The wellness wheel is comprised of eight dimensions of wellness: Social, Emotional, Spiritual, Physical, Financial, Environmental, Occupational, and Intellectual. The dimensions are interconnected and important to a well-rounded and balanced lifestyle. Student engagement at MSP aims to provide programming to address each dimension of the dimension wheel for the 2022-2023 academic year. Each month, a dimension of wellness will be highlighted with programming aimed at providing knowledge around different aspects of that dimension, often with a psychology lens.
The programming theme for October is Emotional Wellness. Emotional wellness involves the ability to successfully cope with stressors and difficult circumstances, resilience in times of uncertainty, validating your feelings and emotional reactions to life’s varying circumstances, and the ability to manage challenges and change. Emotional wellness is an area that we, as psychologists, pay special attention to when working with clients, and it is important that we understand and maintain our own emotional wellness, too. Strong emotional wellness can help us thrive in maintaining healthy relationships, managing stress, increased productivity, living a balanced life, and so much more. Being emotionally well does not mean we are happy all the time, but rather means control over thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. It is especially important that Clinical Psychologists have a strong understanding of emotional wellness so that our clients can feel understood and supported.
Tips for improving emotional wellness:
- Evaluate the stressors in your life. Are you managing stress in a way that works for your lifestyle? What coping strategies work well for you?
- Join a club or organization that aligns with your values and that you feel supported by.
- Talk to someone you trust, like a therapist or a close friend or family member.
- Take a look at your daily routine. Is your routine sustainable and beneficial to your overall health?
- Get quality sleep. The better you sleep, the better your chances of feeling good when you are awake!
- Participate in a hobby that you really enjoy. Consider cutting back on activities that drain your energy, if possible, and do something that you enjoy.
- Consider journaling, mindfulness, yoga, etc! Different things work for different people, so take some time to find out what strategies work for you.
- Strengthen social connections. Plan quality time with people that make you feel supported.
Here is what MSP is doing in October to promote emotional wellness:
Community Events
October 8th, 10:00 AM: Out of Darkness Walk for Suicide Prevention in Downtown Ferndale. Join the MSP Team!
Social Programming
October 3rd to 7th: Pumpkin painting in the Atrium. Take a moment in between classes to unwind and paint a pumpkin!
October 31st: Happy Halloween! Stop by the Atrium for Cider & Donuts with your classmates.
Educational Programming
October 4th and 18th: Dr. River Farrell will be continuing their LGBTQ+ consultations. These consultations are designed for participants to come with a case or question regarding the LGBTQ+ community. Popular topics last year included: working with Gender and Sexual Minorities, Gender Identity, Sexual Fluidity, and Sexual Identity.
October 20th, 4:30 – 5:30 PM: Dream Therapy workshop. Nathan Hayrynen (MA ’16, PsyD ’22) is presenting on the use of dreams in psychotherapy, explaining and demonstrating Gestalt techniques of dream interpretation. The presentation will also cover alternative methods for discussing dreams with clients and assisting them with finding insight into unconscious and repressed thoughts
October 25th, 12:15 – 1:05 PM: Black/African American Boys & Depression. Ed-Dee G. Williams, PhD will be presenting on the unique experiences of Black Americans with depression and their help-seeking behaviors. Specifically, he will discuss approaching mental health with an intersectional perspective, understanding how aspects of race, gender, age, and dis/ability can affect how Black Americans experience, exhibit, and address mental health needs and concerns. In this talk, Dr. Williams will present current research on Black Americans’ mental health and will share his recent research on Black boys’ experiences with depression and their help-seeking choices as a complex social process.
Each month our Coordinator of Admissions and Student Engagement, Kinsey Tekiele will be joining us on the blog to share more information about the dimension of wellness for that month and the programming events that connect to it. More information about student programming can be found here and a full list of events at MSP can be found here.
