During the week of Jan. 18, students are encouraged to relax, take a break from studying and learn how to cope with stress during UNMC’s annual Mind Your Mind: Mental Health Awareness Week.
The UNMC Psychiatry Student Interest Group (PsIG) coordinates and sponsors the annual interprofessional weeklong event aimed at improving student mental health.
“Wellness among medical students is a hot topic right now,” said PsIG President Ismatt Niazi, a fourth-year psychiatry student. “Historically, it’s been brushed off to the periphery, but it’s taking a more central role.”
In fact, this year’s PsIG week precedes a campuswide symposium focused on stress and emotional well-being. Registration is open and spaces remain for the Jan. 26-27 event, which features four national speakers and continuing education opportunities. Presentations will be live streamed and also archived to allow for later viewing.
This year’s Mind Your Mind student activities include:
- Tuesday, Jan. 19 – A lunch presentation on mindful meditation by Steven Wengel, M.D., chair of the department of psychiatry. The noon presentation is open to all students and will be in the Wittson Hall Amphitheater. Lunch will be provided for the first 75 people.
- Wednesday, Jan. 20 – Students may participate in 10-minute massages between noon and 2 p.m. in the Sorrell Center, Rooms 2006 and 2007. Students may sign up for a 10-minute session during the Jan. 19 lunch event.
- Wednesday, Jan. 20 – Student movie night at 6:30 p.m. in the Sorrell Center, Room 2014. Students from all UNMC colleges are invited to watch Pixar’s “Inside Out,” followed by a discussion of the psychiatric aspects of the film. Snacks provided. No RSVP is needed.
- Thursday, Jan. 21 – Elisabeth Sunderneier, Ph.D., a licensed psychologist at UNMC, will give a noon presentation on biofeedback in the Wittson Hall Amphitheater. David Carver, Ph.D., director of Counseling & Student Development, also will share information/resources on student services.
- Friday, Jan. 22 – Massages and pet therapy – 10-minute massages return for students between noon and 2 p.m. in the Sorrell Center, Rooms 2006 and 2007 (sign up for massages at the Jan. 21 presentation). At 11 a.m., pet therapy dogs will stop by the Sorrell Commons Area, second floor.
Raising awareness of mental health issues and taking time to invest in one’s self is important, Niazi said.
“When you’re in an intensive academic program, you need to remember to spend time on yourself because it helps with your retention, your well-being and your ability to study again tomorrow,” he said.
The PsIG is an active, medical student-run organization that works to promote psychiatry and mental health through a variety of different educational activities, mentorship and outreach. Learn more here.