COUNTY COLUMN: A Way to Wellness program at The Well supports healthy lifestyle

Find support in your journey to improve your health this year at the Cleveland County Wellness Square (The Well), 210 S. James Garner Ave.

A Way to Wellness is a free, 9-week-long, healthy lifestyle change program that targets multiple aspects of health and wellness through intentional goal-setting and peer support. Previous classes have been highly successful.

“It made me realize that it’s not just about what you eat and losing weight, it’s a whole-body thing,” said former participant Anna Thompson. “Mind, body, and soul working together. And when you can get your mind, body, and soul living a better life each day, that is the joy.”

Taught by Cleveland County Health Department educators, the program will run on Wednesdays from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m., Jan. 8 through March 5. Participants should commit to making as many of the classes as possible.

“It is incredibly rewarding to see participants journey through this 9-week healthy lifestyle program,” said Health Educator Catherine Willis. “You can see the food as fuel concept coupled with personalized goal setting change participants life’s by creating lifelong habits and behavior change.”

The weekly classes cover a variety of topics regarding health, such as sleeping more and stressing less, overcoming daily challenges, managing triggers, and more.

“As someone who has spent her entire life with a negative relationship with food and diet culture, it heals my soul to get to practice and teach this program as it re-educates, inspires, and empowers people to rebuild their relationship to wellness, regardless of what point they are in their journey,” said Health Educator Micah Caruso. This is truly a one-of-a-kind class, and I hope everyone gets the chance to be a part of it.”

Participants receive one-on-one coaching, free health screenings, and the chance to develop a strong peer support group. There will be weekly prizes to boost motivation.

Previous classes focused on preventing diabetes, but this class is geared toward everyone and a more wholistic in approach, though many of the same evidence-based methods will be used in this lifestyle change program.

According to information provided by the Cleveland County Health Department, “the Chronic Disease Prevention Services with the Oklahoma State Department of Health developed A Way to Wellness to uniquely meet the needs of Oklahomans with a multi-week, interactive class to help participants learn how to make healthy and sustainable changes in their lives.”

The program piloted in the Spring of 2024 in collaboration with the Community Engagement team from the Cleveland County Health Department. Goals included supporting people to make healthy eating changes and to engage in 150 minutes of physical activity weekly.

“While we encourage people to consult their doctors, we’re also aware that on some levels we are the experts of our own health,” Willis said. “This class teaches you how to curate an individual action plan which is very empowering. This is what I love the most about this program.”

Joy Hampton is a public information specialist for Cleveland County

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