Office of Student and Multicultural Affairs: Wellness Events and Programs

2015 - 2016

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Goals .............................................................................................................................................................. 4

Fall 2015 ........................................................................................................................................................ 5

Schedule of Fall 2015 Events .......................................................................................................................... 6

September 2015 ............................................................................................................................................. 7 “Better Mind. Better Me. Better Medicine.” .............................................................................................. 8

MCG Student Poll ................................................................................................................................... 9 Event Presentation ................................................................................................................................ 24 Post-Survey Results ................................................................................................................................42

Poll Data Infographic .............................................................................................................................43

Counseling Center and Resources .............................................................................................................. 44

Purpose ...........................................................................................................................................................3

Purpose

• To create an effective system of counseling forstudents that includes programs to promote thewell-being of medical students and facilitatetheir adjustment to the physical and emotionaldemands of medical education.

Return to Table of Contents

Goals• To educate MCG students about the different areas of health and wellness as

outlined by the GRU Student Health Services “Be Well” Campaign:emotional/mental wellness, social wellness, financial wellness, physicalwellness, spiritual wellness, intellectual wellness, and occupational wellness.

• To advocate the significance of self-responsibility and accountability inpersonal health and wellness, and the importance of cultivating good healthhabits while in medical school.

• To promote preventive health measures and appropriate behavioral health asfuture physicians.

• To implement engaging programs and/or events that influence medicalstudents to evaluate and improve their level of health in the seven dimensionsof wellness.

• To evaluate student satisfaction with the MCG wellness programs andinvolve students in the creation and implementation of an MCG wellnesscommunity.

Return to Table of Contents

MCG Wellness Programs

Fall 2015

Partners: Student Health Services

Office of Student and Multicultural Affairs

Return to Table of Contents

Schedule of Fall 2015 Events

– “Better Mind. Better Me. Better Medicine.”—Tuesday, September29, 2015

– “I Pledge to S.C.R.U.B.”—Monday, October 19, 2015

– MCG FLU Shot Clinic—Monday, October 19, 2015

– “The Smoothie Trials”: MCG’s Healthiest Smoothie Competition—Tuesday, October 20, 2015

– Alcohol Awareness Day—Monday, November 16, 2015

– Great American Smokeout—Thursday, November 19, 2015

– World AIDS Day: Lunch N’ Learn—Tuesday, December 1, 2015

Return to Table of Contents

September 2015

Return to Table of Contents

“Better Mind. Better Me. Better Medicine.”

Date of Luncheon: Tuesday, September 29, 2015Time: 12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m.Location: GB 1210 B

This event offers MCG students the opportunity to anonymously share their feelings about being a medical student (i.e. anxiety, stress, aspirations, etc.) with their peers in a manner that creates an environment for the advocacy of mental/emotional wellness and community improvement, all while having an opportunity to earn NOBLE hours.

“Body and soul cannot be separated for purposes of treatment, for they are one and indivisible. Sick minds must be healed as well as sick bodies.” ~C. Jeff Miller

Free lunch for the first 50 MCG students!!!

Return to Table of Contents

Students were given a poll at the

beginning of the event to determine

their mental health, self-perceptions,

and perceptions of their peers.

Click the link to view the questions and take the poll:

http://goo.gl/d6Cbwr

MCG Student Poll

Return to Table of ContentsReturn to Event Presentation

“Better Mind. Better Me. Better Medicine.” Poll Results from Tuesday, September 29, 2015

Question 1

Question 2

Next

NextPrevious

Question 3

NextPrevious

Question 4

Question 5

Previous Next

Next

Question 6

Previous Next

Next

Previous Next

Question 7

Question 8

Previous Next

Previous Next

Question 9

Previous Next

Previous Next

Question 10

Previous Next

Previous Next

Question 11

Previous Next

Previous Next

Question 12

Previous Next

Previous Next

Previous Next

Question 13

Previous Next

Previous Next

Return to Table of ContentsReturn to Poll Results Previous

“Better Mind. Better Me. Better Medicine.”

https://infograph.venngage.com/p/7

1336/better-mind-better-me-better-

medicine

Infographic Link:

Return to Table of Contents

BETTER MIND. BETTER ME. BETTER MEDICINE.

