In an effort to raise awareness for positive mental health on campus and beyond, the Counseling & Student Development Center (CSDC) is offering a variety of therapeutic relaxation events this semester. The “B Your Best U” workshop series is their newest program this year, with drop-in sessions held every Tuesday or Thursday from 12-1 p.m. in Rooke Chem 102.

Topics range from “Carpe Diem! with Mindfulness,” which teaches students to “learn to live in the moment and get the most from [their] experiences,” to “Stress Isn’t Sexy,” which provides students with “the secrets to recognizing and decreasing stress’ impact on your body so that you can look and feel your best.”

Different programs are held “with the goal of creating a therapeutic space for students to learn tips and techniques to support positive mental health,” Director of the CSDC Kelly Kettlewell said.

Feedback to the program has largely aligned with this goal.

“Speaking for myself, after attending one of the workshops, I learned about a paced breathing technique that I now constantly use when I start to feel overwhelmed and has proved to be very effective for me. Generally, students have given great feedback about the workshops and said they wish that these were more known and attended,” Graduate Assistant at the CSDC Ivan Flores said.

Flores also affirmed that after attending the sessions, many students claimed that they were more likely to refer others to the CSDC.

“A great amount of them said that they found these techniques (for managing stress) beneficial and that they will most likely use them in the future,” Flores said.

Besides the “B Your Best U” series, the CSDC has other events scheduled this semester on their “Mindfulness Menu.” Drop-in events include a “Mindful Coloring Hour” on Thursdays from 3-4 p.m. in the MacDonald Commons Multipurpose Room 104, where all of the materials are provided and students can show up to relax and color. Additionally, “Guided Meditation” is a two-session event held in the Rooke Chapel Meditation Room.

“Koru Mindfulness” and “Yoga for Mental Health” are two other four-week programs that both require pre-registration via email to the CSDC. “Koru Mindfulness” trains students to “learn mindfulness and meditation to help stress less, get better sleep, be more mindful, and use less self-judgment.” “Yoga for Mental Health” combines “strength, flexibility and contentment … to integrate healing and healthy techniques into your daily life.”

Therapy dogs, also sponsored by the CSDC, will return to campus on Dec. 5 at 6 p.m. at the Bertrand Library.

Students interested in any of these CSDC activities are encouraged to drop-in or check the CSDC website for more details regarding next semester’s programming.