Did you know that 65.9% of UWM students reported feeling overwhelming anxiety and 57.3% reported feeling that things were hopeless within the past year? (ACHA UWM Survey, 2018)
Your college journey is a time of constant transition with many challenges along the way. Feelings of being overwhelmed, anxious, or depressed can be part of the experience. So it’s important to be proactive in supporting your emotional well-being and reach out for help when needed.
Support for Students
Wondering how to reduce stress in your life? Looking for helpful self-care strategies? In search of some tools to use to support your emotional health? The following resources are available to help you:
- Check in with yourself and reflect on your emotional well-being
- Learn about signs and symptoms of emotional distress
- Gain tools and insights on how to reduce stress and practice self-care
- Learn about campus emotional well-being resources
YOU@UWM
YOU@UWM is your wayfinder to access tips, guidance and resources designed to help keep your academics, well-being and social connections on track. This web-based portal provides a space to check in with yourself, set goals, and explore UWM resources and services so you can make the most of your college experience.
Create a confidential account with your ePanther ID and start exploring. You can find more information here <https://uwm.edu/wellness/youatuwm/>
Workshops and Presentations
HPW offers a number of workshops to help students address their emotional well-being. Topics include stress management, self-care strategies, mental health resource overviews and more. You can request a workshop or presentation for a student group here. We also work with various campus partners to bring students emotional well-being programs. Check out the current UWM Cares calendar for current events.
The D-Stress Express – Student Self-Care Strategies Workshop: Self-care is personal and it is not easy to prioritize with your busy schedule. This program will provide a space to pause, explore self-care strategies, and review campus resources to support your emotional well-being. (45-60 mins)
Be a Super Sleeper: Daytime sleepiness? Irritability? Trouble focusing? You might not be getting enough quality sleep! It’s hard to overstate how essential sleep is to mental, emotional, and physical well-being and academic performance. As a college student, it can be challenging to get enough quality sleep. In this program, you can learn about healthy sleep practices, identify quick and easy steps to improve your sleep environment, and design your personal bedtime routine! (30-40 minutes)
Mindfulness and Nature: Let’s learn how to use the environment around us to practice mindfulness. This program includes a mindful walk and the creation of a small desktop garden.
Looking for more mindfulness information? Visit Mindfulness | Student Health and Wellness Center (uwm.edu). Or download The Mindfulness Workbook: A Panther’s guide to taking a pause. Mindfulness Workbook
Online Mental Health Screenings
Brief screenings are the quickest way to determine if you or someone you care about should connect with a behavioral health professional. Think of these as a checkup from your neck up. This program is completely anonymous and confidential, and immediately following the brief questionnaire, you will see your results, recommendations, and key resources.
University Counseling Services (UCS)
UCS offers students a variety of mental health services. Visit the UCS website to learn about counseling and psychiatry services, Let’s Talk brief consultations, UCS videos and more!
Care for Others
You Can Help! Prevent Suicide.
You Can Help! Prevent Suicide. is a bystander intervention program that enables students to help fellow students in emotional distress. Through this program, students will:
- become familiar with some basic facts related to college student mental health,
- understand the warning signs of emotional distress and suicide,
- be prepared to support someone in emotional distress in crisis,
- learn how to refer fellow students to the appropriate resources, and
- understand strategies for increasing resiliency and engaging in self-care
Mental Health Resource Website
Looking for more resources? Wondering how you might be able to support a friend, classmate, or family member. The Mental Health Resource website is intended to help members of the UWM community who are experiencing emotional distress and to support those who provide support for these individuals.
How Faculty and Staff Can Help
Campus Connect
The Campus Connect Suicide Prevention Training is an interactive, experientially based workshop designed to improve participants’ suicide intervention skills, so as to develop a network of individuals at UWM who are prepared to assist in identifying and supporting students in crisis. Participants will:
- become familiar with basic statistics and facts regarding college student suicide
- understand the warning signs that someone may be considering suicide
- know how to ask someone if they are thinking about suicide
- know how to refer someone who is thinking about suicide to the appropriate mental health professionals
Mental Health Resource Website
UWM is a caring community that strives to support and promote student well-being on a variety of levels, recognizing that attention to emotional health is essential to the educational and social pursuits of all individuals. The information presented on the Mental Health Resource website is intended to assist members of our campus community who are experiencing emotional distress and to aid those who provide support for these individuals. You can also find some helpful strategies for supporting students in digital spaces here! Supporting Students in Digital Spaces
Request a Program for Student or Staff Group
HPW and UCS offer a number of workshops to help students address their emotional well-being. Topics include stress management, self-care strategies, mental health resource overviews and more. Programs are also available to support staff needs around addressing student emotional well-being. You can request a workshop or presentation here.
Promote Available Resources
Consider sharing information about YOU@UWM and UCS with your students. Send out an email or social media post, include content in an ongoing newsletter, or include resource information on your Canvas course page. Contact Lori Bokowy at labokowy@uwm.edu if you are looking for content/images to support these messages! Here is a comprehensive list of mental health resources that is ready to share! CACMH Resource Document