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MODULE 3 - STUDENT WELLNESS
What is Wellness?
Wellness has a personal meaning for each individual, so it can be defined in many ways. In general, wellness refers to overall well-being. More than the absence of disease or stress, wellness involves having:
- Purpose in life
- Active involvement in satisfying work and play
- Joyful relationships
- A healthy body and living environment
- Happiness
Eight Dimensions of Wellness
Wellness incorporates many dimensions of health, each of which is interconnected within an individual’s total well-being. RVU supports embracing the Eight Dimensions of Wellness—emotional, environmental, financial, intellectual, occupational, physical, social, and spiritual—to achieve longevity and improved quality of life as a student and beyond. Review more information about each dimension by following this link.
We encourage you to start building activities that support your wellness into your routine. For more resources to support your wellness, please visit website here.
The Mental Health Benefits of Storytelling for Health Care Workers
Please view this powerful video on how sharing your stories with other can prevent burnout, help you maintain empathy and compassion, and restore your mental health.
What are Mental Health Services?
Mental health services are referred to by many names—counseling, therapy, psychological services, and crisis services, to name a few. At its core, mental health services are confidential conversations and experiences with a trained professional whose job is to help you resolve problems, navigate change, cope with life situations, address mental health disorders, and/or enhance your overall wellness. You may have heard a lot about therapy and therapists, but it’s not all true. Check out this handout challenging common myths about therapy.
For What Concerns Might a Person Seek Mental Health Services?
- Stress and anxiety
- LGBTQ+ issues
- Self-esteem
- Perfectionism
- Eating concerns and body image
- Addiction
- Relationship/family/friendship Issues
- Feeling overwhelmed
- Grief and loss
- Adjusting to life transitions
- Cultural concerns
- Imposter Syndrome
It’s critical to recognize the early warning signs that you may have or may develop a serious mental health issue. Please know that if you are experiencing any of the following, help is available.
- Increased reliance on alcohol or illicit substances
- Sudden lack of interest in school and/or a drop in grades
- Being exposed to someone who took their own life
- A recent traumatic event witnessed in the line of duty
- Drawing away from others in the unit or department
- Stressful life events that contribute to compassion fatigue at work
- Family history of mental health issues
- Increased health issues, including headaches or anxiety/depression
- Withdrawal from those you once cared about/interacted with
- Problems sleeping or showing up to work late
- Higher blood pressure
- Viscerally unsettling dreams
- Unusual outbursts of anger and an inability to vocalize the problem
How Do I Access Mental Health Services?
There are several services available to RVU students and their household members free of charge. Free services tend to be brief and goal-focused; if you need longer term, specialized, or a higher level of care, referrals can be arranged based on your insurance coverage and financial situation. All services are confidential and records are kept separate from your student record. For additional information or to schedule an appointment, please visit our website.
What if I need urgent support and cannot wait for an appointment?
24/7/365 support from a mental health clinician is available by calling 866-640-4777 and stating you need in-the-moment support.
What if I am Experiencing a Psychological or Medical Problem that Could have the Potential to Impact my Ability to Practice Medicine Safely?
RVU values diversity in the medical field and wants to support recovery and safe future medical practice for students who have conditions/disabilities which have the potential to adversely impact patient care if not well managed. For this reason, RVU maintains a contract with the Colorado Physicians’ Health Program (CPHP), which can help students to assess for potential impairment in the field and get connected with services to mitigate impairment. CPHP has helped many people to access the care they need and go on to have successful medical careers, bringing a unique perspective and deep compassion to their practice. To self-refer to CPHP or for more information, visit this website or consult with your campus Mental Health and Wellness Therapist. CPHP services are available only to Colorado students in the DO and PA programs at this time. RVU is actively engaged in advocacy in other states to create similar programs for our students on other campuses. Students not eligible for CPHP services but who may need help getting connected to services to mitigate potential impairment are encouraged to reach out to Mental Health and Wellness for more information.
