March 10, 2021
TO: USC Students
This year has brought unprecedented new situations to our community, and we know adjusting to all the changes has been tough for all of our students. So much have been asked of each of you to absorb and adapt to. Although it has been difficult, so many have tapped into reserves of resilience, openness to re-examining our contexts, and making purposeful decisions to move forward in meaningful ways. This has been a light during a dim chapter, one that gives me hope as we move together as a campus community.
This Friday, March 12, the University is embarking on its first “wellness day” (for undergraduates) and to mark the occasion, we encourage you to take some time for self-care, sleep, and fun. If you would like some non-academic programming, our Counseling and Mental Health team will be running hourly activities (30 minutes each) to help you refresh and refuel:
9 AM Managing My Emotions
10 AM Exploring Wellness with Art
11 AM Battling Zoom & Resilience Fatigue
12 PM Sleep Hygiene
1 PM Tai Chi and Breathing Exercises
2 PM Battling Zoom & Resilience Fatigue
3 PM Stress Management 101
4 PM Practicing Self Compassion
5 PM Meditation and Mindfulness
You can sign up for any of these workshop activities through https://usc.edu/myshr
We are also pleased to announce a new tool to support our BIPOC and LGBTQ+ students in navigating to resources, including therapists who share the same cultural identities. Students may request a specific therapist, or specify a shared identity, or see a therapist who is a regular presence as an embedded counselor in the Student Equity and Inclusivity Programs. The BIPOC Mental Health resource site is available to all students.
Another resource that may be helpful to you is the Jed Foundation’s Student Mental Well-being Module, a self-paced exploration of mental health information.
Whether you use these resources to seek out services or build a skill, or engage in other restorative activities, we hope you enjoy the opportunity to take a break. Please know that mental health support is always available with a call to our 24/7 line, 213-740-9355 (WELL).
Peace, and be well.
Broderick Leaks, PhD
Director of Student Counseling and Mental Health, USC Student Health
Vice Chair of Student Mental Health, Dept. of Psychiatry and the Behavioral Sciences, Keck School of Medicine of USC