The University is supporting World Mental Health Day on Wednesday, 10 October with a range of activities including art therapy, yoga and meditation and Big White Wall information sessions.
The University is continuing to invest in mental health and wellbeing support for students and is in the process of appointing three additional wellbeing advisers, two additional mental health advisers and an additional disability adviser to enhance our central services.
In 2019 we will be launching a new Faculty Link Model with these staff to build on and strengthen the existing relationships between Student Services and school based support. Students who wish to be involved in the development of services can contact Julia Purvis.
Information on some the activities taking place are available below on Wednesday, 10 October 2018:
Community Cafe
Gilmour Room, Guild of Students, 11am-1pm
Come along to the Guild for an informal chat, cake or engage in some art therapy. Members of the University’s student support staff will be present, alongside staff from The Liverpool Light, James’ Place, Papyrus and The Sanctuary. Free hot drinks are available, and BakeSoc will be selling tasty treats.
The Community Cafe will also host an Expressive Arts Therapy / Writing as Therapy workshop with Bernadette McBride, PGR Creative Writing, School of the Arts.
Academic life, deadlines, and juggling reading lists alongside lectures and seminars can be anxiety-inducing and overwhelming. On the flip-side, if you are already dealing with mental health issues, such as anxiety or depression, the added pressures of university life can exacerbate these issues.
Drop into this session to find out how Expressive Arts Therapy can help break the mental blocks caused by anxiety and depression and get you writing again.
Have a go at ‘Soul Collage’ for academic/essay writing, inspired by Natalie Rogers’ person-centred expressive arts model.
Bring along some essays/secondary readings/photos from your field of work to make a collage on the day.
Book your place for the workshop here (you don’t need to book for the community cafe, just drop by).
Free swimming
Sport Liverpool are offering free swims on World Mental Health Day until 3pm and then 5-8pm. Just bring your staff or student card to reception and sign in.
Yoga and Meditation
1-1.50pm, Sport Centre Activity Room
Sport Liverpool are hosting a free yoga and meditation session in the Sport Centre activity room at 1pm.
Places are limited to 15: please book your place here.
Mindfulness taster sessions
11.15-11.45am and 1.15-1.45pm, Activity Space 1, The Street, Guild of Students
Come and relax in a short guided mindfulness meditation session with time for inquiry and exploration. Sessions are first come, first served – just drop by.
Big White Wall information sessions
2-2.45 and 3-3.45pm, 128 Mount Pleasant, Seminar Room 12. Click here to book your place.
Big White Wall is designed to help people get support, take control and feel better. It provides 24/7 peer-to-peer and professional support (from experienced clinicians who are online at all times), plus a range of courses and tools to help people self-manage their wellbeing. This service is safe, anonymous and free to all UoL students and staff.
Ariana from Big White Wall will be running two informative sessions (open to both staff and students) about the online mental health support resource, which is available free to all staff and students. Sessions will run for 45 minutes at 2pm and 3pm, book your place here.
More information
To find out more about WMHD and mental health and wellbeing, please visit the Mind charity’s website.