Health Is the Key

Happy New Year, and welcome to Season Three of Health Is the Key. With the holidays behind us, we turn our focus to the year ahead of us – a perfect time to re-commit to our health. And what better way to introduce our new Healthy Now, Healthy Later campaign than to have the Benefit Funds’ Deputy Chief Medical Officer Dr. Lela Mayers as our first guest in 2026! Dr. Mayers explains how preventive care can lower your risk of illness, improve your quality of life and help ensure long-term wellness. She also explores with us all the resources available to you to support you wherever you are on your health journey.The Takeaway
We want to hear from you! Please complete our survey: org/member-feedback.
Drop us a line at our social media channels: Facebook// Instagram // YouTube.
Start – or renew! – your health journey by making an appointment with your primary care physician. Visit our Provider Directory at 1199SEIUBenefits.org/find-a-provider.
Know your numbers to find out where you stand: 1199SEIUBenefits.org/healthyhearts.
Visit our Healthy Living Resource Center for wellness tips, information and resources; 1199SEIUBenefits.org/healthyliving.
Talk to your doctor about any screenings you may need: 1199SEIUBenefits.org/healthybodies.
Connect with a primary care doctor or a therapist online through Teladoc: Teladoc.com or (800) TELADOC (835-2362).
Need support managing your diabetes, hypertension or weight? Find the program that’s right for you: 1199SEIUBenefits.org/the-choice-is-yours/
Find a mental health therapist through the Benefit Funds’ Provider Directory: 1199SEIUBenefits.org/find-a-provider.
For additional support, call our Wellness Member Assistance Program: (646) 473-6900.
Contact our partners at the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) for a wide variety of community resources: naminycmetro.org.
Get inspired by fellow members through our Members’ Voices series: www.1199SEIUBenefits.org/healthyliving/membervoices.
Stop by our Benefits Channel to view webinars on managing stress, building healthy meals and more: www.1199SEIUBenefits.org/videos.
Visit our YouTube Channel to view a wide collection of healthy living videos: youtube.com/@1199SEIUBenefitFunds/playlists
Sample our wellness classes to exercise body and mind: www.1199SEIUBenefits.org/wellnessevents.
Guest Bio
Dr. Lela Mayers is the Deputy Chief Medical Officer (DCMO) of the 1199SEIU Benefit Funds, which provide comprehensive self-insured, self-administered healthcare benefits to more than 450,000 healthcare workers, retirees and their families. As DCMO, Dr. Mayers assists the Chief Medical Officer with the Benefit Funds’ clinical and care management strategies, as well as health and wellness initiatives.
Prior to joining the Benefit Funds, Dr. Mayers served as Senior Medical Director at CVS Health/Aetna. There she collaborated with the account management teams, pharmacy teams, consulting firms and plan sponsors to drive improved health outcomes for commercial and labor health plan members. Prior to that, she served as Chief of Medicine at Premier Healthcare, where she managed five ambulatory health centers across New York City. Her previous experience with union membership was earned at the Benefit Fund of the New York Hotel Trades, where she was medical director of the Harlem Health Center. Dr. Mayers worked for many years as a primary care physician at the Farrell Health Center of NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital, where she served as faculty and medical director of the resident training program. Dr. Mayers continues to hold a position as voluntary faculty/instructor in clinical medicine at Columbia University’s Center for Family and Community Medicine. She is a licensed physician in New York State and is board certified with the American Board of Family Medicine.
Dr. Mayers received a Bachelor of Arts from Cornell University, a Doctor of Medicine from Cornell University Medical College (now Weill Cornell Medical College) and a Master of Public Health from the Mailman School of Public Health at Columbia University.

