Mental Health and Wellbeing Support at Warwick
In this blog, BSc Accounting and Finance student Sofya Khokhlova discusses the mental health and wellbeing support that is available for all students.
What I love about my university, and one of the reasons why I feel extremely blessed to be at Warwick, is that there is a solid foundation to speak about your wellbeing and your mental health openly, without any hesitation, any embarrassment, and more importantly, any shame! It really provides you with the support you need.
I find balancing extra-curricular activities with my studies has a positive effect on my mental health. When I have been studying for a long period of time I try to make sure I put some time aside to have a break. I like to get out of the room, library or whatever space I am currently studying in, and do some fun activities! At Warwick, there are over 300 societies and sports clubs that organise loads of exciting meet-ups and weekly training sessions. You can definitely find something to suit your taste and explore something new, alone or with your friends. In my previous blog “What I love about studying at WBS/being at Warwick?”, I talked about Salsa dancing as my relaxation method. You can see me at one of the Salsa dance classes in the photo below; I attend the classes at Warwick and it really helps me to relax.
There are many Wellbeing and Study Happy sessions around campus. Warwick Business School runs its own Mental Health awareness sessions and the Study Happy Programme run by the Library includes mindfulness practice, Pets as Therapy sessions (therapeutic visits from specially trained dogs), musical workshops and cultural celebrations.
Student Counselling hold a range of workshops, including ‘Managing Stress and Anxiety’, ‘Emotional Resilience’, and ‘Coping with Bereavement’. They also offer face-to-face counselling sessions with a professional Counsellor, group therapy sessions, and email counselling, so there is an option for everyone, depending on how private you would like to be.
Alongside the support offered by the University itself, there are Mental Health events which are run by our fellow students. I was recently at the BME (Black and Minority Ethnic) Mental Health event welcoming everyone. There was such a supportive atmosphere, such honesty and openness among students who were sharing their personal mental health experiences and how they have dealt with them. This is a great example of how Warwick unites those from different backgrounds and allows us to support and help each other. It is unbelievable how much of a positive effect sharing your thoughts and feelings can have on your mental health and wellbeing.
If you're a current student and want to get involved in raising awareness, there is a society on campus called Warwick Mind Aware that campaigns to raise awareness for mental health issues. The society hosts weekly meetings and events throughout the year, which anyone can attend, including their Mental Health awareness week which is held once a term and involves a range of members from different societies on campus.
You can find out more about the student support services available at Warwick here.