MINDFULNESS: A Practice to Enhance Your WELLNESS
Mindfulness is an ancient practice found in a wide range of spiritual and religious traditions, including Buddhism, Taoism, Hinduism, Judaism, Islam, and Christianity. Recently, Western psychology has started to recognize mindfulness as a non-religious practice that can have many benefits to several dimensions of wellness, including emotional, intellectual, spiritual, physical, and relational health.
There are many different definitions of mindfulness. Russ Harris defines mindfulness as “a process of paying attention with flexibility, openness, and curiosity.” This definition tells us three important things:
- Mindfulness is an awareness process, not a thinking process—it involves paying attention to your experience as opposed to being “caught up” in your thoughts.
- Mindfulness involves a particular attitude of openness and curiosity—even if your experience at this moment is difficult, painful, or unpleasant, you can be open to it and curious about it instead of running from it or fighting with it.
- Mindfulness involves flexibility of attention—the ability to consciously direct, broaden, or focus your attention on different aspects of your experience.
We invite you to experience a basic mindfulness exercise now!
Source: Harris, R. (2009). ACT Made Simple: An Easy-To-Read Primer on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy. Oakland, CA: New Harbinger.
REFLECTION QUESTION
Answer the following question in the comment section below before moving to the next module:
Please share one action that you will take to improve your wellness this year.
Take time to read and engage with your classmates' answers, as well! You can return to this page at any time to carry on the conversation.
I love to meditate and practice spirituality but when I am stressed or overwhelmed I tend to put those on the back burner so instead of avoiding those to lean into it and take the time to mentally assess and refocus myself. Additionally, asking for help before it’s too late, I typically in my past would try to do everything on my own but have started to learn that asking for help is not a weakness but a strength.
After working as a paramedic for almost 12 years I have learned the determinantal effects of not making wellness a priority. My goal for this school year is to work towards getting into a routine. Being able to establish healthy habits not only physically, emotionally, and spiritually. I plan to do this by implementing better sleep habits, meal planning, finding a church, and exercising.
Definitely, running is an activity that brings me joy and peace, and I would like to start doing it again this year.
One thing I aim to do to improve my wellness this year is to be mindful of my physical and mental health at each stage whether there may be an exam week or just a regular school week. Keeping a calm proactive mindset is something that I want to improve upon.
Please share one action that you will take to improve your wellness this year.Staying physically healthy will be a big focus for me this year. I feel like my mental health is greatly influenced by how well I have taken care of myself physically. Establishing a routine that i follow daily will help me with this.
I plan to connect with my cultural upbringing which includes practicing my spirituality, singing, and giving thanks. I notice that when I remember my cultural and spirtual roots, I am grounded and happy.
I am looking to emphasize my physical health this year. Even when school can get tough, I want to attempt to do something physical to give my brain a break before I go back to studying.
Something I historically struggled with in undergrad was balancing studying with physical exercise, so I would like to exercise more as a stress outlet.
Seeking help before I reach breaking point. Too often I think to myself mental illness doesn’t apply to me or that I am mentally ok but the truth is I struggle at times. The MSBS program is a big opportunity for me and I have a lot of anxiety about doing well in the program and getting into the medical school here. Talking to a professional who will listen to me and can help me manage the stress is going to be a great resource for success.
I’m going to ensure that my relationship with my wife remains strong and consistent. I’ll also make time for the gym and preparing home cooked meals. Daily walks and power naps are going to be essential in processing information and clearing my head.
I am going to prioritize taking one hour a day to go to the gym or go on a walk. I believe exercise is good for physical and mental wellbeing that I will incorporate into my everyday routine. In the past, I have struggled with making exercise a priority but this year I am going to work hard to include it in my routine.
Please share one action that you will take to improve your wellness this year.I plan to make time for personal fitness and maintain a regular exercise routine. I have been implementing yoga and kettle bell workouts into my routine and I plan to continue that, not only for my physical wellbeing but for my mental health as well.