In our December episode, Dr. Tiffany Cudjoe-John explored with us the physical and mental health benefits of expressing gratitude. Of course, some of us may need a little encouragement in learning to recognize and appreciate the good things in life. So, for our Key Note episode, we asked Dr. Cudjoe-John to share a simple meditation you can use to help foster a thankful mindset. We hope this moment of reflection inspires you to begin your own gratitude journey. 
The Takeaway  
We want to hear from you! Please complete our survey: 1199SEIUBenefits.org/member-feedback.
Drop us a line at our social media channels: Facebook // Instagram // YouTube.
Visit the Healthy Minds section of our Healthy Living Resource Center for additional information and resources: www.1199SEIUBenefits.org/healthyminds/. 
Connect with a therapist online through Teladoc: www.Teladoc.com  or (800) TELADOC (835-2362). 
Find a mental health therapist through the Benefit Funds’ Provider Directory: www.1199SEIUBenefits.org/find-a-provider.
For additional support, call our Wellness Member Assistance Program: (646) 473-6900.
Contact our partners at the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) for a wide variety of community resources: www.naminycmetro.org.
Get inspired by fellow members through our Members’ Voices series: www.1199SEIUBenefits.org/healthyliving/membervoices.
Stop by our Benefits Channel to view webinars on managing stress, building healthy meals and more: www.1199SEIUBenefits.org/videos.
Visit our YouTube Channel to view a wide collection of healthy living videos: www.youtube.com/@1199SEIUBenefitFunds/playlists.
Sample our wellness classes to exercise body and mind: www.1199SEIUBenefits.org/wellnessevents. 
Guest Bio 
Tiffany Cudjoe-John, MD, is a dedicated psychiatrist with a passion for understanding and addressing the intricate interplay between mind, body and soul. Her journey into psychiatry began after graduating with a degree in chemistry from Johns Hopkins University.  
She completed her psychiatric residency at Zucker Hillside Hospital, where she refined her clinical skills and deepened her empathy for individuals facing mental health challenges. Since completing her training in 2009, Dr. Cudjoe-John has dedicated her career to providing compassionate, comprehensive psychiatric care. 
For eight years, she practiced Emergency Psychiatry at one of New York City’s busiest hospitals, gaining significant experience in crisis intervention, inpatient care and consult-liaison psychiatry. Over the past eight years, she has practiced community mental health at a clinic serving diverse and underserved populations, while also maintaining a private practice.  
Dr. Cudjoe-John’s approach to care is holistic and patient-centered. She integrates evidence-based psychopharmacology and psychotherapy with personalized treatment plans that honor the individuality of each patient. She strives to create a safe, collaborative environment where patients feel empowered to work toward healing, growth and their fullest potential. 
Beyond her clinical work, Dr. Cudjoe-John is passionate about community engagement and mental health advocacy. She has given numerous talks to community groups on mental health awareness and self-care and remains committed to reducing stigma and increasing access to quality mental health care. 

