HealthyNS offers FREE online health and wellness classes to people who live in Nova Scotia. The classes are taught by health care providers from Nova Scotia Health or IWK Health. Classes are open to Nova Scotians who are 18 years or older (unless otherwise indicated in the class description).
To register for a class, you will need to provide your Nova Scotia health card number. The classes are held online using "Zoom for Healthcare". Learn more about these classes in this video.
To register below, click the blue "Register Online" button, then pick a class date and time. If you can’t find a time that works for you, you have the option to complete some classes at your own convenience by clicking on the blue “Self-Directed Module” button.
Class topics include:
View, print, and post the Spring and Summer 2023 Health & Wellness Programs poster below:
Register to attend one or more of the upcoming classes.
Courses fill up quickly! Click the Register Online button for each course to check availability.
Health Goal Coaching NEW
Do you want to be healthier, but find it hard to make changes? You're not alone! It's not always enough to know what to do to be healthier. Making a plan and setting realistic goals can help you be more successful. If you want to learn how to do this, meet with a Health Goal Coach, and together, you can work on turning your ideas into a plan that you can follow.
This program builds on the skills learned in the Ideas into Action program and provides you with an opportunity to meet one-on-one with a healthcare provider (your health goal coach) to get extra support in setting and achieving your goals. You can sign up for a 'live' version of Ideas into Action or view the Self-Directed Module below.
If you’re interested in connecting with a Health Goal Coach, call 1-855- 444-5557 to sign up, or for more information!
Having difficulty reaching your health goals? Join this live session to learn the process of creating realistic and achievable goals to live your healthiest life.
Don't have time to attend a live session? Click on the button below to view an interactive recording of this session.
It's normal to face obstacles when trying to stay on track with your health goals. This session is designed to help you keep going and stick to your goals. Register for this session after you have attended Ideas Into Action.
Don't have time for a live session? Click on the button below to view an interactive recording of this session after you have attended or viewed the session Ideas into Action. Small Steps. Big Success!
Are you interested in preparing yourself and your loved ones for the future? Do you have life insurance? A will or power of attorney? There is another kind of insurance you can have, that costs nothing and helps ensure that your medical and personal care wishes are respected.
The goal of this session is to explore what advance care planning is and what to include when creating a personal directive.
To register for one of the sessions below, please contact Andrew Comstock at 902-483-8943.
Do you wonder how you could get a better night's sleep? Sleep is vital to our physical health, mental health, and overall well-being. Join us for a discussion about why we sleep, what impacts our sleep, and discover other tips to get a better sleep.
Prediabetes (when blood sugars are above the normal range) offers a warning that you are at risk of developing diabetes. Learn how lifestyle choices can give you a chance to change your future.
This series will explain how the pain system works. You will learn how the body changes with chronic pain. You will also learn about the factors affecting pain, and real ways to manage your pain.
Attendance the first week of the series is required.
Register to attend one or more of the upcoming classes.
Courses fill up quickly! Click the Register Online button for each course to check availability.
Beginners Guide to Plant-Based Eating
Are you interested in making plant-based meals but you are unsure where to start? In this session we define plant-based eating as a pattern that emphasizes mostly plant foods: vegetables, fruits, whole grains, legumes, nuts, and seeds. In this session, we will explore the benefits of plant-based eating and how to incorporate plant foods in your diet in a simple and cost-effective way.
Have you ever been told what your weight should be? The truth is, your weight is a lot more complex than a number on a scale. In this series we will explore the many factors that influence weight, expectations for weight loss, and strategies to support your health and wellness through the pandemic and beyond.
Attendance the first week of the series is required
Are you interested in shifting your focus away from the scale towards improving your health and quality of life? In this group program, we discuss how nutrition, physical activity, emotions, genetics, and our environment affect our health and weight.
Please call 1-844-460-4555 for more information and to complete a screen to see if this program is right for you. Please call 10 business days prior to the start date of the program.
Please note: Introduction to Beyond Weight is NOT a prerequisite to attend this program.
Classes will be held on:
Interested in lowering your risk of heart disease, Alzheimer's, and diabetes? Learn how you can improve your health by following the Mediterranean way of eating. Attendance the first week of the series is required.
Have you ever thought about the connection between what you eat and how you feel? Food choices and eating habits can affect your mood, but how you feel can also influence what you eat. What’s good for your body is good for your mood!
Meal Planning and Recipe Inspiration
Meal planning can seem intimidating, and it can be hard to know where to start. Learn about the foundations for successful meal planning and participate with us in this interactive session. The goal of this program is that you leave with a plan that is flexible and realistic for you. You will receive a worksheet to help make a meal plan and a recipe booklet to start you on your journey.
Register to attend one or more of the upcoming classes.
Courses fill up quickly! Click the Register Online button for each course to check availability.