Elena Petrova, PhD

Staff Psychologist

Counseling Center

GRU

Return to Table of Contents

BEFORE WE START:

Please complete the questionnaire

http://goo.gl/JGjf8w*

*This poll is no longer open. To take the open poll see MCG Student Poll.To view the results from the event see Poll Results.

BRIEF INTRODUCTIONS

Why are we here today?

Don’t forget-NobleHours

About the presenter:

-MA in Clinical-Adult Psychology and PhD in Counseling Psychology

-Experience in both inpatient and outpatient settings

-More than 8 years of experience of working in university counseling centers with undergraduate, graduate and professional students

-7 years of being a graduate student

-Passion for helping all students do well not only academically, but also emotionally

CONVERSATION STARTERS

1. What are your fears/concerns for this academic year?

2. What do you look forward to in this academic year?

3. Think of three personal attributes that will help you be well andsuccessful this academic year!

COMMON EXPERIENCESTime pressure

Rote memorization of large amounts of information

Frequent evaluation (the “being under a magnifying glass” experience)

Financial problems

Limited time for fun and relationships with friends and loved ones

Peer competitiveness

Increased responsibilities to patient care

Facing the concept of death/death anxiety

COMMON CONCERNSIrregular sleep pattern: “Who needs sleep? I don’t.”

Irregular diet and eating routine: “I simply forgot to eat.”

Feeling stressed and overwhelmed: “I just can’t do it any more.”

Developing anxiety-worrying about everything, having a difficult time relaxing, feeling tense

Social comparison: “How am I doing in comparison to my peers?”; “Am I doing worse than my classmate?”

External pressure (parents, society, etc.): “I need to do well-I don’t want to disappoint my parents.”

Internal pressure and perfectionism: “Doing ok or doing well is simply not enough for me.”

Unrealistic expectations for performance: marathon studying

THE IMPOSTER PHENOMENON

Approximately 1/3 of students will experience it-you are not alone!

Student in many different professions (medicine, nursing, engineering, law, education)experience the phenomenon

Doubt their competency to excel in their chosen career path

Feel inadequate; believe that they are less intelligent and capable from what othersthink

Attribute their success to luck, charm

Fear that they will be discovered as fraud

IP highly associated with depression, anxiety, and psychosomatic symptoms

The experience of imposter decreases with age and experience. Professionalisolation does not help the feeling go away

HOW TO HELP YOURSELF

Get regular sleep; try to get up and go to bed at the same times each day, set a sleep routine

Eat regular meals-hypoglycemia leads to anxiety; eat protein and nutrient-rich snacks

Find times and ways to laugh

Stay in touch with family/friends/loved ones

Introduce movement into your life (walks, yoga, exercise, sports, dancing)

Do not suppress/ignore your feelings and emotional states

Pay attention to your anxiety-it is there to inform you that you are out of balance or out of your comfort zone

HOW TO HELP YOURSELF

When you compare yourself to your peers-remember that you are your own unique individual with unique needs and abilities!

Talk to friends and peers in your or other professional programs about your imposter experience

Do not isolate yourself-you are not alone!

Focus on positive feedback you receive just as much as you focus on feedback about what to improve on

Do not be ashamed if you are experiencing stress, anxiety, depression; talk to loved ones, seek help

Introduce mindfulness and relaxation into your life

MINDFULNESS

Being aware of your being and your presence in the “now”

Being aware of thoughts and feelings vs. repressing them

Observing own thoughts and feelings without judgment

Living in the moment vs. in the past or the future

Research evidence suggests that practicing mindfulness reduces depression,stress, anxiety, and improves quality of life

Examples: relaxation activities, yoga, prayer, biofeedback, meditation,taking a walk and noticing the colors in nature, closing your eyes and noticing the smells around you

RELAXATION EXERCISE

Diaphragmatic breathing: http://www.uwosh.edu/cbl/listen-your-way-to-calm

THE BENEFITS OF SEEKING HELP

Psychotherapy/counseling helps with:

Working through difficult life experiences and fears

Reducing symptoms of anxiety and depression

Learning effective and healthy ways to cope

Managing relationships with family, friends and loved ones

Building a positive identity as a medical student

Your therapist may facilitate referral for medication evaluation

Seeking help allows you to not suffer alone and to address your distress before it becomes unmanageable!

