Bridging Physical Health and Mental Health in Harlem

How do you handle stress? What do you know about mindfulness? Are you ready for that job search?

Those are just some of the topics bridging physical and mental health in a new series of workshops underway this fall at Ryan Health | Adair.

“We wanted to create a forum that allows people to address everyday life needs,” says Aboubakar Diaby, MSW, Community Engagement Coordinator at Ryan Health | Harlem Sites and Wadsworth. “It’s about assistance and resources, and it’s about healthcare. These workshops are engaged, informal sessions between professionals.”

The workshops are conducted by Ryan Health’s Mount Sinai residents, as well as our mental health coalition partner Harlem Strong. The format is simple: one focused topic laid out at the front end, and then a casual, 30- to 40-minute discussion. No presentations, no slideshows — the sessions are meant to be interactive, so attendees can ask a lot of questions and talk about how the topic connects to them.

Attendance at the workshops is purposely small — it’s capped at 10 people — so everyone can participate in the discussion. Everyone who attends the workshops leaves with a bag of fresh produce from NY Common Pantry.

There are two scheduled workshops each month. October’s first topic was Health and Wellness 101, and was a discussion on the connection of physical health to mental health. The second topic was on Mindfulness, which means being present in your current circumstances, without overreacting or getting lost in stray thoughts.

The workshops coming up include:

• November 3: Hypertension + Stress. The role stress plays in high blood pressure.
• November 18: Don’t Be Nervous, Be Ready. Issues surrounding the workplace and stress around finding employment.
• December 2: Nutrition + Stress. How mental health plays a role in bad eating habits and leads to chronic diseases like diabetes.
• December 16: TBD.

Plans are underway to add other elements to the workshops such as yoga, or an interactive nutrition element. The current slate of workshops is viewed as a pilot project to determine how to proceed with them in 2026. Your feedback helps!

The workshops are always on the 9th floor conference room of Ryan Health | Adair. Potential participants may receive a text message about attending. You do not have to be a Ryan Health patient to participate. You do not need to sign up in advance, although you can register if you like using THIS LINK. You can also find information on the Ryan Health Events Calendar on our website.