Wellness and Coaching
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UIC Student Health and Wellness proudly provides a wide array of wellness activities to you at no cost. Supporting student learning and academic success by providing wellness services that promote healthy attitudes, behaviors and lifestyle is our goal. We believe that healthy and well students will make healthy and well future providers. Empowering students to make informed choices and enhance holistic well-being with information sessions, educational programs, skill building activities and fun events are our key focus.
Need a break from the stresses of day-to-day life? The Relaxation Room located in Student Health and Wellness offers a much-needed, quiet, welcoming space for students to practice relaxation and stress reduction. Relaxation is an important part of our self-care. It also enhances our productivity and overall sense of well-being. Yoga mats, self-help books, aromatherapy diffuser, and our state-of-the-art massage recliner are waiting for you!
The room is available during clinic office hours. No reservation required; however, you can call ahead to reserve your time and day. Simply check in at Student Health reception or call to reserve at 815-395-5870. Sessions are 30 minutes. One student at a time.
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Self-Care
The act of engaging in activities to gain or maintain an optimal level of overall health. It is any activity we engage in to nurture and restore our bodies and our minds amid the demands of daily life. The chosen self-care activities will vary from person to person. There are eight critical areas of self care requiring our attention across the life span.
They include:
- Physical-exercise, sleep, nutrition
- Psychological-mindfulness, learning new skills, coaching or counseling
- Emotional-setting boundaries, practicing self-compassion, managing stress, increasing empathy
- Social-support- friends and family. Asking for help
- Professional-clear boundaries, negotiating needs, attending professional development opportunities
- Environmental- decluttering home and work, managing technology time, safe and clean living environment
- Spiritual– meditating, journaling, walking in nature.
- Financial-spending and saving wisely, budgeting and living within means
Self-Care Guided Meditation
Meditation techniques can help you achieve a mentally clear and emotionally calm and stable state. We’ve compiled some YouTube playlists to help you explore some meditations.
- Self-compassion Meditation: Introduction: Self-compassion is extending compassion on one’s self in instances of perceived inadequacy, failure or general suffering. It is composed of three main ingredients as defined by Kristin Neff: self-kindness, common humanity and mindfulness.
- Mindfulness Meditations: Introduction: Mindfulness is paying attention on purpose, in the present moment and non-judgmentally, to things as they are. -Jon Kabat Zinn
- Relaxation Meditations: The refreshment of body or mind. A way of spending time in which you rest and feel comfortable. A loosening.
Mindful Self-Compassion
Learn more about mindfulness and self-compassion at these sites:
Mobile Resources
*AMA student membership provides a 2-year free subscription for Headspace.
Workshops
Wellness activities can take place in person, or virtually. Do you have a study group, student organization, or friend group and want to schedule a wellness event? We are here for you and happy to provide either a one-time activity or several weeks of activities to enhance your well-being.
Wellness programming may include:
- Resiliency
- Burnout
- Stress Management
- Mindfulness
- Self-Compassion
- Worry, Anxiety and Panic
- Nutrition for Mental Health
- Sleep Hygiene
- Relaxation Training
- Guided Imagery
- Yoga
- Sexual Health
- Aromatherapy
- Massage Therapy
- Plant Therapy
- Art Therapy
- Pop-up Wellness
Request a Workshop - To schedule a wellness activity, contact:
Jacqueline Klietz
Phone:
Email:
Yoga Nidra Practice
Yoga Nidra is a fun form of guided meditation. The practice also known as “sleep yoga” or “effortless relaxation” provides a way to draw our attention inwards and works well for those that find difficulty with meditation practices. Yoga Nidra helps with sleep deprivation, trauma, anxiety or depression. Checkout these articles and videos to begin this practice today!