Gathering with loved ones during the holidays can lift spirits, strengthen relationships and even boost immunity. Yet, we know this time of year may not be so joyful for everyone, and the hustle and bustle may make some of us lose sight of the true gifts of the season. That’s when the practice of gratitude can help put things in perspective – as well as improve our mental and physical health. To learn more about the science – and art – behind this simple exercise, we are joined this month by Dr. Tiffany Cudjoe-John, a psychiatrist in private practice. Dr. John explains why practicing gratitude is more than just “counting our blessings” and shares practical tips that can help us make it part of our daily lives without stressing out.
The Takeaway
We want to hear from you! Please complete our survey: org/member-feedback.
Drop us a line at our social media channels: Facebook// Instagram // YouTube.
Visit the Healthy Minds section of our Healthy Living Resource Center for additional information and resources: 1199SEIUBenefits.org/healthyminds/
Connect with a therapist online through Teladoc: Teladoc.com or (800) TELADOC (835-2362).
Find a mental health therapist through the Benefit Funds’ Provider Directory: 1199SEIUBenefits.org/find-a-provider.
For additional support, call our Wellness Member Assistance Program: (646) 473-6900.
Contact our partners at the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) for a wide variety of community resources: naminycmetro.org.
Get inspired by fellow members through our Members’ Voices series: www.1199SEIUBenefits.org/healthyliving/membervoices.
Stop by our Benefits Channel to view webinars on managing stress, building healthy meals and more: www.1199SEIUBenefits.org/videos.
Visit our YouTube Channel to view a wide collection of healthy living videos: youtube.com/@1199SEIUBenefitFunds/playlists
Sample our wellness classes to exercise body and mind: www.1199SEIUBenefits.org/wellnessevents.
Guest BioTiffany Cudjoe-John, MD, is a dedicated psychiatrist with a passion for understanding and addressing the intricate interplay between mind, body and soul. Her journey into psychiatry began after graduating with a degree in chemistry from Johns Hopkins University.
She completed her psychiatric residency at Zucker Hillside Hospital, where she refined her clinical skills and deepened her empathy for individuals facing mental health challenges. Since completing her training in 2009, Dr. Cudjoe-John has dedicated her career to providing compassionate, comprehensive psychiatric care.
For eight years, she practiced Emergency Psychiatry at one of New York City’s busiest hospitals, gaining significant experience in crisis intervention, inpatient care and consult-liaison psychiatry. Over the past eight years, she has practiced community mental health at a clinic serving diverse and underserved populations, while also maintaining a private practice.
Dr. Cudjoe-John’s approach to care is holistic and patient-centered. She integrates evidence-based psychopharmacology and psychotherapy with personalized treatment plans that honor the individuality of each patient. She strives to create a safe, collaborative environment where patients feel empowered to work toward healing, growth and their fullest potential.
Beyond her clinical work, Dr. Cudjoe-John is passionate about community engagement and mental health advocacy. She has given numerous talks to community groups on mental health awareness and self-care and remains committed to reducing stigma and increasing access to quality mental health care.

In our November episode, Chef Adrienne Cheatham joined us to share healthy ways to tweak our holiday menus without sacrificing flavor. In this month’s Key Note, Chef Cheatham opens her cookbook, Sunday Best, to offer a delicious, nutritious, affordable, make-ahead alternative to traditional main dishes – Mississippi Pot Roast. Enjoy!
The Takeaway
We want to hear from you! Please complete our survey: org/member-feedback.
Drop us a line at our social media channels: Facebook// Instagram // YouTube.
Start your health journey by making an appointment with your primary care physician. Don’t have one? Find one at our Provider Directory: www.1199SEIUBenefits.org/find-a-provider.
Visit the Healthy Living Resource Center for wellness tips, information and resources; www.1199SEIUBenefits.org/healthyliving.
Get inspired by fellow members through our Members’ Voices series: www.1199SEIUBenefits.org/healthyliving/membervoices.
Stop by our Benefits Channel to view webinars on building healthy meals, managing stress and more: www.1199SEIUBenefits.org/videos.
Find a greenmarket near you by visiting grownyc.org/greenmarket/ourmarkets.
Visit our YouTube Channel to view a wide collection of cooking demos and healthy living videos: youtube.com/@1199SEIUBenefitFunds/playlists
Sample our wellness classes to exercise body and mind: www.1199SEIUBenefits.org/wellnessevents.
For Chef Cheatham’s Mississippi Pot Roast recipe, visit www.1199SEIUBenefits.org/Mississippi-Pot-Roast
To order Chef Cheatham’s cookbook, Sunday Best, visit Penguin Random House Books.
 
Guest BioAdrienne Cheatham is a New York-based chef, author, consultant and television personality known for her bold perspective on food and culture. A veteran of some of the country’s most acclaimed kitchens, Adrienne served as Executive Sous Chef at Le Bernardin and Executive Chef at Red Rooster Harlem and Corporate Chef of the Marcus Samuelsson Group.
She rose to national prominence as the runner-up on Top Chef, Season 15, and has since returned to the show as a guest judge. In 2023, Adrienne published her debut cookbook, Sunday Best, inspired by her critically acclaimed pop-up dinner series of the same name. The book was nominated for a James Beard Award.
Adrienne is a regular judge on the Food Network and contributor to Epicurious, where her videos have earned over 6 million views. She’s been featured in The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Bon Appétit, Food & Wine, USA Today and more—both as a subject and a writer. In 2025, she and her former Top Chef rival, Joe Flamm, launched The Chef’s Cut podcast. Through every platform, she shares stories that connect food, identity, and the communities that shape them.

