MENTAL AND EMOTIONAL HEALTH
Mental and Emotional Health
Promoting positive mental health and well-being is crucial to students’ academic success and helps create an outstanding work environment for our faculty and staff. Mental well-being encompasses quality of life and the ability of people and societies to contribute to the world with a sense of meaning and purpose. Campus Wellness and Education is collaborating with campus partners on research-informed, responsive initiatives to support mental wellbeing through reducing mental health stigma, creating a supportive campus culture, and ensuring that all members of the campus community have the resources to help them understand mental health issues, and improve resiliency and coping skills.
Programs
1. Yoga for Mental Wellness
Wednesdays | 3:10-4:10pm | Nechako Gathering Room 221
September 17, 2025 – December 3, 2025
Relax your body and recharge your mind with FREE drop-in yoga to support your mental wellness.
Happening every Wednesday (except during Reading Week and holiday closures), this free, gentle yoga class focuses on relaxation. All students are welcome to join! No prior yoga experience is necessary. This class is meant to be easy to follow and provide you with techniques to de-stress and find a state of relaxation.
Questions? Email the instructor at claire.bresciani@ubc.ca
There are a limited amount of yoga mats available. If you have your own, please bring it with you.
2. Grief & Loss Circle
Thursdays | 1:30pm – 3:30pm | Nechako Gathering Room 221
September 25, 2025 – November 6, 2025
Join a small group for weekly conversations on navigating grief, loss, and change. The group is not limited to mourning; it can be related to any significant loss, such as a loss of identity, relationship(s), hopes and dreams, or stability. The goal is to release stress, receive comfort, and learn strategies to cope.
3. Healthy Masculinities
This 8-week group helps male-identified campus members discuss topics surrounding masculinity including roles and stereotypes, mental health, relationships, consent, and more. Participants have the chance to learn, engage in interesting dialogue, share their own experiences and expand their friend base on campus.
We invite members to join up until Week 3 (October 21st). At Week 4 we will close the group for confidentiality and consistency.
Space is limited. Please only register if you think you can commit to attending the majority of the weeks.
If you have any questions about this group, please email rob.giardino@ubc.ca.
4. Y Mind Group
Thursday | 5:30pm – 7:30pm | Nechako Gathering Room 221
September 25, 2025 – November 27, 2025
Y Mind is a series of seven weekly, supportive group sessions that help you learn tools to manage your stress and anxiety. Led by mental health practitioners, this program guides you through different techniques to cope with worry and negative thoughts, as well as strategies for calming the body and mind.
The small group setting provides a caring environment of students with similar experiences where you can build connections and learn from each other. Past participants reported consistent improvements in their wellbeing, as well as friendships formed from the sessions.
Bonus! Participants will receive a complimentary three-month YMCA membership.
Note: You must attend an intro session before the workshops. There are two sessions to choose from: September 25 from 5:30 to 7 pm or October 2 from 5:30 to 7 pm. Registration is required.
5. Thrive Month
Every November at UBCO
Thrive is a time when we come together as a UBC community to learn about, talk about, and explore ways to support our mental health. This is an important time of year when we highlight all the critical programs of support available on our campus and learn about the Thrive 5 which can contribute to our flourishing as UBC community members.
Information and Resources
On Campus
How We Got Here
University is a stressful time and young adulthood is an important developmental step. Mental health has always been a key priority for our team. In Voice 4 we learned new things about Voice and the campus environment. Action groups were formed to advocate for changes to promote student mental wellbeing on the following priority topics:
- Academic Concession Policy
- Exam Policy and Scheduling
CWE is always looking for more opportunities to improve our social determinants of mental health and providing ongoing programs, campaigns and education to improve campus mental health.