Thrive at DU

Mental Health Awareness Month may be over, but mental health matters all year long!

Thanks to all our partners and participants in events we’ve held over the last month for mental health awareness, su***de prevention training, stress relief, and more. We can’t wait to support you again next year!

Until then, remember you are not alone and there are resources to support you - at DU and in the community. Take care of yourself and best of luck with finals!

***deprevention

Mental Health Awareness Month may be over, but mental health matters throughout the year!

Thanks to all our partners and participants in events we’ve held over the last month for mental health awareness, su***de prevention, stress relief, and more. We can’t wait to support you again next year!

Until then, remember you are not alone and there are resources to support you - at DU and in the community. Take care of yourself and good luck with finals!

***deprevention

END OF QUARTER STRESS RELIEF with THERAPY DOGS! This quarter, our stress relief event will be a part of 4D’s Create, Activate, Play event to “CAP” off the year!

Join us in CCOM 1700 & 1800, Thursday June 1st between 10am-2pm to relieve your week 10 stress by petting the dogs and decompress in the art and creation room. We’ll have tea & snacks, but the day will also have food trucks, an ice cream social, and a plethora of other fun activities!

See you there!

Our last installment in “how the Health Promotion team supports their mental health” is our Director of Health Promotion, Jessie (she/hers).

Jessie supports her mental health by prioritizing sleep, going to therapy, snuggling her dog Sadie, learning to say “no” to (some) things, and regularly exercising (preferably outdoors in the sunshine with friends).

Sadie, the friendly Health Promotion dog (did you get to meet her on campus green for Mirrorless Monday a few weeks ago?) supports her own mental health by sleeping, chasing squirrels in the backyard, and receiving as many belly rubs as possible.

We’re sure your mental health could use some love in Week 9, so be sure to find some time for yourself!

Next up in our series is our graduate student intern, Mackenzie (she/her)! Mackenzie is a soon-to-be GSSW graduate and always keeps the team laughing and entertained with her great stories.

Mackenzie practices self care by going for a walk, sitting under the sun, taking deep breaths, and cooking herself a tasty meal and eating it during some RuPaul’s Drag Race.

We haven’t gotten much sun lately, but we could certainly all take some deep breaths!

Mental Health Awareness Month isn’t over yet and the stress of spring quarter is certainly in full swing!

Join us TOMORROW (Wednesday 5/17) in Community Commons 1800 from 4-5:30pm for some Midweek Mindfulness.

Drop in to tap into your creative side, partake in reflection, help yourself to tea and snacks, or just relax in a calming space.

We can’t forget our Thrive Peer Educators! Their self-care matters too 🤗

Lindsay (she/hers) practices self care by knowing when she needs a break. This could mean a few extra minutes cuddling with her cat, writing in her journal, or just taking the night off from homework.

It’s so important to be aware of when you need a break! What’s something you do when you need a break?

Next up is Leah (she/hers), our Coordinator for Gender Violence Prevention Education and Sexual Health! If you attended last month’s SAAM events or picked up safer s*x supplies around campus, you have Leah to thank! She’s also the artist of the current “Mental Health Matters” banner currently on the Community Commons chalk wall!

Leah takes care of her mental health by recognizing her social limits as an introvert and embracing solitude as an essential part of how she recharges.

Sometimes this includes hosting a one-person dance party to Beyoncé’s Renaissance album or napping with her pup. Either way, her self-care comes from a deep and hard-fought understanding and acceptance of her needs.

Well said, Leah!

Next up: Michaela (she/them), our fabulous grad fellow who is finishing up their first year as a Masters student in the higher education program. Michaela is also the fearless leader of our incredible Peer Educators team!

To take care of their mental health, Michaela sets alarms to remember to take medication consistently and listens to cues from their morn and body for when rest is needed. Such important components of self care!

A goal of Mental Health Awareness Month is to break down the stigma surrounding mental health.

One way to do that is to speak openly about our own struggles, challenges, and ways we individually approach self-care - normalizing discussions about mental health and the inevitable challenges of life.

In a series of posts, we will be highlighting members of the Health Promotion team and the way we take care of our mental health. First up is Kelsey (she/hers), our Coordinator for Alcohol & Other Drugs and Peer Education.

How do you practice self-care? Tell us in the comments and stay tuned for the next one!

As we look forward to Mental Health Awareness Month, we wanted to express our gratitude for the community support and engagement throughout Sexual Assault Awareness Month!
We look forward to continuing this collective work outside of April and all across campus

We want to see YOU at next week’s Care Fair to celebrate Mental Health Awareness Week!

From 11am - 2pm on Wednesday May 10th, stop by the Community Commons Grand Forum (1700) to chat with organizations at DU and in the community that provide resources to support our mental wellbeing. Build your own self-care kit, relax with some arts & crafts, and learn skills to support yourself and friends as we wrap up the spring quarter!

To kick off Mental Health Awareness Week, the center is joining us for MIRRORLESS MONDAY on Campus Green, Monday May 8th from 11am-2pm.

Stop by to add words of appreciation for yourself, your body, and your community by covering mirrors in post-its of positivity because your worth is more than your appearance.

Did you know that eating disorders have the 2nd highest mortality rate of any mental illness? Eating disorders can affect ANYONE - people of all shapes, sizes, races, ethnicities, genders, abilities, and socioeconomic statuses. Eating disorders are *not a choice* and each type has serious emotional and physical impacts on a person.

Mental health affects ALL of us.

The purpose of Mental Heath Awareness Month is to fight stigma, provide support, educate the public and advocate for policies to support the millions of people impacted by mental health conditions.

