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Resilience is often misunderstood. It's not just about being as tough as a football player - taking hit after hit and pushing through exhaustion. Here's the thing: Overwork and exhaustion are the opposite of resilience. When we show up to class or work utterly drained, we don’t have the cognitive resources to do well or stay in control of our emotions.

Resilience means adapting well in the face of adversity, trauma, tragedy, threats, or stress. It means rebounding from difficult experiences.

A resilient person is a well-rested one.

A resilient person tackles challenges with vigor, then takes time to recuperate before taking on the world again.

The more time a person spends performing, the more time that person needs recovering. In simple terms, the more you work hard, the greater the benefits of activities that restore balance. Recovery periods become increasingly valuable as the demands on you intensify.

Most people assume that merely stopping a task is enough to recharge. When you put down your Bio Chem homework, you may expect that your brain will recover from those efforts and wake the next day feeling refreshed and ready to learn more. But we have all likely experienced sleepless nights when our minds race with all the things we have to do. That’s one example of resting in a way that still leaves you feeling exhausted. Rest and recovery are not the same thing. Stopping does not equal recovering.

Recover a bit this week.

Internal recovery involves the short periods of relaxation that take place throughout our day whether scheduled for spontaneous. It could involve shifting our attention or changing tasks when we feel mentally or physically depleted.

External recovery refers to actions that take place outside of scheduled work - evenings, weekends, holidays, vacations. If you spend your evenings on your device becoming riled up by news or stressing about the paper you have due on Monday, your brain hasn’t received a break from high mental arousal. Our brains need rest as much as our bodies.

External recovery means taking time to do things that are fun, enjoyable, and help you feel good. So, during fall break...

  • Explore new places
  • Go outside
  • Move your body
  • Revisit activities that you loved when you had more time to play
  • Unplug
  • Prioritize good sleep 
  • Savor delicious, nourishing food
  • Spend time with supportive, loving people
  • Experience awe

The best person to know how you best recharge is YOU. Take time to recharge effectively this week and you’ll be better equipped to face whatever challenges come your way. 

Editor's Note: This news was shared by Student Wellness

Recent studies indicate that approximately 1 in 8 college students meet criteria for substance use disorders. Fortunately, collegiate recovery groups are gaining traction as students re-evaluate their relationship with alcohol and other drugs. Students in recovery are committed to awareness, de-stigmatization, and alternative programming efforts across campuses nationwide—and UNC-Chapel Hill’s Carolina Recovery is no different. Carolina Recovery is comprised of a Student Wellness staff-led Collegiate Recovery Program and corresponding student group, the Carolina Recovery Community. 

September 1 marks the beginning of National Recovery Month, which celebrates and honors those in recovery and healing from substance use and other mental health concerns—like the efforts to celebrate recoveries from other health conditions like heart disease and diabetes.

This month, Carolina Recovery will celebrate with Puppies in the Pit on Wednesday, Sept. 7. They are also planning an event for the Carolina campus later in September. Details about this event will be available soon via Student Wellness and Healthy Heels social media. 

If you have questions or would like more information about Carolina Recovery, please contact the Collegiate Recovery Programs Coordinator, Victoria Cooper, at recovery@unc.edu or vlcooper@unc.edu.

Strategies to set and attain academic goals

While you’re shaping up your must-do checklist this term, please don’t forget a critical item: take good care of your mental health and well-being.

Here’s a reminder about some of the many resources we have in place to support you in this process:
Heels Care Network (here!)

Browse our site for:

Also, check out our anonymous mental health screening tool. Brief screenings are a quick way to gauge whether you or someone you care about may want to connect with a health professional for a conversation. Screenings are available to address concerns about drinking, drug use, eating habits, mood swings, anxiety and more — and they can help you identify possible stressors or issues before they become too big to tackle!

We add new content each week, so be sure to come back often!

Well-Being Days

Carolina continues to offer dedicated days throughout the year to encourage students to stop and focus on well-being. This spring, our Well-Being Days are:

  • Monday, Feb. 13
  • Tuesday, Feb. 14
  • Thursday, April 6

Check out our Healthy Heels suggestions for ways to take a mental health break and spend your Well-Being Days.

Carolina Mental Health Seminars

This semester we’ll continue our series of Zoom-based Mental Health Seminars, presented by Carolina experts. Check out the news post for this spring's Seminar speakers and topics.

Two final important tips:

We all have a role to play in helping our community be healthy and well. Take good care of yourself and each other — and grow our culture of compassion and care at Carolina.

Photo by Natalie Peoples | The Daily Tar Heel

Originally Published on the Daily Tar Heel | By Lauren Rhodes | January 16, 2023 | 4:55pm EST

Beyond studying the brain and cognition, UNC’s Department of Psychology and Neuroscience provides resources for those struggling with mental health needs. 

One of these resources is the department’s community clinic. It offers therapy and assessment to students, faculty, staff and community members — provided by postdoctoral fellows, graduate students studying clinical psychology and licensed psychologists.  