The holidays are a joyful time to gather with family and friends, but for many of us they’re also a time to worry about staying on track with our health journey. To help us navigate the season’s seemingly endless offerings of rich foods, we are joined by Adrienne Cheatham, professional chef, runner-up on Bravo TV’s Top Chef, and author of Sunday Best, nominated for a James Beard Award for best cookbook. Chef Cheatham shares what she loves most about the holidays, simple tips to make seasonal favorites healthier and quick affordable ways to eat healthfully throughout the year. For a chance to win a signed copy of Sunday Best, visit our Facebook and Instagram pages to share your favorite healthy cooking tip.
Wishing you and yours a healthy and happy holiday season!
 
The Takeaway
We want to hear from you! Please complete our survey: org/member-feedback.
Drop us a line at our social media channels: Facebook// Instagram // YouTube.
Start your health journey by making an appointment with your primary care physician. Don’t have one? Find one at our Provider Directory: 1199SEIUBenefits.org/find-a-provider.
Visit the Healthy Living Resource Center for wellness tips, information and resources; 1199SEIUBenefits.org/healthyliving.
Get inspired by fellow members through our Members’ Voices series: 1199SEIUBenefits.org/healthyliving/membervoices.
Stop by our Benefits Channel to view webinars on building healthy meals, managing stress and more: 1199SEIUBenefits.org/videos.
Find a greenmarket near you by visiting grownyc.org/greenmarket/ourmarkets.
Visit our YouTube Channel to view a wide collection of cooking demos and healthy living videos: youtube.com/@1199SEIUBenefitFunds/playlists
Sample our wellness classes to exercise body and mind: 1199SEIUBenefits.org/wellnessevents.
To order Chef Cheatham’s cookbook, Sunday Best, visit Penguin Random House Books.
 
Guest Bio
Adrienne Cheatham is a New York-based chef, author, consultant and television personality known for her bold perspective on food and culture. A veteran of some of the country’s most acclaimed kitchens, Adrienne served as Executive Sous Chef at Le Bernardin and Executive Chef at Red Rooster Harlem and Corporate Chef of the Marcus Samuelsson Group.
She rose to national prominence as the runner-up on Top Chef, Season 15, and has since returned to the show as a guest judge. In 2023, Adrienne published her debut cookbook, Sunday Best, inspired by her critically acclaimed pop-up dinner series of the same name. The book was nominated for a James Beard Award.
Adrienne is a regular judge on the Food Network and contributor to Epicurious, where her videos have earned over 6 million views. She’s been featured in The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Bon Appétit, Food & Wine, USA Today and more—both as a subject and a writer. In 2025, she and her former Top Chef rival, Joe Flamm, launched The Chef’s Cut podcast. Through every platform, she shares stories that connect food, identity, and the communities that shape them.

In our October episode, we spoke with Dr. Samantha Dunham, co-director of the Center for Midlife Health and Menopause at NYU Langone Health, who shared important information about this unique stage in women’s health journeys. In this month’s Key Note, Dr. Dunham explains how women are taking control of their health and details simple lifestyle changes that can offer relief from menopause symptoms and boost overall wellness.
 