Thrive will be hosting events and collaborating with a number of partners to connect students to resources, decrease stigma, and highlight how everyone deserves support.

Tag someone in the comments you’ll bring to one of the Mental Health Awareness Events! 👇🏼

Want to win a $500 airline ticket to ANYWHERE YOU WANT? Check your email THIS MONDAY 4/10 to take the DU Health & Wellbeing Survey!

Once completed, you will be entered to win one of over 100 prizes: a $500 airline ticket voucher, two $250 airline ticket vouchers, or 100 Starbucks gift cards will be up for grabs!

Why take the survey? Well, we want to know what you think about health & wellbeing at DU! The results help us know how to improve services and programs and better serve you.

The survey is voluntary and confidential and takes about 20-30 minutes. It's worth it!

March 31 is International Transgender Day of Visibility, a time to celebrate transgender and non-binary people around the globe and acknowledge the determination it takes to live openly and authentically. Advocates also lift up the violence and discrimination that many transgender and non-binary people, especially trans women of color and Black trans women, still face.

From the : About 400 anti-transgender policies have been introduced in state legislatures all over the United States this past year. These bills are an effort to erase trans and non-binary people, but many individuals are rallying their communities to challenge their legislatures and these discriminatory bills. Voices for transgender justice are all over social media, we encourage you to listen to their words and do what you can to support.

Did you know the Health & Counseling Center offers FREE group therapy and workshops to support your mental health and wellbeing?

The HCC hosts regular group therapy sessions and workshops for students facing similar circumstances or working towards similar goals. These groups are confidential and offered in-person or sometimes online.

Check out the link in bio for the brochure for Spring Quarter groups or visit www.du.edu/hcc (click on ‘Counseling Services —> ‘Group Therapy & Workshops’) for group descriptions, times/locations, and how to sign up.

Come join Thrive and for our tropical beach party event Drink Outside the Box! Drink mocktails, play games, and take a much needed break! Stop by CCOM 1600 from 12-2 tomorrow, March 1st!

Join us TODAY! at 4pm in Community Commons 1800 for our last Midweek Mindful session of the quarter. You won’t want to miss it!

In honor of National Eating Disorder Awareness week, we will learn Building Body Trust: Meditations and Mantras.

Register on Crimson Connect!

Happy Mardi Gras! Check out some ways to celebrate safer!

🎉WE’RE HIRING 🎉

Our peer educator Rhea described the position by saying “It truly has been one of the most enjoyable and rewarding experiences I’ve had during my time at DU!”

Click the link in our bio to learn more or apply - applications close this Friday, February 17th!

We’re hiring!! The application for Peer Educators is now open to undergraduates until Feb 17! Scan the QR code or follow the link in our bio to see the job description and apply.
Learn more about the position and talk to current peer educators at our info sessions - taking place on January 26th and Feb 7th (Get more details and register to attend on Crimson Connect!)

Happy New Year DU! Join us for Dry January and challenge yourself to reduce, stop, or track your alcohol use for the month of January! If you want more tips, motivation, or a way to track your drinks, download the free TryDry app! (content warning - this app includes calorie counting which some may find detrimental to their mental well-being)

Repost from
•
On this day in 1864, over 230 Cheyenne and Arapaho were attacked and murdered by U.S. military forces. This dark day in history would come to be known as the Sand Creek Massacre.

Today, let us all reflect on the Cheyenne and Arapaho people’s loss, grief, and pain. And let us all recognize how every act of violence spreads through communities, impacting countless lives across time.

Artist credit: Sand creek massacre. Brent Learned, Cheyenne and Arapaho descendant.

We are devastated to hear the news of violence against our LGBTQ+ Community last night in Colorado Springs. Our hearts and thoughts are with our siblings in Colorado Springs and anywhere who have been affected by this tragedy. While we are still processing this information, support is available on campus through direct and indirect services.

Tele-mental health: Download the MySPP App
to get 24/7 confidential support on your phone with access to counselors who speak Mandarin, Cantonese, French, Spanish, and English. Other languages may be available by appointment based on availability.

Health and Counseling Center: 303-871-2205

Crisis Lifeline: 988

Emergency: 911

Trans Awareness Week is an annual observance that happens between Nov. 13th - Nov. 19th. This week brings visibility to Trans people and the issues they face.

Repost from our wonderful colleagues in the . We join them, and our students, during this incredibly important week!

Posting on behalf of our wonderful colleagues in the Veterans and Military Resources Department - more information on how to donate will be shared soon!

repost!

Today for Domestic Violence Awareness Month, we’re looking at what domestic violence is and its common types.

Domestic violence (DV) most often refers to a pattern of behavior in which an intimate partner attempts to gain/maintain power and control over another partner. It is also commonly referred to as domestic abuse, dating violence/abuse, relationship violence/abuse, and intimate partner violence (IPV).

DV can be emotional, verbal, physical, s*xual, financial, and digital in nature, and it also includes stalking. Often, these "types" of DV will coexist within the larger dynamic.

It is important to remember that anyone can experience or perpetrate DV regardless of gender, s*xuality, race, age, ability, or other social identities.

We will explore these topics and more in future posts throughout DVAM! Please also stay connected for a calendar of upcoming events.

If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, you are not alone! For free and confidential on-campus advocacy and support, reach out to the Center for Advocacy, Prevention, and Empowerment by calling 303-871-3852 or emailing [email protected].

On behalf of the Health and Counseling Center, we invite everyone to take advantage of the FREE flu shot clinics!