📖 Neuro Nook Recap: March 2025
The Connection Cure: The Prescriptive Power of Movement, Nature, Art, Service, and Belonging by Julia Hotz
💬 “What if we treated people based on their passions and potential rather than their symptoms and deficits? Through cutting-edge science and captivating stories, this book shows that when we’re seen as whole people, we can truly thrive.”Social Prescription: A New Paradigm in Healthcare
’s The Connection Cure is the first book on social prescriptions—a holistic approach to health that goes beyond traditional medicine. Rather than asking "What's the matter with you?", social prescriptions focus on "What matters to you?". This shift emphasizes the importance of joy, meaning, and relationships as integral components of health, complementing medical treatments to reconnect individuals with their sources of wellness. Social prescriptions ask us to trust the wisdom of communities and value what truly matters to people.
Exclusive Message From The Author
In this video, the author explores the concept of social prescribing and its powerful link to brain health. She highlights how connecting with others, engaging in meaningful activities, and fostering a sense of community can significantly enhance cognitive function and emotional well-being. It’s a great reminder of how social health plays a vital role in overall brain health. Check it out and let’s continue the conversation!
Reflection Questions
What makes you feel healthy? Just share the first thing that comes to mind.
Would you be open to receiving a social prescription for your brain health?
Have any of you ever received a social prescription? If so, what was it?
What social prescription would be the most helpful to you to receive?
If you could receive a personalized “social prescription,” what would it look like? (e.g., joining a group, volunteering, structured social activities, technology-assisted connections)
How do you think a social prescription tailored to your personality and lifestyle would impact your overall brain health?
Explore additional discussion questions from the author here.
✍ Reflections From Our Group Members
We asked our attendees, what social prescription would be the most helpful to them to receive, and here are some of the ideas shared:
Take a "Color Walk"!
Watch the sunset
Explore local museums
A mindful, tech-free, barefoot beach walk
A walking club - nature / exercise/ social all in one
Tell me to go camping for a week and spend time outdoors in the sunshine!
Eat my foods of choice with friend, enjoy live music, write poetry & share it, yoga/dance class
We shared some truly wonderful social prescriptions for ourselves. A quick observation of our group reveals a natural inclination toward restful activities that promote well-being, such as movement, time in nature, and meaningful social connections. Thank you all for your thoughtful contributions!
Now, let’s dive deeper into social prescribing…
Social prescribing is a model in which healthcare professionals formally refer individuals to non-clinical community activities—such as art, music, movement, nature, or volunteering—to improve their health and address underlying social factors that influence well-being.
At its core, social prescribing encourages individuals to engage in practices that promote healing, resilience, and joy. It moves away from traditional medical treatments, offering a refreshing approach that emphasizes the power of meaningful connections, physical activity, and time spent in nature. These practices have the potential to enhance quality of life, reduce stress, and improve long-term health outcomes.
Throughout this book, readers were guided to explore simple yet impactful activities that support a healthier and more fulfilling life, and here is a quick recap….
Movement Prescription: The Power of Physical Activity
In our modern sedentary lifestyle, movement is more essential than ever. Studies show that physical inactivity leads to numerous health issues, including heart disease and dementia. The key to effective movement isn’t simply about "being fit"—it’s about finding joy in movement. Movement prescriptions encourage a personal connection to physical activity, promoting joy over obligation and emphasizing the social aspects of staying active. Exercise is not only good for the body but has been shown to alleviate depression as effectively as medication.
Nature Prescription: Healing Through the Outdoors
Spending time in nature has a profound impact on mental well-being. Practices like "forest bathing" have been shown to reduce stress, lower blood pressure, and improve attention. Nature helps restore our cognitive resources, particularly our ability to focus. For children, spending time outdoors even improves concentration more effectively than traditional methods like medication. Embracing nature as part of a health prescription can lead to long-term benefits for both mental and physical health.
Art Prescription: Creativity as Therapy
Art offers therapeutic benefits beyond just relaxation. It can help reduce cortisol, the stress hormone, and foster self-expression and healing. Engaging in creative practices, like art or shared reading, allows individuals to reflect, heal, and find joy. Art also helps participants understand their trauma responses and build resilience. Incorporating creativity into daily life, even for just 10 minutes, can help improve mental health and overall well-being.
