“Thank you from the bottom of my heart. I had the best night’s sleep I’ve had in a long time after participating in this workshop.”
That was just one piece of feedback Christina DeWitt, the population health clinical manager at Hancock Health, received following a workshop hosted at Hancock Health’s Connection Center.
The workshop, “Gathering in the Gray,” was designed for individuals experiencing seasonal affective disorder (SAD) or those who find themselves withdrawing during the darker months. While the session offered psychoeducation around SAD, its impact went beyond information. Participants were also invited into a warm, welcoming space built around connection with cozy treats, a hot chocolate bar, and crafting stations such as bracelet making, puzzles, knitting, sticker-dot art, and watercolor painting.
“It was completely free-flowing,” DeWitt said. “There were no expectations. The laughter we heard — we were so excited. We weren’t sure how it was going to go because it was very creative and hands-off on our end, but it was amazing.”
Another workshop, held at the end of 2025, focused on navigating grief during the holidays. Participants took home a succulent in honor of whatever loss they were carrying, whether it was the death of a loved one, a pet, or the end of a relationship. Feedback from this workshop showed how powerful it was for participants to feel seen, heard, and connect with those with similar stories, DeWitt said.
These free, accessible workshops are part of Hancock Health’s broader commitment to supporting whole-body health addressing not only physical well-being but mental health as well.
Supporting Your Mental Health
Women have been particularly conditioned to push through stress rather than pause and listen to what their bodies and minds are telling them, DeWitt said. As a result, she sees countless women living in a constant state of chronic stress and anxiety without the tools or permission they feel they need to care for their own mental well-being in a sustainable way.
Personal wellness consistently falls to the bottom of the priority list for women, DeWitt said, because they are expected to show up first as mothers, partners, employees, and caregivers. With so many roles demanding their attention, taking time for themselves can feel unrealistic or even selfish.
That mindset, DeWitt said, frequently comes with shame or guilt when women don’t put others first. But just like the familiar airplane safety rule of putting on your own oxygen mask before helping others, she said, prioritizing mental wellness is essential, not optional. By breaking down those barriers of shame and normalizing self-care, DeWitt said women can begin to show up more fully, both at home and at work.
“When we’re feeling very low, sometimes it’s hard to brush our teeth or even shower, let alone call multiple therapy offices to see if they take our insurance or have availability,” DeWitt said. “What we can do [at Hancock Health’s Connection Center] is touch base on simple activities and make sure people have a strong sense of community. That way, when it’s time to address more significant mental health concerns, they’re in a better place to make that phone call.”
For several participants, simply showing up was the hardest part, DeWitt said, especially for those who identify as introverted or felt the workshop was outside their comfort zone. For individuals who may not yet feel ready to take that step, DeWitt said meaningful mental health support can also begin with small, everyday actions. This includes getting daily sunlight or using light therapy during darker months, incorporating gentle movement like walking or stretching, practicing breathing exercises, and nourishing your body.
These topics were explored earlier this week at Hancock Health’s Connection Center in Greenfield during the workshop, “Nourishing the Nervous System,” which focused on self-regulation strategies and foods that support nervous system health.
Supporting Your Physical Health
Joy Higbee, director of well-being for Hancock Health, said one of the biggest health risks she sees is how many people live sedentary lives. Hancock Health is addressing this issue with its three Wellness Centers in McCordsville, Greenfield, and New Palestine. These Wellness Centers serve more than 16,000 members across Hancock County, and each day, they welcome more than 1,000 visitors.
“I can tell you all day long that you’re going to feel better if you exercise 30-minutes a day,” Higbee said, “But, if I tell you, ‘You have to run 30-minutes a day,’ and you hate running, you’re not going to do it. What we’re leaning into is finding things that people actually like doing and where they can build a community.”
These Wellness Centers have become a “third place” where people can not only exercise but also participate in support groups and condition-specific programming helping those with diabetes, cardiovascular disease, hypertension, cancer, are pregnant or postpartum, and more.
