Spotlighting mental health
Week full of events dedicated to mental health awareness
On Oct. 3-7, the University of Manitoba is highlighting on-campus support networks for students for Mental Health Awareness Week.
Carly Moffat, associate director of Residence Life, says the most important thing about promoting the week is to make students aware of the resources that are available to them.
“The University of Manitoba has many programs and resources devoted to supporting students with mental health concerns,” said Moffat. “During Mental Health Awareness Week, we are using the hashtag #umwithyou to identify programs, resources, student groups and departments that are here to support students with mental health concerns.”
Moffat says another important part of forming the week’s events was trying to develop programs that raise awareness about mental health on university campuses and try and reduce the stigma that surrounds mental health and the student experience.
The week kicks off on Monday, Oct. 3 with student residences hosting a “Paint Out Your Stress” event in Pembina Hall Student Lounge from 6 p.m.-8 p.m. Earlier in the day, Healthy U will also be tabling in UMSU University Centre just outside of GoSA about coping with stress from 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m.
On the afternoon of Oct. 4, U of M Active Minds will be doing a Handprint Pledge during the day in UMSU University Centre, just outside of GoSA.
On Oct. 5, Healthy U will be tabling in UMSU University Centre about coping with stress from 11:30am – 1:30pm.
On the 6th, Dr. Lori Mac from the Student Counselling Centre will be doing a workshop from 10 a.m.-11:30 a.m. in 474 UMSU University Centre. This is followed by a presentation, “Intro to Mindfulness,” by Dr. Tim Osachuk in the Pembina Hall student lounge (11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.).
Counselors Lori and Tim will be running an Introduction to Mindfulness workshop in the Pembina Hall student lounge on Friday, Oct. 7 from 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
“Mental Health Awareness Week is only one week of programs, but the U of M provides student support and wonderful programs and workshops all year round,” said Moffat. “It is my hope that students get something out of this campus-wide awareness week and we can add even more programs in 2017!”
More information is available here.