My name is Melea Johnson, MA, and I joined the Resiliency & Well-being Center in February as a staff clinician. I've been in the Washington, D.C. area for about five years now. I adopted a 2-year-old Australian Shepherd in 2022. My general interests are reading and traveling. I have been to 13 countries, mainly in Europe and two of my favorites were Iceland and France. One of the best things about traveling is getting to know different cultures and exploring places outside of the United States, which is something I recommend for everyone if/when you can! My next bit travel goal is to venture out to Australia or Asia to explore a little bit of a different environment.

I am a first-generation college student, so attending graduate school was an experience that I valued and am proud of. I attended undergraduate college in Florida and then moved to Chicago for my graduate studies, where I stayed for about a year before moving to the D.C. area. During my master's program, I was a practicum student at a female, minority-owned counseling center, where I returned for employment after applying for my license in D.C. to work as a graduate-level clinician. The population I primarily served were individuals of color, individuals identifying in the LGTBQIA+ community and single moms who are also working professionals. 

My clinical interests have typically centered around the young adult population and individuals who are adjusting to undergraduate or graduate school. Typically in young adulthood, individuals are working on who they are as an individua. It might be the first time they are away from parents or large support systems and that transition time is so important to take note of and provide support as needed. 

I am so excited to meet everyone, and I hope to be able to say hello in person or virtually soon!

 

By  Melea Johnson, MA, LGPC, Staff Clinician, GW Resiliency & Well-being Center

As the world around us renews with the arrival of spring, it’s the perfect time to also refresh our approach to managing stress.

Stress is a naturally occurring reaction in your body that can be triggered by the changes occurring around you and can be beneficial by fueling you to stay focused and productive. For example, you may experience stress when a deadline is approaching that encourages you to prioritize and use your time more efficiently. This stress, also called acute stress, can be beneficial so long as it dissipates rather quickly.

Individuals run into issues when they start experiencing stress on a longer term or regular basis and is known as chronic stress. When meeting new people or going to a new restaurant, you might experience positive stress that increases your adrenaline and causes you to feel excited. Chronic stress however, can lead to negative effects on your overall well-being and health. This could be caused by stress at work or family health issues.

Being aware of your body and functioning is one of the most important steps in managing stress. Physical symptoms of stress can include aches and pains, fatigue, disruptive sleep patterns, changes in appetite and digestion, and a weakened immune system. Emotionally, you may notice an increase in irritation, heightened anxiety or uncontrollable worry, feeling down or overwhelmed. You might also experience a difficulty in concentrating, making decisions or a lack of motivation to engage in activities that you would normally enjoy.

Coping with stress is an important part of maintaining your overall well-being. Consider utilizing relaxing techniques, regular physical activities such as walking, a consistent sleep routine, focusing on your nutritional choices and engaging in activities that will bring you happiness. Typically, the hardest step to take when feeling overwhelmed or stressed is the first one — being able to take that first step to go to the gym or go outside will drastically reduce your stress and you will find yourself having an easier time engaging with others.

Negative coping strategies are important to watch for and can include substance use, skipping your self-care activities, or neglecting responsibilities. If you notice any of these patterns or behaviors, it may be a sign to speak to a professional to help develop healthy coping strategies and determine the root cause of your stress.

Access stress management resources on the R&W Center website.

 

By  Melea Johnson, MA, LGPC, Staff Clinician, GW Resiliency & Well-being Center

There's so much misinformation out there about nutrition. It reminds me of that old children's game of telephone, where a message is whispered from one person to the next in a line or circle, and the final message is often hilariously different from the original. We gathered a group of GW School of Medicine & Health Sciences (SMHS) experts to clear up the muddle of misinformation during the GW Resiliency & Well-being Center's (R&W Center) "Debunking Nutrition Myths for Women’s Well-being & Aging: An Expert Panel."

The panel included Julie Wendt,  MS, LDN, CNS, adjunct instructor, Department of Clinical Research & Leadership, SMHS; Lara Williams, MD, MSHS`20, FACOG, IFMCP, FAARM, ABOIM, the R&W Center's Women's Well-being Champion and managing partner of The Oregon Clinic – OBGYN North; and Leigh Frame, PhD, MHS, chief wellness officer of GW Medicine, director and research director of the R&W Center, assistant professor in the departments of Clinical Research & Leadership and Physician Assistant Studies, and co-director of the Frame-Corr Lab here at GW. 

You can watch a video of the panel or just read this article for the Cliff Notes. Here's some of what the experts had to say:

 

Join the GW Resiliency & Well-being Center for a Women's Well-being Lecture Series talk at 12 p.m. ET on Thursday, May 22, 2025, on “The Gut-Bone Connection & Women's Health” presented by John Neustadt, ND, author of "Fracture-Proof Your Bones: A Comprehensive Guide to Osteoporosis."

Dr. Neustadt has been recognized by the world's largest medical publisher, Elsevier, as one of the Top 10 Cited Authors in the world for his work. He's spent decades researching the underlying causes of disease and working with clinicians and patients to improve health outcomes through natural and Integrative Medicine.

He has published more than 100 research reviews, lectured frequently at medical conferences and received more than a dozen U.S. Food & Drug Administration Orphan Drug Designations for the potential use of natural products to treat rare diseases. 

The Women's Well-being Lecture Series is supported by the Rosemary Bowes, PhD, Women's Mental Health Fund. Watch previous lectures on YouTube. Learn more about the GW Women's Well-being Initiative.

Upcoming lectures:

 

The 8th Annual Patrick & Marguerite Sung Symposium: Intermittent Fasting for Well-being, organized by the GW Office of Integrative Medicine & Health (OIMH), explored the scientific foundations and practical applications of fasting as it relates to cancer, overall health, the gut microbiome, and eating disorders. 

Research leaders like Valter Longo, PhD, renowned expert in aging and disease, director of the USC Longevity Institute, and developer of the fasting mimicking diet (FMD), shared cutting edge research during this scintillating symposium.

Dr. Longo opened the event with a talk on his groundbreaking research on FMD cycles, longevity, and age-related diseases like cancer. Internationally recognized expert on intermittent fasting Courtney Peterson, PhD, associate professor, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Department of Nutrition Sciences, followed with a lecture on the research on the impact time-restricted eating (TRE) has on physical and mental health.

Our own Dr. Leigh Frame spoke on how what you eat controls the gut microbiome, liver behavior, and more.

The final talk on "What you need to know about TRE/IF from an eating disorders expert" reminded us that TRE/IF aren't for everyone and the speakers were Jesse L. Bakke, associate professor of Biochemistry, Foundational Sciences Department, Central Michigan University College of Medicine, and Samantha L. Hahn, Ph.D., MPH, RD, assistant professor, Biology Department, Central Michigan University.  

We'll upload the individual lectures as we edit them this week. So make sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel and set the notification alert! 

 

Housed in the GW School of Medicine & Health Sciences, the Resiliency & Well-being Center (R&W Center) takes an evidence-based, whole person approach to the health and wellness (well-being) services it provides to the GW medical enterprise community. The R&W Center provides services at the individual, departmental, and institutional levels.  For more information about us, please go to our website or contact Janette Rodrigues, the R&WC's administrative director, at jrodrigues@gwu.edu. 

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