Rare Beauty’s Post

Last Friday, I had a great opportunity to attend the Culturally Responsive Approaches to Mental Health conference held by Universities of Wisconsin at UW-Stout. It was interesting to learn about the experiences of students across different campuses in Wisconsin. I am glad to have learnt more about the imposter phenomenon and peer-support as a community building strategy for students in the breakout sessions I joined. The highlight session for me was, “Impact of Imposter Phenomenon on BIPOC students/ racial identity Academic Achievement” by Kevin Cokley, PhD. First, I learnt to never call it an “impostor syndrome” because that meant that it was Pathological which it isn’t. “Imposter phenomenon is not a psychiatric disorder”. Second, I learnt to not reduce it to only self doubt but to consider the internal and external factors which may contribute to it. Finally, I learnt individual strategies to overcome the impostor phenomenon which I list below: 1. Document your success 2. Own your accomplishments 3. Talk to a colleague/friend 4. Learn from your mistake 5. Seek treatment for mental health I was able to reflect on my experiences as an international student, and my experiences with the imposter phenomenon. Moving forward I plan to uphold these strategies and share with my peers who may have similar challenges. #mentalhealth #mentalhealthawareness #imposterphenomenon

As I was reading this survey and the initial findings, I wanted to acknowledge this section in particular: The Mental Health Services Honor Roll. These 16 schools have shown a strong commitment to their student's mental health and wellbeing. 📌 What can we learn from the institutions on this list? 📌 How can you take that insight, idea, or lesson and make it actionable? Let's continue to have conversations about #mentalhealth, #wellbeing, and be #proactive by meeting students in the spaces and places they occupy.

The first time I was invited to speak, I was both thrilled and terrified. I was afraid that I was a fraud. I wasn't—I'd written a great book, lots of research, and dozens of magazine articles on mental health and neurodiversity. But none of that mattered. Sometimes we call this feeling "imposter syndrome," which is feeling self-doubt even in areas where you excel. So what did I do? I prepared and prepared and prepared. I hoped. And when I arrived on the campus of the small college up north, I was greeted by the most lovely team of hosts I could imagine. I gave my keynote, and the audience was generous and authentic. I learned that I am not a fraud, but I also learned that preparation is key. And I learned that no matter how many talks I give, every institution deserves my all. As so I give it my all every time. After all, I'm speaking about mental health and neurodiversity, my life's work, the change I hope to make in this world while I'm here. Evey talk I give is a chance to make the world a better place, a gift of an audience to listen to my message. Of course I'm going to give it my all. It's what I do. Today, I'm speaking on "Neurodiversity and Accessibility in Higher Education" to The University of New Mexico College of Population health, and I'm grateful to be doing so. BrightSight Speakers #mentalhealth #mentalhealthawareness #neurodivergence #neurodiversity #speakingengagements #HigherEd #highereducation

What is the current landscape of mental health among college students and how is it impacting their academic performance? Find out in our 5th edition of the Off-Campus Resource Newsletter! We dive into student mental health data and insights, highlight our 15 newest partnerships, recap our 2024 Off-Campus Summit and reveal exciting news about the 2025 Summit. Read it here --> https://lnkd.in/gm3Sn53Y

▶ If you are heading for NASPA do spend some time checking out what TalkCampus can do to support students' mental health. ▶ I'm just heading out now to join my great colleagues Dan Joyce, Hannah Mogg, Joyce L. and Deepak Sekhri. 🔊 As the American Council on Education state: ●Increasing the availability of mental health care is helpful but not sufficient ●Despite the approximate doubling in mental health service use during the past 10 to 15 years, the rise in distress continues unabated—far outpacing increases in service use ●These challenges have led campus communities to ask whether a more proactive, preventive approach to student mental health is possible. ●Such a public health approach should not replace traditional mental health services, which are generally effective but only reach a portion of students. Time for positive change.

May is #MentalHealthAwareness month and this week we're spotlighting J. Pace Browne, MVA class of '21, for his work in this field. Here's what Pace has to say in regards to mental well-being: "This time of the year, for many students, academic hurdles can bring about severe anxiety. These demanding circumstances can be stressful at times, and it’s okay to acknowledge that. Times like these necessitate prosperous mental health, and at Florida State University, I’ve been lucky enough to be part of an organization that helps students achieve exactly that. Active Minds is an organization led by students dedicated to spreading awareness and ending the stigma around mental health. There are more than 600 chapters of Active Minds on college campuses across the U.S. focused on impacting students each year through awareness campaigns, events, and outreach. My involvement with the organization has enriched my understanding of what mental health really is while providing me with invaluable opportunities to promote well-being and understanding within my community. The contributions of this organization to national mental health have demonstrated to me the importance of supporting those around you, because you never know what challenges someone may be facing. Because academics are a primary focus for many young adults during this month, it is essential to ensure that equally as much time is being put towards personal well-being. Throughout the rest of May, I encourage you to continue to strive for academic success, but to also remember the importance of maintaining your mental well-being, as well as those around you.” Thank you, Pace, for your insightful words and for advocating for #MentalHealth. #mentalwellbeing #MentalHealthAwarenessMonth #AlumniPerspective

🎧🆕 ICYMI | Voices of Student Success: Tech Solutions for Student Mental Health In this episode, host Ashley Mowreader speaks with Sara Abelson, PhD, MPH, assistant professor and senior director of training and education at The Hope Center at Temple University, about digital mental health interventions, how they support students’ mental health and the need for more data regarding these interventions and the students who use them. Abelson is one of four authors of a recently published report by the Hope Center, commissioned by The Ruderman Family Foundation and in partnership with the Healthy Minds Network and Boston University. 🎧 Listen and learn more ➡️ https://bit.ly/3zY1VzU

🎧🆕 ICYMI | Voices of Student Success: Tech Solutions for Student Mental Health In this episode, host Ashley Mowreader speaks with Sara Abelson, PhD, MPH, assistant professor and senior director of training and education at The Hope Center at Temple University, about digital mental health interventions, how they support students’ mental health and the need for more data regarding these interventions and the students who use them. Abelson is one of four authors of a recently published report by the Hope Center, commissioned by The Ruderman Family Foundation and in partnership with the Healthy Minds Network and Boston University. 🎧 Listen and learn more ➡️ https://bit.ly/3zY1VzU

In an era where mental health concerns among university students are increasingly prevalent, innovative approaches to support and intervention are crucial. The UK higher education sector is at the forefront of this challenge, pioneering the use of data analytics to predict and address student wellbeing issues. This article delves into the groundbreaking work being done in this field, with a particular focus on the recent mental health analytics pilot project at Northumbria University. Read more: https://zurl.co/snSH #StudentWellbeing #DataAnalytics #UKHigherEducation #MentalHealthMatters #UniversitySupport #StudentMentalHealth #EducationInnovation #WellbeingInitiatives #MentalHealthAwareness #HigherEdTech #EducationTechnology

  Calling all Lambton College International Students (Sarnia - Main Campus)! You’re invited to share your feedback about accessing mental health supports by completing this anonymous online survey.     This survey should only take 3-5 minutes of your time. By completing the survey, you can help Lambton College understand what unique barriers International Students might face when trying to access mental health supports within our community.      This survey is completely anonymous and confidential. We hope that providing students with an anonymous and confidential way to provide feedback will help us and other post-secondary educational institutions improve access to supports for International Students.  You can scan the QR code to access the survey. #ResearchInnovation #LambtonCollege #LCPride #MentalHealth