The Wellness Room at the ABA Conference
One of the highlights of my work last year was providing a wellness room and offering individual brief mental health interventions at the ABA Center on Children and the Law spring 2024 conference. This biannual conference brings together attorneys, parents, and other child welfare stakeholders to discuss critical issues related to social justice, law, and child advocacy.
What became clear to me during this event was something I’ve felt strongly about for a long time: Professionals and individuals with lived experience need dedicated spaces to process what they are learning in real time. The nature of the work—dealing with intense legal and emotional issues—requires individuals to step back, reflect, and recharge.
That’s why we created a wellness room for conference participants. I drew on my background in medical pediatrics and trauma-informed care to design the space in a way that felt both nurturing and playful. I’ve always believed that wellness doesn’t have to be overly serious or clinical. Sometimes the most powerful tools for healing are the ones that tap into our inner child. That’s why the wellness room featured activities that many of us used to enjoy as children—blowing bubbles, coloring, and even molding clay.
Introducing Wellness Stations
Inspired by this idea, I created wellness stations that engage the five senses—sight, sound, taste, smell, and touch. These stations are designed to soothe, reset, and rejuvenate the senses, offering a simple, yet effective, way to practice mindfulness and reduce stress.
The concept of these wellness stations is grounded in the idea that the five senses offer a natural way for us to return to the present moment. In a fast-paced world full of distractions, it’s easy to lose touch with our bodies and emotions. These stations are designed to help people reconnect, take a breather, and reset their minds.
Here’s a breakdown of the key wellness stations that were part of the ABA wellness room and that I’ve adapted for other settings:
- Sounds of wellness. One of the most powerful ways to reset is through sound. We curated a special playlist designed to reduce stress and anxiety, featuring calming music, ambient sounds, and gentle rhythms. Conference participants could choose to listen to this collective playlist or use individual headphones to listen privately. This gave them the flexibility to select their preferred sounds while still being part of a shared, calming environment.
- Taste of wellness. Our sense of taste can be a surprising tool for mindfulness. At the Taste of Wellness station, I offered various candies and treats to ground individuals in the present moment and provide an immediate reset. The treats—such as sour candies, bitter chocolates, and sugar-free mints—are intentionally chosen to trigger strong sensory responses, which can quickly refocus attention and reduce stress. This station helps to induce mindfulness by making people more aware of their physical experience.
- Aroma of wellness. Scents have an incredible power to affect our emotional state, so the Aroma of Wellness station is designed to engage this sense. I included essential oils, diffusers, and calming scents like lavender and citrus to create an atmosphere that promotes relaxation and clarity. The scent of a room can transform the entire mood, and a quick breath of calming aroma can make all the difference in a high-stress environment.
- Sights of wellness. Vision is another powerful tool for relaxation. At the Sights of Wellness station, I displayed calming imagery, such as nature photos, inspirational quotes, and calming visual art. These visual cues are designed to reduce stress and invite participants to take a mental break. Research shows that exposure to nature, even through photos, can reduce anxiety and improve mood.
- Tactile wellness. Touch is a grounding sense that can help bring someone back to the present moment. The Tactile Wellness station featured stress balls, fidget toys, and modeling clay. These items are simple but effective tools for releasing tension, improving focus, and creating a sense of calm. As children, many of us learned to find comfort in tactile experiences like playing with clay or using a toy to focus our energy. The tactile objects in this wellness station provide a similar benefit.
Create Your Own Wellness Space or Corner
Creating a smaller, more accessible version of wellness stations for your office or client setting is a powerful way to integrate the holistic approach. By curating spaces that engage the five senses, you can create a calming, restorative environment that supports mental health and wellness.
These stations don’t need to be large to be effective—they just need to offer a simple, yet meaningful, way for individuals to reset and rejuvenate. For example, incorporating a sound station with calming playlists or tactile wellness tools like stress balls can help reduce anxiety during busy workdays. A taste station with mindful snacks or an aroma station featuring soothing essential oils can ground individuals in the present moment. Even visual elements like inspirational quotes or nature imagery can foster a positive, focused atmosphere. You can even bring some of these tools with you when meeting clients in their home, at school, or in court. For example, you can bring snacks and stress balls with you to offer your clients.
By customizing these stations to meet the needs of your office or client space, you can create an environment that is welcoming and supportive of mental health. The key is to maintain ease of access and ensure that the stations are intuitive and hygienic for all users. With a little creativity, you can provide employees or clients with moments of relief, giving them tools to reduce stress, foster mindfulness, and improve overall well-being. Ultimately, these smaller wellness stations will help foster a compassionate and balanced atmosphere for everyone who uses them.