Unlocking the Stress Cycle: A Pathway to Resilience & Equity

Sponsored by Root Engineering Services
Wednesday, May 21, 5:30 – 7:00 PM
AD EX, 325 N. St. Paul Street, Suite 150
FREE, In Person Event

May is Mental Health Awareness Month. Join the Women in Architecture Network for Unlocking the Stress Cycle: A Pathway to Resilience & Equity, sponsored by Root Engineering Services. HKS’ Erin Peavey and Ashli Pettigrew will deliver a compelling keynote on burnout, exploring why women are uniquely affected and offering science-based strategies to recognize and complete the stress cycle.

Manage your stress with interactive yoga and drawing exercises. Plus, ten lucky raffle winners will take home the book Burnout: The Secret to Unlocking the Stress Cycle.

Complimentary self-parking will be provided for this event. Please use the first garage entrance labeled “Tenant Parking” on St. Paul Street. Drinks and appetizers will also be provided.

AGENDA

5:30 – 6:00 PM: Networking
6:00 – 7:00 PM: Presentation, discussion, and interactive wellness exercises

Micro-Keynote: Burnout & Balance – Strategies for Women Navigating Work and Life
•Speakers: Erin Peavey, AIA, Health & Well-being Design Leader at HKS; Ashli Pettigrew, Director of Social Equity at HKS
• Insight into the root causes and signs of burnout uniquely affecting women professionals
• Exploration of societal and systemic stressors, including caregiving, chronic pressure, and cultural expectations
• Science-based strategies to recognize and complete the stress cycle
• Emphasis on environmental design, healthy boundaries, and recovery practices to support resilience
• Q&A session (5 minutes)
• Concludes with an introduction to the concept of the stress cycle and why completing it matters

Interactive Exercise 1: Completing the Stress Cycle through Movement
• Inclusive movement led by a certified yoga instructor
• Demonstrates the role of physical activity in discharging stress from the body
• Materials: Handout featuring accessible movement ideas for daily practice

Interactive Exercise 2: Creative Expression & Gratitude Practice 
• A reflective, hands-on activity combining drawing or brief writing with a gratitude-focused prompt
• Participants will be asked to “Draw 1–5 things you’re grateful for—whether big or small.”
• Discussion of how creative expression helps externalize emotions, and how shifting focus from stressors to sources of gratitude can calm the nervous system and build emotional resilience
• Materials: Paper and colored pencils or pens provided
• 5 minutes for creation, 10 minutes optional sharing and discussion

Book Giveaway & Closing Remarks
• Announcement of 10 winners for Burnout: The Secret to Unlocking the Stress Cycle
• Recap of key session takeaways
• Encouragement to continue incorporating stress-completion practices into daily life and work