Ever wonder how much movement you should be getting in a day? Come find out how to make your whole day matter and learn the Canadian 24 Hour Movement Guidelines. This session will cover three parts of your day: physical activity, sitting time and sleep.
Learn the Canadian Guidelines for how much exercise you need to realise health benefits. We will discuss simple techniques on how to safely increase your intensity with no equipment.
Pregnancy and Exercise NEW
Physical activity throughout pregnancy promotes maternal, fetal, and neonatal health. Click on the button below to watch a video from Nova Scotia Health's Community Health Teams who will guide you through a self-directed exercise routine.
Is your “new normal” causing you to sit more? Our bodies were designed to move and that can be challenging at the best of times. Join us as we learn about the impact too much sitting can have on our health, and share ways to move more in our homes, neighborhoods and communities.
Do you want to improve your strength but are not sure where to start? This session will teach you safe ways to do strengthening exercises, use different types of equipment, and how to progress with these exercises on your own. You will not be exercising in this session.
In this two part series you will learn the facts about weight loss and exercise. We will discuss different types of exercise and their role in your health, in weight loss, and in maintaining good health. Learn tips to be active at any size. You will NOT exercise in this program.
Attendance in the first week of the series is required.
Register to attend one or more of the upcoming classes.
Courses fill up quickly! Click the Register Online button for each course to check availability.
We all have the same 24 character strengths that we express in different ways. Together, we will discuss character strengths, how to recognize them in ourselves and others, and learn the benefits of using them in life.
Exploring Emotions - 4 Week Program
Are you curious about your emotions? In this series, you will learn how to identify emotions and develop skills to respond effectively to a range of emotions. Attendance the first week of the series is required.
Leisure and recreation can have a big impact on our health and well being. Whether you have too little or too much free time, there are ways you can connect with things that interest you and that you enjoy. Join us to explore strategies and resources to make the most of your free time!.
How to Speak Assertively - 4 Week Program
Expressing our needs can be difficult. In this program you will learn about communication and practice assertiveness skills (such as, active listening, saying no, and making requests).
Being self-compassionate can help provide us comfort, improved health, and increase our sense of satisfaction in our roles. Join us to practice ways to promote self-compassion when we experience difficulties in our everyday lives.
In this program you will learn about stress, explore how you experience stress, and practice skills you can use to reduce stress symptoms.
Being self-compassionate can help provide us comfort, improved health, and increase our sense of satisfaction in our roles. Join us to delve deeper and practice ways to promote self-compassion when we experience difficulties in our everyday lives. This program builds in concepts and practice over time. Attendance the first week of the series is required.
Please note: the class Introduction to Self-Compassion is NOT a pre-requisite to attend this program
Take Charge of Your Stress - 4 Week Program
Stress can have significant impacts on our health and well-being. Together we will learn about stress, explore how we experience stress, and practice a variety of skills you can use to reduce stress symptoms. Attendance the first week of the series is required.
Please note: the class Introduction to Take Charge of Your Stress is NOT a pre-requisite to attend this program.
Not enough time in your day? Too much time? Learning how to manage your time may help. Join us to discover time management skills that you can use in your life.
Register to attend one or more of the upcoming classes.
Courses fill up quickly! Click the Register Online button for each course to check availability.
PARENTS: Please have your child's health card number on hand when you are registering for parenting programs.
Incredible Years - Preschool - 14 Week Program
This program focuses on improving your child's social and emotional skills and reducing behaviour problems. It is for parents of children who are 3-6 years old.
This program focuses on improving your child's social and emotional skills and reducing behaviour problems. The program is for parents of children who are 6-12 years old.
An introductory session to help you better understand your teen and how their brain works. Learn strategies to improve communication and help your family run more smoothly.
Learn how to identify early signs of anxious feelings in your children, and develop skills to help them manage everyday anxiety. For parents and caregivers of children up to 12 years old.
You're in Charge - workshop for youth with a chronic condition (2 week program) NEW DATES
This peer-led workshop is a valuable experience for youth (13 years+) with a chronic condition, and their caregivers, to gain knowledge and skills to help navigate the adult health care system.
Through small group discussions and activities, youth will build on their self-management knowledge and skills to manage their chronic health condition(s) more confidently. The workshop is designed to start the conversation about transition from the pediatric to adult health care system. Workshops are offered via Zoom for Healthcare.
Program dates:
For more information please send an email to the 'You're In Charge' Project Coordinator, Lindsay MacKinnon, at You'reInCharge@iwk.nshealth.ca.
Before you watch this self-directed exercise video, read the Pregnancy and Exercise Handout below for further information about the benefits and risks associated with exercising while pregnant. You will also learn how to set exercise goals for yourself and find links to other exercise resources.
Thank you for watching this video and reading the accompanying handout. We want to hear about your experience so we can improve. Please take a few moments to complete our survey. The information collected in this survey is anonymous (does not identify you) and confidential.