Emotional Well-Being
Emotional Well-being is the ability to navigate life’s stressors in emotionally adaptive ways through increased cognitive flexibility, a sense of agency, and emotional regulation.
Ways to engage your emotional well-being during the virtual learning period:
Students can access Counseling and Psychological Services at the Colonial Health Center 24/7 by calling 202-994-5300. CAPS clinicians will provide emotional support and can direct students toward local resources.
Attend We Talk - no appointment necessary
We Talk is a program that provides supportive consultation spaces for GW students. We Talk is an informal, friendly consultation with counseling staff alongside peers with similar backgrounds/interests. While we have daily topics to try to establish a space for students with similar experiences, all students are welcome to join any We Talk session!
Attend Mental Health Discussion Series - no appointment necessary
The MHDS is a weekly, hour-long discussion designed for students to collectively meet with a counselor and discuss various topics. MHDS is an easily accessible space to connect with other students and discuss mental wellness, which are all the more important now given this unprecedented time with COVID-19.
Concerned about a student or yourself? Submit a Care Referral. Students are connected to resources through inter-departmental collaboration to provide them with appropriate and personalized outreach. Based on the type of support needed, a student is connected to a trained staff member who works with them one-on-one for as long as they may need the help.
Well-being Resources from GSEHD
The GSEHD Wellbeing Initiative at GW aims to build an authentic sense of belonging and community among GSEHD citizens, and provide robust, evidence-supported resources to engage our members in the improvement of both community and individual wellbeing.
Check out Active Minds’ collection of resources about how to support a friend, where to turn for advice or support, and crisis information.
Browse featured videos of inspirational stories, PSAs, education shorts and more from the National Alliance on Mental Illness.
Get connected with a therapist at a more affordable cost.
Request access to this collection of resources, ranging from mobile apps to virtual therapy options, compiled by clinicians from CAPS!
Emotional Intelligence Toolkit
During times of stress and uncertainty, tuning in to your thoughts and feelings can help you naveigate the stress and feel a tad more balanced. This link is a free program that offers tools to help people better manage their stress and emotions. It offers tips and a few meditation activities to help students tune in and regulate.
Happify includes tools and programs developed by scientists in the fields of positive psychology, mindfulness, and cognitive behavioral therapy to help you manage your thoughts and feelings.
Headspace App
Meditation has been shown to help people stress less, focus more and even sleep better. Headspace can teach you the life-changing skills of meditation and mindfulness in just a few minutes a day.
Helpful vs. Harmful: Ways to Manage Emotions
Helpguide: Building Better Mental Health
Ten things you can for your mental health
Quick tips for improvement or sustaining balance in terms of your mental health. These tips cover multiple dimensions of health and act as a reminder of what is important to continue to do in times of stress.
A short article that offers suggestions on how to adjust during this pandemic. It gives reminders to readers to take time for themselves and to be kind and connect to others during this stressful time!
Virtual Hope Box App
The Virtual Hope Box contains simple tools to help with coping, relaxation, distraction, and positive thinking.
Youper App
Track your moods and the factors surrounding them with this AI mood-tracking app.
10% Happier author Dan Harris talks with meditation pioneers, celebrities, scientists, and health experts about training our minds.
Award winning anxiety relief podcast with tips, tools, and practices to help you manage anxiety.
The Daily Shine: "How to Embrace Your 'New Now'"
Episode 3 | April 21, 2020
Join for a moment to breathe, show kindness to yourself, and set a self-care intention for your day.
Mental Illness Happy Hour: Ask A Therapist
January 31, 2020
Therapist Katie Vernoy returns to answer listener questions about therapist/patient boundaries, when to report a client (in response to a very dark survey), what therapists get wrong and how to know when we're overwhelmed.
The Perfectionism Project: "What to do when your daily routine is disrupted"
Episode 187 | March 18, 2020
Filled with relatable stories and practical advice, this podcast is for recovering perfectionists, procrastinators, overthinkers, and people pleasers who are ready to get out of their own way.
Therapy for Black Girls is an online space dedicated to encouraging the mental wellness of Black women and girls in a way that feels more accessible and relevant.
Unlocking Us: "Brene on Anxiety, Calm + Over/Under-functioning"
April 3, 2020
A talk about over and under-functioning in anxious times, why anxiety is contagious, and how we can cultivate a calm practice.
Consider these 5 tips to manage stress as a student
- Stay connected with your social supports.
- Carve out some time in your routine to talk to a friend, family member, faith leader, or other trusted member of your social circle.
- Establish a routine and stick with it.
- Maintain a routine that has a work-life balance. Include even just a few minutes each day of an activity that brings you joy and contentment.
- Take time to self-reflect and engage in rest.
- Allow yourself the space to process emotions in a way that works for you. (ex. Journaling, talking to a friend, artistic expression)
- Consider the value that you place on rest and sleep hygiene practices. Give yourself permission to engage in practices that rejuvenate your mind and body.
- When facing a setback, consider: What challenges or changes to plans have I faced in the past? What strengths, mindsets, supports, and strategies helped me through those previous times that I can draw on today?
- Check out the Self-Help Resource Library.
- These resources can help you acquire the skills, attitudes, and knowledge to resolve personal difficulties and day-to-day challenges.
- COVID Consideration: CAPS has compiled a list of recommended self-help resources during COVID-19, ranging from podcasts and apps to free and low-cost virtual support.
- If you find yourself needing additional support, consider reaching out a GW resource.
- Attend one of CAPS’ Let’s Talk sessions or a Mental Health Discussion Series sessions. No registration required!
- Call 202-994-5300 to make an appointment with CAPS.
- If you are concerned about yourself or a friend, submit a CARE Referral to be connected to an appropriate resource on campus.
#RaiseUpGW Resources
- Check out the Self-Help Resource Library.
- Check out CAPS’ COVID-19 Self-Help & Resource Toolkit.