The Takeaway
We want to hear from you! Please complete our survey: org/member-feedback.
Drop us a line at our social media channels: Facebook// Instagram // YouTube.
Get started on your health journey by making an appointment with your primary care physician to know your numbers.
It’s Breast Cancer Awareness Month: Women 40 and older – schedule a mammogram. Under 40 and unsure of your risk – ask your doctor about the screening schedule that’s right for you.
Visit our Healthy Living Resource Center for additional information and resources: 1199SEIUBenefits.org/healthyminds/
Find a mental health therapist through the Benefit Funds’ Provider Directory: 1199SEIUBenefits.org/find-a-provider.
For additional support, call our Wellness Member Assistance Program: (646) 473-6900.
For more information and resources, visit The Menopause Society Menopause.org
Get inspired by fellow members through our Members’ Voices series: www.1199SEIUBenefits.org/healthyliving/membervoices.
Stop by our Benefits Channel to view webinars on managing stress, building healthy meals and more: www.1199SEIUBenefits.org/videos.
Visit our YouTube Channel to view a wide collection of healthy living videos: youtube.com/@1199SEIUBenefitFunds/playlists
Sample our wellness classes to exercise body and mind: www.1199SEIUBenefits.org/wellnessevents.
 
Guest Bio
Dr. Samantha Dunham is a certified menopause practitioner and co-director of the Center for Midlife Health and Menopause at NYU Langone Health. She practices general gynecology and preventative women’s health, with a special focus on perimenopause and menopause and the role they play in disease development. At the Center for Midlife Health and Menopause, she educates patients on what to expect through perimenopause and menopause, and partners with them to develop a treatment plan that aligns with their symptoms and goals for treatment. Dr. Dunham completed residency in obstetrics and gynecology at New York University, and has been a board-certified physician for NYU Langone Health since 2006.  

Each year, more than 1 million women in the U.S. will experience menopause. And four out of five of those women will complain of symptoms that range from hot flashes and night sweats to sexual problems and sleep disturbances. In the not-so-distant past, menopause wasn’t taken seriously, and women were hard-pressed to find answers to their questions. Thankfully, that’s changing. To learn more about this unique aspect of women’s health, we’re joined by Dr. Samantha Dunham, a certified menopause practitioner and co-director of the Center for Midlife Health and Menopause at NYU Langone Health. Dr. Dunham explains the physical and emotional changes women experience during menopause – and perimenopause – and offers hope to those searching for treatment options to find relief from nagging symptoms and to protect their overall health.
 
The Takeaway
We want to hear from you! Please complete our survey: org/member-feedback.
Drop us a line at our social media channels: Facebook// Instagram // YouTube.
Get started on your health journey by making an appointment with your primary care physician to know your numbers.
It’s Breast Cancer Awareness Month: Women 40 and older – schedule a mammogram. Under 40 and unsure of your risk – ask your doctor about the screening schedule that’s right for you.
Visit our Healthy Living Resource Center for additional information and resources: 1199SEIUBenefits.org/healthyminds/
Find a mental health therapist through the Benefit Funds’ Provider Directory: 1199SEIUBenefits.org/find-a-provider.
For additional support, call our Wellness Member Assistance Program: (646) 473-6900.
For more information and resources, visit The Menopause Society Menopause.org
Get inspired by fellow members through our Members’ Voices series: www.1199SEIUBenefits.org/healthyliving/membervoices.
Stop by our Benefits Channel to view webinars on managing stress, building healthy meals and more: www.1199SEIUBenefits.org/videos.
Visit our YouTube Channel to view a wide collection of healthy living videos: youtube.com/@1199SEIUBenefitFunds/playlists
Sample our wellness classes to exercise body and mind: www.1199SEIUBenefits.org/wellnessevents.
 
Guest Bio
Dr. Samantha Dunham is a certified menopause practitioner and co-director of the Center for Midlife Health and Menopause at NYU Langone Health. She practices general gynecology and preventative women’s health, with a special focus on perimenopause and menopause and the role they play in disease development. At the Center for Midlife Health and Menopause, she educates patients on what to expect through perimenopause and menopause, and partners with them to develop a treatment plan that aligns with their symptoms and goals for treatment. Dr. Dunham completed residency in obstetrics and gynecology at New York University, and has been a board-certified physician for NYU Langone Health since 2006.  

