Inquiring Mind program promotes mental health at Keyano
More than 125 Keyano College students recently completed The Inquiring Mind, a Mental Health Commission of Canada program designed to address and promote mental health and reduce stigma of mental illness in an educational setting.
Students who took the evidence-based program included 86 student athletes, 27 educational assistant students, and 25 LINC (Language Instruction for New Canadians) students.
The goals of the three hour training included to:
- reduce stigma and negative attitude towards those struggling with poor mental health
- help participants maintain mental health and improve resilience and coping strategies
- teach participants about the mental Health Continuum Model
- foster a supportive campus community
“This program really helped me it made me feel calm and good because I have learned and practiced all strategies I learned, like positive self-talk, calming and deep breathing, and smart goals,” noted one participant.
The program also teaches about creating a supportive campus and how to support others who may be experiencing poor mental health.
“This program will be relevant to me because I went through a rough time during my first semester of this school year. I have learned that I am not the only one that went through that struggle and that there are ways to cope,” noted another student participant.
The Inquiring Mind Post-Secondary program was created with the input of students as well as faculty and staff, from the University of Calgary, with mental health-related expertise and was offered at Keyano through its Wellness Services department.
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Notable facts
• 77% of college and university students indicated that they would consider seeking help in the future from a mental health professional for a personal problem in 2016.
• Mental illness is associated with student drop out, isolation, increased substance use, poor sleep quality, less exercise, poor eating habits and self-harm.
• General trends indicate that the number of university students experiencing mental health problems as well as the severity and complexity of the case being presented is increasing.
• The overall stress of being a university student, juggling multiple demands in association with an academic schedule, social life, and extracurricular activities, may put a student in a vulnerable position.