Register to attend the second annual Health and Wellness Summit on Thursday, Jan. 23

Don’t miss CU’s second annual Health and Wellness Summit on January 23 at the University Memorial Center. Faculty, staff and students are invited to learn about holistic approaches to health and wellness as well as campus resources and support services. During this event, you will learn tangible skills to improve your own wellbeing as well as that of our students.

The summit is free to the CU community, and registration is now open. Attendees are able to choose from several different tracks:

Track I: Mental Health First Aid

This course provides instruction on how to identify, understand and respond to signs of mental illness and substance use disorders. At the end of the session, participants will receive a Mental Health First Aid certification. This is a full-day track and spots are limited! If you are interested in becoming certified in mental health first aid, please register online prior to the event.

Track II: Supporting Student Resiliency Certification

CU Boulder offers a Supporting Student Resiliency certification as part of its professional development series. Through these sessions, you will develop the following conversation skills and techniques to work with students on a range of topics:

• Assisting students who’ve indicated a desire or need to make a change in their life.
• Actively calming down an escalated person, and learning when it’s time to get help instead of attempting de-escalation.
• Engaging in conversation around substance abuse.
• Being mindful, inclusive, supportive and aware of our underrepresented student population.
• Responding and supporting someone who discloses a traumatic event.
• Learning the signs that indicate someone is contemplating suicide and how to have an open conversation about suicide.

Participants can attend sessions individually. Those who attend all six sessions will receive a non-degree certificate. All sessions will be held in the same room throughout the day.

Track III: Health Topics

Those who are interested in learning about a variety of health and wellness topics, including self-care and stress management, are welcome to mix and match individual sessions. Here are just a few of the sessions that will be offered:

• Keynote: This Is Your Brain on College: What Neuroscience Can Tell Us About Mental Health and Thriving on Campus
  Dr. Roselind Kaiser, director of the Research on Affective Disorders and Development (RADD) Lab, explores the inner workings of the brain. Kaiser will share her findings on the neuroscience of campus mental health, including how the opportunities and stressors of college can interact with brain development to foster resilience or contribute to mental health challenges.
   
• Vaping: What’s the Big Deal?
  Learn the facts about e-cigarettes and vape pens, local policies and proper disposal.

• Today’s Diet Culture: How to Navigate Through the Confusion
  Have you ever been confused about nutrition recommendations? Explore the issues with diets and diet culture, identify what causes confusion about nutrition, differentiate between four fad diets and learn how approach to eating in a healthier way.
   
• Recognize, Respond, Refer
  Join a panel discussion about how departments across the university work together to respond to students in crisis. Learn what happens behind the scenes when concerning student behavior is reported.

• Speaking Up: Helping Students Build a Self-Advocacy Toolkit
  Define self-advocacy and explore generational trends for today's college students. Learn how to shape potentially challenging conversations from a student and staff perspective through real-life scenarios.

View the full schedule

In addition to formal presentations, the summit will be holding an interactive expo from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. Participants can engage in a variety of health and wellness activities from DIY projects and yoga to career exploration and wellness consultations.

There will also be a sunset reflection walk at 4 p.m. from the UMC to the Varsity Lawn. The loop is approximately 1 mile, no registration required. Check online to learn more about the Health and Wellness Summit. 

Register to attend