In our September episode, Mount Sinai’s Dr. Michael Kisicki explored with us the mental health crisis affecting so many teens in the U.S. In this month’s Key Note, Dr. Kisicki looks at just one of the many factors impacting teens’ mental health – social media – and shares strategies families can use to help them navigate the online world safely.   
The Takeaway  
We want to hear from you! Please complete our survey: 1199SEIUBenefits.org/member-feedback. 
Drop us a line at our social media channels: Facebook // Instagram // YouTube. 
Visit the Healthy Minds section of our Healthy Living Resource Center for additional information and resources: www.1199SEIUBenefits.org/healthyminds/  
Find a mental health therapist through the Benefit Funds’ Provider Directory: www.1199SEIUBenefits.org/find-a-provider. 
Connect with a therapist online through Teladoc: www.Teladoc.com  or (800) TELADOC (835-2362). 
Connect with our partner Brightline to access virtual and in-person care at locations in Brooklyn, Manhattan and Long Island: brightline.com; (888) 255-1329.  
For additional support, call our Wellness Member Assistance Program: (646) 473-6900. 
Contact our partners at the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) for a wide variety of community resources: www.naminycmetro.org. 
If you or your child is in crisis, get free confidential counseling, mental health and substance use support and information by: 
visiting https://988lifeline.org  
calling or texting 988  
calling (888) NYC-WELL (888-692-9355) 
Get inspired by fellow members through our Members’ Voices series: www.1199SEIUBenefits.org/healthyliving/membervoices.  
Stop by our Benefits Channel to view webinars on managing stress, building healthy meals and more: www.1199SEIUBenefits.org/videos. 
Visit our YouTube Channel to view a wide collection of healthy living videos: www.youtube.com/@1199SEIUBenefitFunds/playlists 
Sample our wellness classes to exercise body and mind: www.1199SEIUBenefits.org/wellnessevents. 
 
Guest Bio 
Michael “Mickey” Kisicki, M.D., is an Associate Professor at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in Pediatrics and Psychiatry and is the Chief Psychiatrist of the Mount Sinai Adolescent Health Center. He graduated with a B.A. in Philosophy from Emory University and then studied Medical Ethics on a Fulbright Grant in the Netherlands. His received his medical education at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), with a psychiatry residency at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), and a child and adolescent psychiatry fellowship at UCLA. He is a member of the medical honor society Alpha Omega Alpha and has received multiple awards in medical education, as well as Top Doctor awards in New Hampshire and Connecticut. He has held faculty positions at the University of Washington, the University of Connecticut and Dartmouth College. His clinical interests and expertise are in trauma-related mental health symptoms, development of borderline personality traits in adolescents/young adults and obsessive-compulsive disorder. His research focus has been on medication-assisted psychotherapies in post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

With the start of the school year, we are dedicating this month’s episode to the teen mental health crisis in the U.S. According to a recent survey, nearly one in five teenagers has a diagnosed mental or behavioral health condition – leaving parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, friends – searching for ways to support the mental health of the teens in their lives. Fortunately, we are joined by Dr. Michael Kisicki, an Associate Professor at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in Pediatrics and Psychiatry and is the Chief Psychiatrist of the Mount Sinai Adolescent Health Center. Dr. Kisicki – known to many of his patients as “Mickey” – shares insights from his practice, signs to watch for and simple strategies, like listening and modeling, that go a long way toward supporting teens, as well as the adults who love them.  
 
