Wellness Workshops

Fall 2026 Schedule of Wellness Workshops

• 9/9/26 Self-Compassion
  Ever notice that you’re harder on yourself than anyone else? Self-compassion might help. Self-compassion involves being kind to yourself, connecting with a sense of common humanity, and being mindful of your feelings. Through a blend of meditation, journaling, and discussion, students will learn how to practice self-compassion and boost their emotional resilience. 
  Facilitator: Laura Swanson
• 9/16/26 Somatic Exercises
  Take a break from a busy schedule to learn grounding techniques that can help reduce stress and increase relaxation. We will practice somatic, or body-based, exercises designed to tune in to body sensations that might be telling us to pause, stop, or shift what we’re doing. These exercises can be done standing up, sitting in a chair, or resting on the floor. Students are encouraged to engage in the exercises in whatever way feels right to them.  
  Facilitator: Lauren Esposito
• 9/23/26 Narrative Exploration
  Who are you really? In this workshop we will be combing through our cobwebbed minds and beating hearts to express the stories inside us that need telling, or perhaps some retelling. We will use guided prompts to tap into our creativity and practice expressing ourselves through writing. 
  Facilitator: Faeeza Masood
• 9/30/26 Coping Skills Toolbox
  This interactive workshop explores a variety of coping strategies that can be used to support managing the stressors and challenges of college and daily life through learning about and practicing a variety of coping strategies. Students will create their own personalized Coping Toolkit using the skills discussed and provided materials.  Students can decorate and add to their personalized toolkit, taking from several of the skills discussed and will leave with a toolkit that can be carried with you to use on your more challenging days.   
  Facilitator: Cailley Wayman
• 10/7/26 DBT: Mindfulness
  College life is stressful and moves at a relentless pace, making it easy for our minds to drift elsewhere. So often we get stuck replaying things that happened in the past or worrying about the future that we don’t pay attention to what is happening in the present moment. Mindfulness is the art of noticing, and in this workshop, we will slow down the pace a bit and bring our attention to the here-and-now to notice what is going on both within us and around us. With three different techniques to try, you’ll leave with strategies to return to the present moment whether you’re feeling overwhelmed or just wanting a moment of peace.
  Facilitators: Lionel Jensen and Ashlyn Maggs
• 10/14/26 DBT: Emotional Regulation
  Emotions are complex and powerful signals. While they communicate important information about our internal experiences and the environment surrounding us, unpleasant emotions can quickly become overwhelming. Because emotions and behavior influence one another, learning to control our emotions and respond to them before they dominate us is a valuable skill. This workshop will focus on naming, understanding, and introducing ways to remain in control of your emotions.
  Facilitators: Ashlyn Maggs and Zhongyu Zhao
• 10/21/26 DBT: Distress Tolerance
  In life, difficult feelings can come unexpectedly and hit us like a tidal wave! When we’re overwhelmed by these feelings of distress, it’s very common to turn to unhealthy or undesired behaviors. What would it look like to improve our ability to manage these difficult emotions? How are we going to manage them in a way that aligns with the person we want to be? In this workshop we’ll learn strategies to cope with difficult emotions without turning to self-destructive behaviors. We will also develop a plan for how to manage distress when it inevitably arises for us in the future.
  Facilitators: Lionel Jensen and Zhongyu Zhao
• 10/28/26 DBT: Interpersonal Effectiveness
  Having roommate problems, fighting with a loved one, or just wanting to improve your people skills? You’re not alone! Having disagreements and difficulties with others is an unavoidable fact of life. In this workshop, we will be discussing and teaching techniques related to assertiveness, listening, and negotiation to skillfully navigate emotionally charged interpersonal situations. This workshop will give you the skills to communicate more effectively with others and maintain healthy relationships.
  Facilitators: Lionel Jensen, Ashlyn Maggs, and Zhongyu Zhao
• 11/4/26 Improv for Anxiety
  Facilitator: Jaime Castillo
• 11/11/26 Strengthening Motivation & Exploring Values
  This workshop will include a discussion about common barriers to motivation such as anxiety and avoidance. We will review helpful practices that can support us in overcoming these barriers and strengthening our motivation. The workshop will also invite participants to explore values as a foundation for our motivations. There will be an interactive vision boarding art activity (materials included) to support values exploration! 
  Facilitator: Emma Orlando
• 11/18/26 MindFULL to Mindful
  Slow down your busy brain with this introduction to mindfulness! Dr. Beth Cholette, a clinical psychologist and registered yoga teacher, will review the benefits of being more mindful and will introduce strategies to increase mindful somatic awareness. You will have the opportunity to practice techniques in session and to make a plan for continuing on your own. 
  Facilitator: Beth Cholette
• 12/2/26 De-Stress Kits
  Facilitator: Aquella Deskov