Wellness Education and Prevention Services

Wellness Coaching is an individual service for students looking to set goals and action steps around an area of wellness they wish to improve.

While working 1 on 1 with a highly trained Graduate Assistant Wellness Coach, students will be able to identify motivators for behavior change, barriers that make it difficult to achieve their wellness goals, and realistic strategies for succeeding despite those barriers.

Reasons a student may choose Wellness Coaching:

1. Feeling like your wellness is out of balance.
2. Not sure where to start when trying to change a behavior
3. Wanting to incorporate healthy habits into daily life
4. Can’t seem to find time to do it all
5. Struggling to prioritize responsibilities
6. Desire to be more active, have more social connection, better manage time, create a morning routine etc.

Feeling unsatisfied with any area of wellness and wanting to find ways to improve is a good reason to start Wellness Coaching.

To schedule a Wellness Coaching Appointment, please reach out to [email protected].

Brief Alcohol Screening and Intervention for College Students (BASICS) is a program designed to assist students in examining their alcohol and other drug-use behaviors in a judgement free environment.

Students who attend BASICS will learn about alcohol and drug use in the context of their overall health and look individually at their own situations and tendencies for at-risk behavior.

The BASICS program consists of 2 sessions with a Graduate Assistant BASICS Counselor and a self-assessment between sessions.

BASICS is not considered a replacement for clinical assessments or counseling.

Reasons students might request a BASICS appointment:

• They wish to explore how alcohol fits into their life
• They may have been referred from another campus department
• They are curious about potential at-risk behaviors as it relates to their alcohol or substance use

To schedule a BASICS appointment, log on to Medicat via signon.stjohns.edu, and then click "Appointments".

These interactive surveys allow you to learn about your alcohol and marijuana use patterns and receive feedback about your use of them.

The assessments take about 6-7 minutes each, are self-guided, and require no face-to-face contact time with a counselor or administrator.

• Alcohol eCheckup to Go (E-Chug)
• Marijuana eCheckup to Go (E-Toke)

Wellness Peer Educators (WPE) engage with their peers to provide support and education on a variety of health topics including: suicide prevention, sleep, stress management, alcohol risk reduction and more. WPEs assist with the planning and facilitation of wellness workshops, presentations, tabling, and large scale wellness events.

If you have any questions or are interested in applying, please reach out to [email protected].

We offer presentations and workshops on a variety of wellness topics relevant to college students. If you are interested in having a presentation for a group of 10 or more students, please reach out to [email protected].

Topics we cover include but are not limited to:

• Sleep
• Alcohol Risk Reduction
• Time Management
• Stress Management
• Suicide Prevention
• Financial Wellness
• General Wellness/8 Dimensions of Wellness

Through a three-year grant from the US Department of Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), we are enhancing our mental wellness support. SJUOK? was developed by students for students.

SJUOK? will help you:

• Increase awareness of suicide and its signs and symptoms
• Educate students on help-seeking behaviors
• Establish a core of student “gatekeepers” through the Campus Connect program
• Expand access to mental health treatment and resources
• Understand both the positive and negative emotions are normal and the first step in self-care techniques

If your friend mentions suicide of self-harm, take them seriously:

Immediately call Public Safety or 911 if:

• Someone is threatening to hurt or kill themselves
• Someone is looking for ways to hurt or kill themselves (seeking access to pills, weapons, or other means)
• Someone is talking or writing about death, dying, or suicide

Things to Know About Suicide

• 1 in 10 students may have suicidal thoughts in any given year. These thoughts are a sign that the person needs attention.
• Most suicidal people don’t want to die —they just want their pain to end.
• Most people who are suicidal are depressed, and depression can be treated.

If you or someone you know exhibits these signs, it’s important to get help.

Recognize the Warning Signs

Here are some symptoms of someone who may be struggling:

• Constant feelings of sadness or hopelessness
• Loss of appetite or major change in weight
• Lack of coping skills or intense reactions to certain situations
• Giving away belongings
• Written or verbal statements of self-harm or violence
• Depression: excluding themselves from social activities

988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline

We can all help prevent suicide. The Lifeline provides 24/7, free and confidential support for people in distress, prevention and crisis resources for you or your loved ones, and best practices for professionals in the United States.

If you’re in crisis, there are options available to help you cope. You can also call the Lifeline at any time to speak to someone and get support. For confidential support available 24/7 for everyone in the United States, call 988. For more information, please visit 988lifeline.org.

If you are concerned about someone:

• Tell them you care and want to help
• Ask if they are thinking about suicide
• Don’t promise to keep it a secret
• Tell them about the free and confidential support from the Center for Counseling and Consultation
• Connect them to an RA, RD or another professional that can provide guidance and assistance
• Don’t leave them alone if you think they are suicidal

Additionally:

• Understand that they may be scared and experiencing many emotions when discussing the topic of suicide. You may too.
• Know that asking about suicide does not put the idea in their head. They may be relieved that you asked.
• Trust that you are doing the right thing.

What is self care?

Self care includes intentional actions you take to care for your physical, mental, spiritual, and emotional health.

How can it be helpful?

Self care is unique for everyone and can be a part of healing and maintaining a healthy mind-body balance.

Self care ideas

Proper Nutrition:
Nutrition goes a long way. Having regular meals helps ensure that your body and hormones are balanced.

Self care goal: I will eat regularly and eat something nutritious at each meal.

Meditation:
Meditation comes in various forms. Some people find guided meditation/imagery meditative journaling, or coloring helpful to calm uncomfortable feelings and promote a positive mood.

Self care goal: I will practice deep breathing before I head to bed to wind down from my day for 20 minutes twice weekly.

Gaining restful sleep:
Seven to 10 hours of sleep per night is recommended to have your body in tip top condition.

Self care goal: I will get to bed 30 minutes earlier to get more sleep.

Physical movement:
Thirty minutes a day helps improve physical and emotional health.

Self care goal: I will go for a walk Wednesday and Friday after one of my classes.

Socializing:
Socializing with supportive people can be a great way to increase positive mood.

Self care goal: I will have lunch with friends at least once a week.