The Takeaway  
We want to hear from you! Please complete our survey: 1199SEIUBenefits.org/member-feedback. 
Drop us a line at our social media channels: Facebook // Instagram // YouTube. 
Visit the Healthy Minds section of our Healthy Living Resource Center for additional information and resources: www.1199SEIUBenefits.org/healthyminds/  
Find a mental health therapist through the Benefit Funds’ Provider Directory: www.1199SEIUBenefits.org/find-a-provider. 
Connect with a therapist online through Teladoc: www.Teladoc.com  or (800) TELADOC (835-2362). 
Connect with our partner Brightline to access virtual and in-person care at locations in Brooklyn, Manhattan and Long Island: brightline.com; (888) 255-1329.  
For additional support, call our Wellness Member Assistance Program: (646) 473-6900. 
Contact our partners at the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) for a wide variety of community resources: www.naminycmetro.org. 
If you or your child is in crisis, get free confidential counseling, mental health and substance use support and information by: 
visiting https://988lifeline.org  
calling or texting 988  
calling (888) NYC-WELL (888-692-9355) 
Get inspired by fellow members through our Members’ Voices series: www.1199SEIUBenefits.org/healthyliving/membervoices.  
Stop by our Benefits Channel to view webinars on managing stress, building healthy meals and more: www.1199SEIUBenefits.org/videos. 
Visit our YouTube Channel to view a wide collection of healthy living videos: www.youtube.com/@1199SEIUBenefitFunds/playlists 
Sample our wellness classes to exercise body and mind: www.1199SEIUBenefits.org/wellnessevents. 
 
Guest Bio 
Michael “Mickey” Kisicki, M.D., is an Associate Professor at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in Pediatrics and Psychiatry and is the Chief Psychiatrist of the Mount Sinai Adolescent Health Center. He graduated with a B.A. in Philosophy from Emory University and then studied Medical Ethics on a Fulbright Grant in the Netherlands. His received his medical education at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), with a psychiatry residency at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), and a child and adolescent psychiatry fellowship at UCLA. He is a member of the medical honor society Alpha Omega Alpha and has received multiple awards in medical education, as well as Top Doctor awards in New Hampshire and Connecticut. He has held faculty positions at the University of Washington, the University of Connecticut and Dartmouth College. His clinical interests and expertise are in trauma-related mental health symptoms, development of borderline personality traits in adolescents/young adults and obsessive-compulsive disorder. His research focus has been on medication-assisted psychotherapies in post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). 
 

In our August episode, Registered Dietitian Nutritionist Danielle Sobieski answered some common questions about vitamins and supplements. In this month’s Key Note, Danielle explains what you can expect on your first visit to a nutritionist and how they will work with you to support you on your healthy eating journey.
The Takeaway
We want to hear from you! Please complete our survey: 1199seiubenefits.org/member-feedback.
Drop us a line at our social media channels: Facebook // Instagram // YouTube.
Get started on your healthy living journey by making an appointment with your primary care physician.
Look for vitamin and supplement brands that have been third-party tested by any of these groups: NSF International; U.S. Pharmacopeia (USP); Consumer Lab
View our online Wellness workshop “Unmasking Myths: Supplements, Probiotics and Herbs” on the Benefits Channel.
Visit the Healthy Living Resource Center for wellness tips, information, resources healthy eating recipes and more; www.1199SEIUBenefits.org/healthyliving.
Get to know your numbers at www.1199SEIUBenefits.org/healthyhearts.
Get inspired by fellow members through our Members’ Voices series: www.1199SEIUBenefits.org/healthyliving/membervoices.
Stop by our Benefits Channel to join webinars on managing stress, building healthy meals and more: www.1199SEIUBenefits.org/videos.
Visit our  YouTube channel to view a wide collection of healthy living videos: www.youtube.com/@1199SEIUBenefitFunds/playlists.
Sample our wellness classes to exercise body and mind: www.1199SEIUBenefits.org/wellnessevents.
Guest Bio
Danielle Sobieski, MS, RDN, CDN, is a registered dietitian nutritionist and the founder of DS Nutrition, based in Brooklyn, New York. With a background in genetics and a master’s degree in human nutrition, Danielle combines science with a compassionate, collaborative and trauma-informed approach to help clients build healthier relationships with food and manage chronic conditions like type 2 diabetes, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), disordered eating and other conditions. Her care is grounded in evidence-based practices and shaped by hands-on patient experience, ensuring personalized support for both physical and emotional well-being.