“We provide therapy and assessment services to children, adolescents, adults and couples, with the most frequent concerns being depression, anxiety, academic difficulties and relationship issues,” Jennifer Kirby, a clinical psychology professor and director of clinic operations and training for the clinic, said. 

The clinic operates on a sliding scale, meaning that its fees are based on the client’s income. It uses evidence-based practices, with cognitive-behavioral therapy — or "CBT" — as its primary treatment approach.

Kirby said that they have noticed an increasing number of individuals contacting the clinic since the beginning of the pandemic. 

These increasing numbers are likely due to more individuals facing challenges with depression, anxiety and stress. 

“This is just a problem that we need to pay attention to, and it’s a huge public health concern,” Jonathan Abramowitz, the director of the clinical psychology program and a professor of psychology and neuroscience said.  

About 60 percent of the clinic’s clients are affiliated with the University, the majority of which are undergraduate and graduate students. 

While the University does have Counseling and Psychological Services, a program for mental health services, it operates on a shorter-term model, Kirby said. The community clinic, however, does not have a limit on the number of sessions and is equipped to help students who need longer term or more in-depth care. 

“These are not therapies that go on for years and years. They're skills based,” Abramowitz said. “So our therapists teach — whether it's a student or someone in the community — skills and help them to get good at the skills. Then they're able to apply them, in most cases, and folks are able to learn and get out there and do okay.” 

Though both organizations offer therapy for all individuals, Kirby said both are there for various reasons. 

“If a student is hitting an acute stressor, and they need someone to talk with right away — maybe they've just gone through a relationship breakup or they're dealing with a roommate issue — CAPS can be a fantastic resource and CAPS as they offer short-term counseling and they have immediate resources such as a 24/7 phone service,” Kirby said. “If students are looking for longer-term counseling to address multiple issues, then our clinic is likely a good fit."

Olivia Chester, a sophomore majoring in psychology said that the importance of mental health is especially emphasized in her psychology classes. 

“I think that (mental health) is something that should be talked about more. Obviously, we go around and we talk about it, but I think that the language that we use is kind of warped and the stigma surrounding it is still there,” she said.

In efforts to provide increased support for students at the beginning of a new semester, the clinic is offering an LGBTQ+ resilience group that aims to connect LGBTQ+ students while helping them learn about and apply resilience skills.

Abramowitz and Kirby also recommend that students try to manage their stress throughout the semester by getting good sleep, exercising, eating healthy and connecting with other people.

“A small to moderate amount of stress helps us do our best. But, when it gets to the point that it's interfering with your life, your functioning, getting in the way of school, getting in the way of work, then it's time to seek help,” Abramowitz said. 

The clinic has two locations: Evergreen House as well as the Finley Community Research Center and Clinic. Students can learn more about the clinic by visiting its website and can inquire about its services using their initial inquiry form. 

@l_rhodsie

university@dailytarheel.com

By Alan Hunt | April 10, 2022 | 2:19pm EDT

UNC students can connect with and receive support from their fellow students through "Listen, Support, Navigate", or LSN for short.

The program is a part of UNC's recently launched Heels Care Network, a collection of support resources for students. LSN is a live chat feature that allows students to connect with peers anonymously.

It features undergraduate, graduate and professional student volunteers who can talk with students and help guide them toward other resources.

Samantha Luu, associate director for the UNC-CH Peer Support Core, said she understands that it can be hard to find students to ask for help and find the right mental health resources on campus.

“As a student, you're not necessarily seeking a staff member, you're seeking someone who's also in classes with you and might also live in a dorm and have similar experiences,” Luu said. 

In a typical interaction, a support-seeker will initiate the conversation through the chat portal on the website, then a listener will introduce themselves and interact with the student according to their needs, which Luu said in an email.

Peer listeners must go through about 20 hours of initial training along with ongoing supervision and training, as well as check-ins with staff, according to Luu. Skills that are trained include empathetic communication and active listening.

“During initial training, we encourage LSNers to self-reflect on their own experiences and identities and how that may influence a supportive interaction in different ways,” Luu said in an email.

Luu said that the training curriculum includes lessons about peer support skills and mental first aid, as well as a requirement training related to a "high-priority" group that the listener does not identify with — such as the Safe Zone trainings through the LGBTQ Center, or Green Zone training to learn more about the experiences of military-affiliated students.

One of the program's goals is to provide support for members of high-priority communities, such as BIPOC, LGBTQ+ and first generation college students, Luu said. 

“We wanted to build this culture of care and compassion at UNC-Chapel Hill where everyone feels supported and empowered to ask for help,” Patrick Tang, program manager of Peers for Progress, said. “And COVID gave us kind of a bigger reason to work on campus.”

Listeners are available to chat from Sunday to Thursday from 12:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. LSNers work in shifts one hour at a time, Luu said in an email, and they are trained to offer follow-up care to someone after their initial conversation. 

Although the service is hosted on the Heels Care Network website, Tang said students may keep in touch with their peer listener through email or text.

Students who use LSN can request to speak with specific peer listeners again by following up with them after their chat or emailing the organization directly, Luu said in an email. 

Peer listener Maggi Mazza said she enjoys working with LSN because it allows her to make mental health support more accessible to others.

