The mental well-being team partners with colleagues, departments, and student groups across campus to promote mental health and well-being. Our recurring events, campaigns, and outreach programming focus on destigmatizing the topic of mental health, encouraging self and community care, fostering social connection, and bringing awareness to some of the mental health issues within our campus community.
Programs Available
- Go Together Groups: Go Together Groups connect students looking to attend events with Duck Nest peers and other students. The aim is to help students connect with others who have similar interests but haven’t found that social connection quite yet. Occurs during fall term.
- Feather Pals: Feather Pals is a student-to-student pen pal program created for all UO students. It helps students connect with each other who have similar interests and identities. The program supports students who may prefer to connect with others via writing to ease some social anxiety. Occurs during fall and winter terms.
- Therapy Animals: Therapy animals support mental and physical well-being by releasing serotonin, prolactin, and oxytocin; lowering blood pressure; and providing companionship. We invite therapy dogs once a term and other animals like goats and llamas throughout the year. Therapy dogs visit once during fall, winter, and spring terms. The therapy goats and/or llamas visit for special occasions such as Mental Health Awareness Month in May.
- Meditation: Peer-led meditation opportunities for students to explore different practices whether they’re wary about meditation, love it, or fall somewhere in between. Occurs during fall, winter, and spring terms either weekly or by outreach request.
- Hair Care is Health Care
- HAPI Hair Salon Pop-Up: Hair care pop-up salon centering Black students, staff, and faculty hosted at the Black Cultural Center and in partnership with HAPI Hair Salon. The event supports an underrepresented population on campus by providing culturally competent hair care and social connection, both of which contribute to positive mental well-being.
- Gender Affirming Hair Pop-Up: Hair care pop-up salon centering gender-affirming hair care in collaboration with the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender Education and Support Services. The event supports students by providing affirming hair care and social connection, both of which contribute to positive mental well-being.
In addition to these Health Promotion and Wellness programs, University Health Services offers Let’s Talk, which provides free, informal, and confidential one-on-one consultation with a Counseling Services staff member.
May is Mental Health Awareness Month
Mental Health Awareness Month (MHAM) is a national program recognized every May. The purpose of MHAM is to raise awareness of the importance of mental health, provide educational opportunities and coping strategies to the campus community, and reduce the stigma that surrounds mental illnesses and help-seeking. The mental well-being team invites and welcomes many campus partners to join us in programmatic efforts to promote mental health.
Stress Less Week
Academics can be stressful for many of us, especially toward the end of the term. Stress Less is designed to create opportunities for you to explore different ways to practice self-care and find techniques to de-stress during some of the hardest parts of the year. These events are hosted during week 10 of fall, winter, and spring terms. Everyone manages the stress of classes differently, but we are here to support you through those times.