Experts Available to Discuss Health, Wealth, and the Pursuit of Happiness for the Holidays

Stony Brook University Experts Available to Discuss Health, Wealth, and the Pursuit of Happiness for the Holidays Newswise — “Giving Glow,” Stephen Post, professor of preventive medicine at Stony Brook University can discuss how doing good can be good for you, too.

The holiday season inspires generosity, encouraging people to donate their time, talents and treasure. And that gratifying feeling you get? Well, according to Stephen Post, that is a “giving glow.” Stephen can discuss not only the immediate effects, but how practicing philanthropy and volunteering is one of the surest steps you can take toward a happy, healthy life, with research and statistics pointing to a longer lifespan, greater happiness, better pain management and lower blood pressure.

“Holiday Spending and the Pursuit of Happiness,” Peter Caprariello, assistant professor of marketing at Stony Brook University can discuss how consumers can best spend money pursuing happiness for themselves and their loved ones.

What makes the best gift – experiences or something tangible? Peter can describe how consumers can best spend money pursuing happiness for themselves and their loved ones, the conditions under which material things make people happier than experiences, the kinds of people that are more prone to happiness from experiences than material things, and the effects of giving experiences as gifts.

“Om for the Holidays;” Joanne Cesiro, clinical assistant professor in the department of Physical Therapy at Stony Brook University and yoga instructor, can provide yoga poses and other physical exercises to help you reduce holiday–induced stress.

Does the anticipation of hosting your mother-in-law stress you out? How about finding the perfect gift for your boss, cooking a turkey feast for 20, or fighting the crowds so your son can sit on Santa’s lap? No matter your holiday agenda, Joanna Cesiro, can describe the calming effects a simple yoga pose (such as the “resting” Pigeon Pose) can have to bring peace and serenity back into the season.

Grief and bereavement expert, Dr. Camille Wortman, professor of psychology at Stony Brook University can discuss how to deal with loss during the holiday season.

The holidays aren’t always a time of cheer and joy for everyone -- especially for those dealing with the sudden loss of a loved one. Grief and bereavement expert, Dr. Camille Wortman, can share her expert tips for the bereaved on how to get through this holiday season from changing your routine to scaling back on cards and decorating to how to honor a loved one’s memory.

Dr. Wortman is a Professor of Psychology at Stony Brook University in New York. Her research focuses on bereavement, with an emphasis on how people react to the sudden, traumatic death of a loved one.

***Bonus: Stony Brook University experts are now broadcasting live from our In the Know (ITK) Studios, powered by ReadyCam television studio system. The fully equipped broadcast studios provides television networks remote access to our experts. For more information about the ITK Studios, visit www.bit.ly/1O8KY6W.