University Health Services (UHS) hosted a Bob Ross themed Bingo on Sept. 27 as a part of their mission to connect students with mental health services outside of a formal setting.
The event was hosted as a part of UHS’s art-based programming, encouraging students to connect and practice mindfulness through guided art activities.
“It’s focused on being a free and no barrier community, for stress relief and community building,” Gabrielle Javier-Cerulli, a community-based art program specialist told The Daily Cardinal. “It's geared especially towards the freshman welcome and transfer students.”
Mental Health Services plans outreach activities for students to become involved outside of traditional counseling, and freshman involvement introduces these opportunities earlier throughout their experience on campus.
“We are hoping to support wellbeing, and we know art based programming improves emotional regulation,” Director of Mental Health Services Ellen Marks told the Cardinal. “With all of our art-based programming we are trying to support accessibility, for those who aren't going to reach out to Mental Health Services and want to reach out outside of clinical services.”
Bob Ross was known for his encouraging nature and positive outlook, which Gabrielle said wasn’t an accident.
“The art projects chosen are intentional for a variety of reasons,” Gabrielle told the Cardinal. “Time, budget, space, theme; it's not an accident.”
The next art-based event open for student registration is a Sunday Tea Party, occurring on Nov. 14. However, Mental Health Services is offering other events through series’ directed at different goals.
Their Wellness Workshops, Thrive Workshops and Thrive Outside Challenge happening until Oct. 23 have similar low-stress events listed on the University Health Services website.
“I think it's even more important to give them opportunities to decompress and connect with one another and different forms of creativity and joy,” Ellen said. “How we can make mental health support more accessible for students across the population.”
The Thrive Workshops, addressing topics from meditation to core values, are intended to introduce students to new techniques alongside a snack and guided art activity. The Thrive Outside Challenge is a series intended to improve student mental wellbeing through connection with nature, offering activities like birding.
“In much of human history and cultures humans have relied on these natural forms of wellbeing,” Ellen said. “Nature, creative expression, being part of a community, all natural ways of enhancing wellbeing.”
She further explains that technology can hinder this connection to nature, and said Mental Health Services has been working towards helping students reconnect to natural pathways of wellbeing and healing.
Mental Health Services encourages students to offer their opinion on these events through opportunities like outreach and art programming requests, acting on the Mental Health Student Advisory Board and online surveys after events.
“A lot of how we decide this is feedback from past events,” Gabrielle said. “If we are thinking about a new program, we will go get feedback from [The Mental Health Student Advisory Board]. We try to get student voices into the planning process in a variety of ways.”
Gabrielle adds how Mental Health Services is willing to address topics spanning from sleep and body positivity to breakup navigation and homesickness.
“We’ve been able to build trust and relationships in a way that doesn't just have to be presentation or classroom learning, it makes it engaging,” Ellen said. “The whole point is for students to gain skills and knowledge to improve wellbeing while having fun and learning useful skills.”
