Mind Well
Connect to You
Mission: Recognizing the diverse and complex life roles of our students, Mind Well aims to promote mental wellbeing, resilience, social connectedness, and the creation of coping strategies throughout the community.
Why is Mind Well important to our health and wellbeing?
Mental health affects how we think, feel, and act. When we are mentally well, we can cope with stress more effectively, be more present and engaged in our interpersonal relationships, and be more mindful in our choices and decision-making skills.
Highlights
- HWI hosted a panel discussion on the complex relationships we have with our bodies and what we can do to better care for ourselves and others. While embracing concepts from the body positivity movement can enhance any other-oriented profession, this panel discussed how this can be particularly impactful in healthcare-related professions. In addition, 11 life-sized, diverse silhouettes were created and displayed across the Denton campus in February 2022. Finally, TWU students contributed suggestions for a Spotify body positivity playlist and engaged in conversations about self-image and inclusion through social media.
- Featured Panelists:
- Dr. Michael Amil, Health Psychologist
- Dr. Martha Bergen, Counseling Psychologist
- Dr. Carmen Cruz, Clinical Psychologist
- Esosa Osagiede, MPH, RDN, LD
- Moderator: Pisila Finau, TWU Student and Student Health Services Intern
- Featured Panelists:
- TWU’s music therapy program is the oldest ongoing program in Texas and one of the first in the nation, featuring faculty and staff from CAPS, the Counseling and Family Therapy Clinic, and several TWU alumni. As one of only 5 universities in Texas offering music therapy degrees, this program has been approved by the American Music Therapy Association.
- Partnering with Denton County MHMR, TWU offers grant-supported, monthly workshops in Mental Health First Aid Certification to TWU faculty, staff, and students. Classes converted to an online format in Fall 2020 with registrations typically filling up in one day.
- With the support of HWI, several graduate students founded TRIBE: Black Student Support Group in 2020; this organization, along with several other peer communities are growing in their capacity to provide support and build social connectedness within TWU's campuses.
- Mind Well highlighted students who are also caregivers of children, parents, younger siblings, etc. The project entailed students recording themselves answering a question about their experiences being a caregiver.
Committee Members
- Lisa Grubbs - Human Development, Family Studies, and Counseling (co-lead)
- Claudia Pyland - School of Social Work, Psychology, and Philosophy (co-lead)
- Gina Anderson - College of Professional Education
- Jennifer Bogardus - Physical Therapy
- Elizabeth Dobbs Howard - Student Life
- Stephanie Evans - Nursing
- Carolyn Hardin - Office of Research and Sponsored Programs
- Ratonia Runnels - School of Social Work, Psychology, and Philosophy
- Christine Torres - Pioneer Center for Student Excellence-Houston
- Rebecca West - Music
- Bonnie King - Human Development, Family Studies and Counseling
Goals 2022-2023
- Increase Mind Well’s presence as an advocate for mental health and emotional wellbeing across all three campuses.
- Promote wellness for students through connection resources, education, coping strategies, and events.
- Develop curriculum related to Mind Well themes that can be used by faculty to incorporate Health and Wellbeing subject matter into their curriculum.
TWU Body Beautiful
Join the Health and Wellbeing Initiative in the month of March and beyond as we explore body positivity as a campus community on-line and in-person.
Panel Discussion: Body Positivity, Wellness, Society and Healthcare
Texas Woman's University (TWU) hosted a panel discussion on why our relationships with our bodies are so complex and what we can do to better care for ourselves and others. While embracing body positivity can enhance any other-oriented profession, this panel discussed how this can be particularly impactful in healthcare-related professions.
Featured Panelists:
Dr. Michael Amil, Health Psychologist
Dr. Martha Bergen, Counseling Psychologist
Dr. Carmen Cruz, Clinical Psychologist
Esosa Osagiede, MPH, RDN, LD
Moderator: Pisila Finau, TWU Student and Student Health Services Intern
This program was sponsored by the TWU Health and Wellbeing Initiative in an effort to empower students now and develop future leaders.
Body Positivity and Health Resources
TED Talks
- Embracing Your Critical Voice: The Gateway To Self-Love | Connie Sobczak | TEDxSanRafaelWomen (TED Talk)
- Let’s unpack our Fear of Fatness | Athena Nair | TEDxTufts (TED Talk)
- Why Dieting Doesn’t Usually Work
Videos & Podcasts
- All Bodies on Bikes (video)
- Dove Change One Thing (video)
- Dove Real Body Sketches (video)
- Soul Sessions with Jodie Gale (podcast)
Articles & Blogs
- Jessamyn Stanley on the Work of Body Acceptance
- Why exercise is more important than weight loss for a longer life
Books
Caregiver Video Project
The TWU Mind Well Committee has assembled a project to highlight our students who are also caregivers of children, parents, younger siblings, etc. The project entailed students recording themselves answering a question about their experiences being a caregiver.
All clips are compiled as part of the Health & Wellbeing Playlist
Student Organizations
These student organizations reflect and support the overall mission of Mind Well:
- Active Minds
- Chi Sigma Iota
- HOPE
- LUZ
- Phi Alpha Honor Society
- Psi Chi
- Student Association of Marriage and Family Therapy
- Team One Love
- TRIBE
Page last updated 2:49 PM, October 30, 2024