“I love that at any of our facilities, at any time, you’re going to see somebody who looks like you,” Higbee said. “Our Jungle Club [childcare amenity] starts accepting children at just 3 months old, and we have 90-year-olds in our CrossFit classes. Our clinical programming is very welcoming, and if someone is referred by their physician, their hand is truly held through that process.”
Hancock Health’s clinical exercise program is a 60-day, $60 initiative designed to make exercise-based care accessible and affordable. Participants attend three days of monitored exercise each week over an eight-week period to use movement as a form of medicine.
From a data standpoint, Higbee said participants often see improvements in their body composition, blood pressure, and A1C levels. But just as meaningful, she said, is how participants describe the impact on their everyday lives.
“They feel it when they’re able to play with their grandkids and get down on the floor,” Higbee said. “They feel it when they can carry their groceries in one trip instead of two.”
In addition to movement-based programs, each Wellness Center is staffed with a registered dietitian to help members navigate what Higbee said is the “wild west” of nutrition advice found online. This support is especially valuable for individuals taking GLP-1 medications, she said, who may struggle to meet their nutritional needs when their appetite is suppressed.
Higbee said participants often share that working with a registered dietitian makes these treatments feel truly life-changing, as they learn how to manage fatigue or nausea and better fuel their bodies for long-term health.
“The way the Wellness centers, the dieticians, and the Connection Center come together — it’s exciting to see that you’re being treated as a whole person from day one,” Higbee said. “You don’t have to wait until you’re super sick to go get healthcare. This is prevention at its very best.”
How Your Doctor Can Support Your Whole-Body Health
Hancock Health’s focus on prevention and whole-body health also extends into the exam room, where physicians help their patients connect their medical care with these wellness resources available.
As a family medicine physician with Hancock Health, Dr. Kristen Steiner understands the challenge many patients face in balancing busy lives while wanting to start prioritizing their physical and mental health.
“A lot of my patients will come in and say, ‘I avoid going to the doctor,’ and we laugh because I say, ‘Yeah, me too,’” Steiner said.
Steiner still advocates for regular primary care visits because she regularly sees how mental health influences physical well-being. For example, patients with untreated anxiety may seek dopamine hits like smoking or overeating, she said, which can increase the risk of conditions like obesity or prediabetes.
To help create a more open, supportive environment during her patient’s appointments, Steiner shares her own experiences with anxiety, so her patients know they are not alone. By normalizing these conversations, she said, her patients feel more comfortable discussing the challenges they’re facing, mentally or physically.
Steiner also often works with women who are juggling multiple roles and feeling the pressure that comes with those responsibilities. She helps them set realistic expectations and look closely at their daily schedules to carve out even small pockets of time for activities that bring them joy. These small changes can have a meaningful impact on their overall health, she said, such as reducing the risk of a heart attack, stroke, diabetes, arthritis, osteoporosis, and chronic stress.
Steiner values how Hancock Health’s focus on comprehensive care allows physicians to connect patients with additional support when needed. For example, she frequently refers patients to registered dietitians at the Wellness Centers when they have specific questions about nutrition, protein intake, or how to build sustainable eating habits tailored to their goals. She encourages her patients to take this same collaborative approach when choosing their own primary care provider and to seek out someone who truly supports them.
“Find somebody you feel like you can talk to and who listens to you,” Steiner said. “That’s the most important thing. Pick and choose who you want on your team. Be picky about it because it is your health, and you’re the one who has to live with it long-term.”
To learn more about Hancock Health’s resources at its Connection Center and Wellness Centers to support your whole-body health, visit HancockHealth.org.
Nicole Thomas is a writer and digital marketer inspired by those making a difference in healthcare every day in Indianapolis. You can follow her on LinkedIn.
SUPPORT LOCAL JOURNALISM
All of our content—including this article—is entirely free. However, we’d love it if you would please consider supporting our journalism with an Indy Maven Membership.
P.S. Sign up for our weekly newsletter with stories like this delivered to your inbox every Thursday!