One thing I am going to do to improve my wellness this year is to continue to prioritize physical health. As a former athlete, physical health has always been important to me and I have actively realized the benefits it has on my overall wellness. I strive to continue a strong routine in daily exercise, nutrition, and sleep, to prepare me best for all other areas in my day-to-day schedule.
One action to improve my wellness this year is to have a regular workout routine and balanced diet. A regular workout routine and healthy diet has helped me prevent burn out during my undergraduate career.
Journaling has proved extremely beneficial to me in the past–especially writing about what I am most grateful for. So, I will strive to write down a few sentences every day, if possible. This helps me enjoy my present state and remember how fortunate I am for coming this far compared to where I was. Although there is still a long road ahead, I can look forward while remembering the vast repertoire of beautiful moments and individuals around me that are worth remembering and noting in my journal.
An action I will take to improve my wellness this year is to take at least 30minutes to myself where I am not doing any sort of work or thinking about school. This can be in the form of doing a face mask, playing on my Switch, eating a meal, or just laying in bed and relaxing.
I plan to work on my physical self by reestablishing my exercise routine. In the past, It was a great way to take a mental break and destress, and I want to prioritize it.
I will set aside time for my mental, spiritual and physical health and be intentional about it. This will include my daily prayers, going on DND during study times and sleep, physical activity, treating myself every now and then, and upholding my boundaries.
To improve my wellness this year, I will make it a point to stay in contact with my family. I’ve moved hundreds of miles away and it would be really easy to slip into the habit of getting so wrapped up in school, new friends, and studying that I forget to make a simple phone call or send a loving text message. Relationships take work and intention and it’s my intention to continue to reach our regularly and continue to foster a positive relationship with those who are in my support system, no matter the distance.
Over the past year, I have spent a fair amount of time away from home and in stressful situations. One of the things I did that was extraordinarily helpful for maintaining my well-being and managing my stress was writing. I kept a personal journal in which I recorded events from my day or week, both mundane events and significant ones. It helped keep things in context and prevented catastrophizing stressful times. It also makes for a fun read when I want to reflect on those times now. Overall, it was tremendously helpful, and I plan to resume the habit when school starts.
Please share one action that you will take to improve your wellness this year.
This year, I am going to focus on keeping myself active both mentally and physically. I found that having a workout routine helped me to focus on studying and other tasks during the day. Staying active also helps me to feel fresh and rejuvenated.
Please share one action that you will take to improve your wellness this year.
I will not hesitate to be vulnerable about my mental health and seek the help I need and use the resources available to me. I will try my best to advocate for my well-being because I know that it is one of my greatest responsibilities as a human being.
I have always focused on my physical health during my undergrad. I will continue to focus on that, as I am happier overall when I feel in good shape. However, I will put more emphasis on getting consistently good sleep, as that is something I am not good at maintaining.
One action that I will take to improve my wellness is to dedicate time to my hobbies. Often times it’s easy for me to get distracted with my day to day affairs and I start to realize that some of the things I love to do get neglected.
One thing that is very important to me is being in tune with nature. I plan on continuing my weekly hikes, and hope to find more remote areas to explore.
One thing I am going to do is set more time aside for my spiritual health. I find that when I do that I really just feel generally recharged and better. I want to put more time aside for this and be consistent.
Consistent sleep, healthy eating and physical activity were routines I never neglected to keep a positive mental health during my undergrad. As I anticipate the business in the next few years, I intend to prioritize my physical well-being, ensuring that taking care of my body remains a top priority.
I have always kept myself very busy, I like to be busy but sometimes I think I need to slow down and take a breath. I am going to try and make time every day or every week where I just sit down and listen to what my mind and body need.
Please share one action that you will take to improve your wellness this year. I will dedicate a specific time every day to do something I enjoy that does not involve school work/other responsibilities. An example is spending time with my roommates and watching an episode of a TV show together.
Please share one action that you will take to improve your wellness this year.
This year I am going to prioritize my physical health in order to promote overall wellness. With my previous job and its schedule it was very challenging for me to make time for exercise or activity and this year with a much more consistent schedule I’m looking forward to establishing a routine.