As the last month of classes gets underway, we are delighted to introduce Wellness Days @Columbia, a joint effort of students, faculty and staff that is part of an ongoing focus on mental health, wellness and community citizenship at Columbia.

You are cordially invited to join the events listed below, including opportunities for learning and support, as well as some fun and relaxation on the Morningside and Medical Center campuses (full details at universitylife.columbia.edu/wellnessdays).

Workshops, Training and Conversation – Starting Monday, April 10

• Anxiety:  Friend or Foe? – Come hear one of the nation’s leading anxiety experts, Dr. Anne Marie Albano, faculty member and the director of Columbia’s Clinic for Anxiety and Related Disorders, on the Morningside Campus, lunch included with registration. Monday at noon in Buell Hall (Morningside). Details and registration here.
• Mental Health Rounds – Get bystander intervention training with CUMC Addiction Information and Management Strategies (AIMS) and Sexual Violence Response, in the new Vagelos Education Center (CUMC), also with lunch. Monday, 11:30 am to 1 pm. No registration required.
• Friend2Friend workshops – Learn how to recognize and respond to peers in distress using understanding, self-care and more from Alice! Health Promotion. Multiple times Monday through Wednesday; register here.

AWAKENING OUR DEMOCRACY: The Politics of Mental Health Care – Wednesday, April 12 at Noon at CUMC – This lively lunchtime conversation about mental health needs and access to care will include Nikki Webber Allen, founder of “i Live For…” a nonprofit working to end the stigma of depression and mental disorders in teens and young adults of color; Dr. Kim Hopper, professor at Mailman School of Public Health with expertise in dimensions of recovery and support in mental illness; Dr. Billy E. Jones, former senior advisor on mental health and healthcare reform at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and Commissioner of the New York City Department of Mental Health; and Dr. Kathleen Pike, CUMC faculty member, clinical psychologist and Executive Director of the Global Mental Health Program. Lunch provided, register here.

STUDY BREAK @ CU – Thursday, April 13, Noon to 5 pm – Hit pause during this five-hour “study break” on the South Lawn in front of Butler Library, kicking off with yoga at noon and continuing with games, neck and back rubs from Stressbusters and other activities with student organizations, resources (and swag!) all afternoon.  At CUMC, the Center for Student Wellness offers opportunities for relaxation and fun. Check the schedule for STUDY BREAK details. 

Try an online tutorial on how to support friends in distress – All Columbia students, faculty and staff are invited to try a 30-minute interactive training for students (starting Monday) that offers practice with raising concerns and includes reminders about resources on campus. Students who complete an evaluation of this pilot tutorial by May 1 will have a chance to win their choice of Bose headphones or one of many $50 Amazon gift cards. Look for details on the Wellness Days website.

We know that community wellness does not happen in a matter of days. It requires, instead, a sustained and mutually upheld ethic of care. “Self-care” is easy to say, but harder for many of us to do, and we can start there, even as we continue to take steps together on many other fronts. As always, we welcome your ideas and suggestions at universitylife@columbia.edu.

Wellness Days @Columbia is brought to you by the Office of University Life and many co-sponsoring student organizations, and by Columbia Health, Columbia University Medical Center Student Health Service, Columbia Athletics, Columbia Libraries and the Office of the University Chaplain. Read more about the genesis of Wellness Days here.

Here’s to our individual and collective wellness.

Suzanne Goldberg
Executive Vice President for University Life
Herbert and Doris Wechsler Clinical Professor of Law, Columbia Law School

Office of University Life
Online | App | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube
universitylife@columbia.edu