Becoming Wildly Resilient: Nature is Medicine

Dr. Connie Jennings, medical director of UKHC Integrative Medicine and Health, joined the “Becoming Wildly Resilient” podcast in April 2023 for a nurturing conversation about nature.

Listen as Dr. Jennings shares an abundance of joy and passion for, and knowledge of, our world outside. Throughout the episode, you’ll learn how nature can dramatically improve our physical and mental health. Dr. Jennings explains why we should seek moments of awe in nature. You’ll also hear ways nature can teach us about resilience and some of Dr. Jennings’ favorite nature spaces on the UK campus. Dr. Jennings also leads us through a short guided imagery nature meditation toward the end.
 

Mentioned in this Episode

• Related Episode: “Ep. 3: Mindfulness and Money” with Dr. Dan Stone
• Services: UK HealthCare Integrative Medicine and Health
• Program: Walk with a Doc
• Children’s Books:
  • Author Kate DiCamillo
  • “Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets” by J.K. Rowling
  • “Charlotte’s Web” by E.B. White
  • “Grumpy Monkey” series by Suzanne Lang
• Hike: Kentucky River Palisades and Tom Dorman State Nature Preserve
• Awe in Nature:
  • Grand Canyon
  • Muir Woods National Monument – Cathedral Grove
• Pop Culture Reference: Ron Swanson quote from NBC’s “Parks and Recreation”
• Concept: nature-deficit disorder
• Culture Initiative: The Daily Mile
• Concept: biophilia
• Emotion: awe explained
• Concept: “overview effect” – astronauts’ attitudes toward earth
• Favorite Nature Locations on UK Campus:
  • Mathews Garden
  • The Arboretum – State Botanical Garden of Kentucky
  • Maxwell Place
  • lawns and pathways around William T. Young Library
• UK Campus Trees: UK Interactive Tree Map from Urban Forest Initiative
• Podcast: “Body of Wonder” with Drs. Andrew Weil and Victoria Maizes
• Research: work from Dr. Ming Kuo
• Book: “Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children from Nature-Deficit Disorder” by Richard Louv
• New Employee Resource: free access to Headspace, an evidence-based meditation and mindfulness app
• Playlist: A Wildly Resilient PlaylistNow available on Spotify, Apple Music, and YouTube Music
  • What songs would you add? Let us know at healthandwellness@uky.edu.
• ​Story: Johnny Appleseed
• Quote: “People protect what they love, they love what they understand and they understand what they are taught.” – Jacques-Yves Cousteau
• Saying: “When we all work for the common good, good becomes common.”
• Quote and Aphorism: “A man has made at least a start on discovering the meaning of human life when he plants shade trees under which he knows full well he will never sit.” -D. Elton Trueblood
• Upcoming Events: UK Human Resources calendar

Contact Us

Have feedback, questions you'd like answered on the show or know someone at UK that would be a good guest? Email us at healthandwellness@uky.edu.

You can listen and follow all episodes of "Becoming Wildly Resilient" wherever you find your podcasts.