A series of online workshops hosted by the Dean of Students Health and Wellness Initiatives and the Graduate Center to support graduate students’ physical, emotional, and mental health.
Studies show that graduate school is a stressful time. Managing stress, particularly mental stress, is critical to achieving one’s goals and maintaining personal and professional relationships. Creating habits and behaviors to boost your resiliency to stressful situations can enable you to succeed in many facets of your life. This online series will help you identify campus health resources, learn strategies for wellness, and implement best practices in your daily routines.
All sessions are free to attend and are offered via Zoom. Please see the session descriptions below for more information.
Slides and handouts from each workshop will be posted on this page after the session concludes. Video recordings will be made available when the series ends.
Session Descriptions and Registration Links
Take our short survey to suggest topics and formats for the October 20 and November 17 sessions: https://uarizona.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_8qUrhed8fjfXBNb(link is external)
September 15, 2020: Building Resilience for Success
- 4:30 PM to 5:30 PM Arizona Time via Zoom
- Register at:https://arizona.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_Ckp1TyIOSoCaoc9sTQT2jQ(link is external)
Please join Dr. Amy Athey, Associate Vice Provost and University of Arizona Chief Wellness Officer, and the Graduate Center for an informative and supportive Zoom gathering that will explore techniques to build resilience and foster mental health. You will learn about all the University of Arizona has to offer you this Fall to get on--and stay on--the best path for you!
Session Slides: Building Resilience for Success with Dr. Amy Athey (Sept. 15, 2020) Slides
Resource List from the Chat: Resources from the Sept. 15 Chat PDF
October 20, 2020: Adjusting to Loneliness and Isolation throughout the Pandemic
- 4:30 PM to 5:30 PM Arizona Time via Zoom
- Register at: http://bit.ly/hwf2020-2(link is external)
The pandemic has uprooted normalcy and familiarity for many, leaving us feeling emotionally low, stressed, and disconnected. Learn more about the impacts of loneliness and social isolation, healthy coping and ways to center ourselves and regroup.
Facilitator: Michelle Rosenbalm, LPC, Life Management Counselor, UArizona A Center
Michelle Rosenbalm serves as the Life Management Counselor for University of Arizona A Center. Michelle earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology from The University of Arizona, and her Master’s Degree in Counseling from Regis University in Denver, Colorado. Michelle is a Licensed Professional Counselor and provides a therapeutic space for students to feel safe, heard, and supported.
Session slides: Adjusting to Loneliness and Isolation Throughout the Pandemic PDF
Mental Health Resource List: University of Arizona Mental Health Services (October 2020 update)
November 17, 2020: Stress, Survival, and Self-care
- 4:30 PM to 5:30 PM Arizona Time via Zoom
- Register at: http://bit.ly/hwf2020-3(link is external)
Human beings have unconscious, automatic mechanisms that keep us safe and help us respond to stress. This talk will briefly describe how mirror neurons, the autonomic nervous system, and predictive coding in the brain protect us when we feel under attack. These are ancient structures (80,000 years old) that react and respond to stress. Understanding how fear is triggered and moves in the body will help us feel calmer and less judgmental toward ourselves. These automatic systems are always protecting us from danger. This talk will conclude with some ideas to self-soothe.
Facilitator: Jenny Simon MC, LPC, PhD, Life Management Counselor UArizona Thrive Center
Jenny Simon is a higher-education professional with a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Transformative Learning and Change from the California Institute of Integral Studies. Maintaining a 97% approval rate, she is an experienced Adjunct Faculty with a demonstrated 20-year history of teaching adult learners. Dr. Simon served as the Clinical Director for an acclaimed CACREP University, where she supervised students for their Master of Science in Clinical Mental Health Counseling. Jenny is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) in Arizona who focuses on trauma and Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR). As an accomplished public speaker, Dr. Simon has consulted for TV segments and magazine articles about stress.