Belonging Prescription: The Core of Human Health
The need for belonging is fundamental to human health. Social exclusion, whether perceived or real, activates the same brain circuits as physical pain. Studies show that social connection is a better predictor of happiness and longevity than wealth or success. Building and nurturing relationships are essential for maintaining cognitive and emotional health as we age. The concept of Blue Zones, areas where people live the longest and healthiest lives, highlights the importance of community and strong social ties.
Social Prescribing in Practice: A Global Movement
Social prescribing is gaining traction worldwide. From the UK to Singapore, and from Canada to South Korea, countries are incorporating social prescriptions into healthcare systems. These initiatives focus on connecting individuals to community resources and activities that enhance their well-being. This shift in healthcare paradigms is proving to be effective in combating loneliness, building resilience, and improving mental health on a global scale.
🔗 Social Prescription Resources From The Book:
Reach Out and Read (ROR) is a national program that helps children develop a love of reading and school readiness. ROR is part of pediatric primary care, and involves medical professionals encouraging parents to read aloud to their children.
Walk with a Doc (WWAD) is a nonprofit organization that inspires communities through movement and conversation with physician-led walking programs, focusing on physical activity, health education, social connection, and time in nature
The Nature RX campus program Cornell University→ 60 US college campuses
Arts prescribing program at Stanford University → Art Pharmacy → Vaden Health Services
Unite Us is a technology company and software platform that facilitates coordinated care networks for health and social service providers, enabling secure referrals, data sharing, and community-wide care coordination to improve health outcomes.
Culture Dose, an 8-week program using group based art exercises to promote well-being from the Black Dog Institute
Skip the Small Talk is a social impact event and card deck that encourages strangers to have meaningful conversations. The events are based on research from Cornell University, Harvard, and other universities. (How are you doing, really? What healing do you still need to do?)
Our Neuro Nook book club is a vibrant community that not only discusses brain health topics but actively shares resources and collaborates to find creative solutions to support optimal brain health. Explore the resources shared during our March book club discussion:
My Atlas: Unlock daily, personalized wellness recommendations aligned with your goals. MyAtlas analyzes your unique profile to suggest actionable steps, helping you navigate your mental health journey with tailored advice that evolves as you do. Learn more about My Atlas on their website.
Free Handout: Download a flyer about creative engagement and social prescriptions from one of our group members.
Interested in learning more about social prescribing?
Social Prescribing USA: This organization is dedicated to promoting and advancing social prescribing in the United States. They provide resources, training, and advocacy to support the growth of social prescribing initiatives.
National Academy for Social Prescribing (NASP) is a UK-based charity established in 2019 that champions social prescribing, a method of connecting people to non-medical support for various needs like loneliness, isolation, and stress, promoting health and wellbeing through community engagement.
Save the date: International Social Prescribing Day is March 19, 2025!
Takeaway: Embrace Your Prescription for Connection
The key takeaway from The Connection Cure is the importance of building and nurturing social connections. Whether it’s through movement, nature, art, service, or a sense of belonging, these social prescriptions offer a powerful and holistic way to foster better health. So, ask yourself: What matters to you? Embrace the connections that nurture your body, mind, and spirit.
💬 "Health is the product of our environment, and of what uniquely matters to us in those environments… The connections in our environments, found through movement, nature, art, service, and belonging, really can be curative - that they can help treat the real symptoms of the real diagnosis like Type 2 Diabetes, depression, stress, insomnia, ADHD, addiction, PTSD, anxiety, chronic pain, dementia, and loneliness."
📚 Mark You Calendars: Upcoming Neuro Nook Meeting
Join me at the Virtual Brain Health Center with Brain Health Mentors for the upcoming Neuro Nook Book Club discussions, where we explore thought-provoking books that deepen our understanding of brain health and wellness.
📅 Date: April 3, 2025 | ⏰ Time: 12:00 PM EST | 📍 Where: Live on Zoom
📖 Scarcity Brain: Fix Your Craving Mindset and Rewire Your Habits to Thrive with Enough by
In short from the author: “Scarcity Brain will help you expand what you’re capable of by taking on challenges within your daily life, specifically by reframing your mindset and helping you understand the larger reasons you do the things you do.”
Scarcity Brain reveals how the modern world impacts our mindset and habits every moment—and how making hard changes inside your ordinary life can lead to breakthroughs. This is critical for your experience of life.
💌 An open invitation to join us.
In brain health & wellness,
- Krystal