Video program added for next Mental Wellness Book Club

When the Mental Wellness Book Club announced its upcoming discussion of Bessel van der Kolk’s book “The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma,” 179 people submitted registration forms, exponentially more people than the book club could fit.

Book cover of 'The Body Keeps the Score'For this reason, the Mental Wellness Task Force has arranged to host an additional program — a brown bag lunch and learn session on March 6, where a 30-minute video interview with van der Kolk, a Dutch psychiatrist and trauma expert, will be shown.

After the video, three presenters will each speak for five minutes: The UPMC Health Plan account manager for Pitt will speak about insurance coverage for Pitt employees who seek the treatments that van der Kolk talks about in the interview. The Pitt wellness specialist will speak about in-department outreach that she can provide. And the clinical director from Life Solutions will talk about trauma counseling that is available to staff and faculty at Pitt and their families. Attendees also will get handouts containing contact information and summaries of these resources and services.

This program will be from noon to 1 p.m. March 6 in Rooms 107 and 109 at the Barco Law Building. All are welcome. No registration is requested. Please bring coworkers. All seats are at tables on a sloped floor facing the screen so it will be comfortable for eating your lunch.

Contact Linda Tashbook at tashbook@pitt.edu if you have any questions.