Building resiliency through daily practices of holistic health and wellness hold the potential to improve mental, emotional and physical well-being. Especially in times of uncertainty, some of the first actions in building a resiliency toolkit include acknowledging and accepting one’s feelings or looking inward to set goals and practicing mindfulness.
“Mindfulness is defined as the union of mind and body during daily experiences. As we continue to navigate these uncertain and turbulent times, the practice of returning to a recognized state of awareness through mindful actions and resiliency building provide the opportunity to find one’s center and lower feelings of anxiety and stress,” says Mansi Brat, staff therapist at the Barnes Center at The Arch.
The health and wellness team encourages the campus community to explore a variety of virtual resources to build a personalized resiliency toolkit that incorporates routines surrounding mental, emotional and physical well-being.
Starting Tuesday, May 5, and for the next four consecutive Tuesdays, the COVID-19 Grief/Loss Support Group Therapy series will meet. As a virtual safe space, this series supports students in identifying and processing grief and reactions related to COVID-19 losses. All students are welcome. For more information or to register, please visit the Counseling webpage.
Focusing on practices such as mini goal setting, noting, muscle relaxation and more, resources surrounding mental and emotional well-being are a cornerstone of the new Mindfulness and Holistic Practices playlist on the Division of Enrollment and the Student Experience YouTube channel. Additionally, free mobile apps such as Sanvello host opportunities for incorporating stress, anxiety and depression management into daily life. These are all flexible resources that can easily be added into daily routines.
“Taking actions to manage anxiety and stress is essential for health and wellness–now and into the future. While building resiliency practices into your daily routine may seem tedious at first, it’s an important action on the journey to discovering inner peace,” says Allie Westbrook ’20, Barnes Center at The Arch Peer Educator. “Many of the health and wellness videos also revolve around mindfulness exercises; where just like physical fitness, it’s important to participate daily to grow results.”
Customizable and fitting for a variety of schedules, those seeking to add fitness into their resiliency toolkit are encouraged to explore the Wellness Portal. From free personal training through Cuse Fit Chat, virtual group fitness classes and the new Movement Challenge, individuals have the opportunity to set and achieve goals.
As individuals evolve and grow, so do their resiliency needs. “The pursuit of continued education is an important aspect of not only building but maintaining a resiliency toolkit,” continued Brat. Starting Friday, May 1, all students are invited to explore the “COVID-19 and the International Student Experience” workshop by clicking Wellness Leadership Institute in the Wellness Portal. Students are also encouraged to explore virtual workshops throughout the summer.
For more information, please contact Barnes Center at The Arch Counseling at 315.443.8000 or by email to BarnesCenter@syr.edu.
Story by Division of Enrollment and the Student Experience communications intern Lauren Crimmins ’20