"I really feel like it's important to make sure that everybody knows that they're somewhere that their perspective will be cherished, and that they will be listened to," Mazza said.

Students interested in volunteering to become peer listeners through the program will soon be able to apply through its website, Luu said. 

The program is financially supported through a grant from the UNC System and is administratively supported by the UNC-CH Peer Support Core, several campus service collaborators and other student-led resources.

“I think that mental health has been on the back burner for a really long time, and I feel like it's time to push it forward,” Mazza said. "And to really emphasize that, if we're going to create a community that is successful and sustainable, that mental health has to be the primary discussion.”

Students interested in using LSN can access it through its webpage. For those needing emergency, urgent and crisis care, the program encourages using other campus resources, such as the UNC Counseling and Psychological Services 24/7 line: 919-966-3658.

university@dailytarheel.com

News Post originally published on https://www.dailytarheel.com/article/2022/04/university-lsn-mental-health.

Better understand the theory and practice of mindful pauses, how to prioritize them in your own life, and how to inspire them in the community around you.

It’s Ok to Pause! Living nonstop is impossible; we all need rest to replenish and recharge. A pause can help us reevaluate priorities and adjust goals, notice the details of life and enjoy them, and reconnect with our inspiration and feelings.

On October 11, from 12pm - 1:30pm, we gathered to better understand the theory and practice of mindful pauses, how to prioritize them in our own life, and how to inspire them in the community around us.

The session was facilitated by Crystal Schiller, Ph.D., a Psychologist and Researcher in the UNC School of Medicine. She serves as the Director of the UNC SOM Psychology Internship Program, Associate Director of Behavior Therapy and Reproductive Science at UNC Center for Womens’ Mood Disorders, and Associate Director of Program Development at UNC Integrated Wellbeing Program. She is a therapist and researcher focusing on the neurobiology of depression and behavioral strategies to cultivate wellbeing and fulfillment. 

Among a plethora of resources on Gilling's Virtual Engagement Page, You can find a list of past Webinar recordings from "Wellness Wednesday." They include Topics such as Identity and Self Worth, Burnout and the Stress Cycle, and Managing your Attention along with others. All you have to do is visit their page, and scroll to the button that says "webinar recordings" to be taken to the list of Wellness Wednesday recordings.

Find the Webinar Recordings Here!

Repeated trauma, especially traumas as similar and close together as the two lockdowns UNC-Chapel Hill has experienced, can be difficult. Navigating trauma is highly individualized and not at all linear. Whatever you are feeling, however you are responding, is valid. You might feel angry, sad, hopeless, tired, confused; a range of emotions is likely. You might have questions - Why? How? When will this end? One common question that’s been echoed through spheres of students who are trying to heal: Where do we start?  

There is value in a supportive community to promote healing. In the recent mental health seminar, Regaining a Sense of Safety: Coping with Trauma and Grief, Dr. Donald Rosenstein concluded part of his talk by saying, “…feeling like you’re not in this alone is a big part of [healing]. Understanding each other and strengthening our sense of community, I think, is really critical going forward.” So where do we start? Perhaps, as Dr. Rosenstein indicated, we start with each other. 

Healing together 

Students have always been and always will be the pulse of Carolina. During tragedy and hardship, students have pulled together countless times to make change, to stand up for what’s right, to help each other in times of need, to listen and to love their peers. Faculty and staff have played an immense role in healing and navigating through hardship, and often share excellent resources for students to find support during difficult times. Many of us also lean on family or friends from outside UNC-Chapel Hill as important systems of support that offer comfort, peace, and strength. Hold your community tight and find ease and support within it. 

Healing is not linear or uniform, and there is no right way to heal. However, specific strategies can be helpful on your healing journey - wherever you are in your process.  

Find community 

  • Seek out friends, peers, family, staff, mental health professionals - whoever you feel comfortable with - and connect with them. Having a support system and supporting those around you can help you realize you are not alone.  
  • Be honest with your community about your feelings and reactions to these events. Opening a dialogue within your community helps everyone.  
  • Practice healthy boundaries by letting your community know what you do and do not need in the collective efforts to heal. 

Give yourself grace 

  • Healing from trauma is not a neat and tidy process. Give yourself grace as you heal and learn how to take care of yourself.  
  • Practice self-care techniques, which look different for everyone. This might range from focusing on your work and keeping your routine to taking some time to meditate and take a break from environments that may make you feel stressed or afraid.  

Get involved 

  • Some people may find it helpful to get involved in advocacy groups, peer support, or policy work.  
  • Consider completing a mental health training to be more prepared for supporting your community. 
  • Share resources with your community. A comprehensive mental health resource hub is searchable and filterable by need on the Heels Care Network website at care.unc.edu/resources. 

Finding where to start after a traumatic event can be tough. Lean in to your community at Carolina, and know you are not alone.  

If you're unsure whether you need professional support, reaching out to a mental health provider for an assessment can provide clarity. An initial CAPS consultation is available for students Monday – Friday from 9:00 a.m. - noon and 1:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m., no appointment needed.   

LSN Peer Chat
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