CONTACTCounseling Center

Summerville Campus (Main Location):

2nd Floor of Central Utilities Building

Health Sciences Campus (Satellite Office):

Student Health Services: Pavilion II

Call 706-737-1471 to schedule an appointment

Presenter: Elena Petrova, PhD; epetrova@gru.edu

QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS

For homework: find a relaxation/meditation app and download it on your phone or tablet. Take 10 to 20min at least once per day to practice relaxation using the app. Practice relaxation:

-Before studying for an exam

-Before taking an exam

-Before you go to sleep

-As soon as you wake up

-Any time you feel anxious or stressed out

DON’T FORGET TO:

Complete the post-survey before you leave

Sign the sign-out sheet

NobleHours:

1) MCG students must write an encouraging letter (about half a page) to ananonymous medical student who may be suffering from issues related to mental health.

The letter must be placed in the box, and the student must sign the sign-out sheet indicating that he/she has submitted a letter.

2)MCG students must submit the reflection in the “Better Mind. Better Me. BetterMedicine.” opportunity on NobleHour.com.

Return to Table of Contents

Post Survey Responses

Return to Table of Contents

AUGUSTA STATE UNIVERSITY COUNSELING CENTER

OFF-CAMPUS REFERRAL RESOURCES The GRU Counseling Center provides free counseling for GRU students. The Summerville Campus office is located at 2500 Walton Way in the Central Utilities Plant Building Annex (brick building located across the parking lot from Washington Hall and the campus bookstore). The Health Sciences Campus office is located in the Student Health Center in Pavilion II at 1465 Laney-Walker Blvd.

Phone: 706-737-1471 www.gru.edu/counseling

Information in this document does not reflect endorsements for the agencies/professionals listed. GRU’s Counseling Center assumes no liability for any act or omissions of such agencies or professionals. Changes to service providers may occur after the original date of publication (October 2015). This list does not include all mental health-related resources in the Augusta area.

1-800-715-GCAL (1-800-715-4225) GEORGIA CRISIS & ACCESS LINE www.mygcal.com For Georgia referrals for assistance with mental health and substance abuse problems.

706-724-5200 AUGUSTA RAPE CRISIS & SEXUAL ASSAULT SERVICES

1-800-799-SAFE (1-800-799-7233) DOMESTIC VIOLENCE HOTLINE

1-800-338-6745 GEORGIA DRUG ABUSE HELPLINE

1-866-331-9474 NATIONAL DATING ABUSE HELPLINE

1-800-273-TALK (1-800-273-8255) NATIONAL SUICIDE PREVENTION LIFELINE

2-1-1 UNITED WAY HELPLINE

1-800-273-8255 then press 1 VETERANS SUICIDE CRISIS LINE (24/7 ACCESS)

FEES TYPICALLY BASED ON INCOME (when uninsured)

FEES TYPICALLY BASED ON INCOME (when uninsured)

AIKEN-BARNWELL MENTAL HEALTH CENTER 803-641-7700 1135 Gregg Hwy., Aiken

AIKEN-BARNWELL MENTAL HEALTH HARTZOG CENTER 803-641-7700 431 W. Martintown Road, North Augusta

AMERICANWORK, INC. 706-736-8170 1727 Wrightsboro Road, Suite B, Augusta

FAMILY COUNSELING CENTER OF THE CSRA 706-868-5011 3711 Executive Center Drive, Suite 201, Martinez

CENTER FOR CARE & COUNSELING 706-305-3137 4434 Columbia Road, Suite 203, Martinez

SERENITY BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SYSTEMS 3421 Mike Padgett Hwy., Augusta 706-432-4800 Kroc Center First Stop Village, 1757 Broad St., Augusta 706-364-6212

24-HOUR HOTLINE SERVICES

COUNSELING RESOURCES

GEORGIA REGENTS UNIVERSITY COUNSELING CENTER OFF-CAMPUS REFERRAL GUIDE

Return to Table of Contents