Wellness

Time: 11:00 AM – 11:50 AM

Location: Main campus location to be published here on January 5

Presenter: Susan Comfort (Adjunct Instructor, CAS | Health Studies)

Session Description: 

This interactive training uses nature-based metaphors to reimagine faculty and staff wellness beyond individual self-care. Participants will explore how trees, forests, and mycorrhizal networks model interdependence and collective resilience, then apply these insights to building “team-care” culture at AU. As an arboretum campus, American University is uniquely positioned to learn from—and be like—trees.

Learning Outcomes:

1. Remember short- and long-term wellness needs from participants’ past, using reflective tools
2. Understand nature-based themes and wellness concepts. We’ll shift these from individual “self-care” practices toward collective “team-care” strategies that support diverse identities and skills
3. Apply the parallels between forest ecosystems (plants, fungi, and animals) and workplace communities, identifying how interdependence strengthens both natural and human systems
4. Create actionable commitments for fostering supportive, resilient workplace communities that honor both individual and collective wellbeing