2024 Wellness and Resilience Course - STEPS-U
Learn how to teach a transformative wellness and resilience course for credit in an undergraduate program. In the face of escalating mental health concerns among university students, where the demand for support far exceeds available resources, higher education institutions must adopt innovative strategies to enhance student well-being. Our approach involves imparting evidence-based mental health strategies, emotion regulation skills, and coping mechanisms to all students before the need for crisis interventions arises.
Learning Objectives:
Foundation and Rationale: Gain a deep understanding of the development and rationale behind the Wellness and Resilience Course (WRC) tailored for universities.
Course Structure: Comprehend the various components and overall structure of the WRC.
Curriculum Adaptation: Learn how the WRC curriculum progresses and how it can be customized to suit different university environments.
Dialectical Thinking: Grasp the concept of dialectics and the skill of dialectical thinking to enhance problem-solving and cognitive flexibility.
Distress Tolerance: Master and teach the key concepts of distress tolerance skills to help students manage emotional upheavals effectively.
Cognitive Restructuring: Understand and impart the principles of cognitive restructuring to challenge and change unhelpful thought patterns.
Choosing Gratitude: Explore and teach the importance of cultivating gratitude to enhance psychological resilience.
Emotion Regulation: Equip students with skills to regulate their emotions in a healthy way to maintain mental stability.
Interpersonal Effectiveness: Teach techniques for effective communication and maintaining healthy relationships.
Anti-Racist Teaching Practices: Integrate and apply anti-racist principles within the WRC to ensure an inclusive and supportive learning environment.
Join us for the virtual "Wellness and Resilience for College and Beyond" course, pioneered at the University of Washington and now implemented nationwide. Participants will receive comprehensive materials including slides, readings, homework assignments, and grading strategies essential for teaching this impactful course. Additionally, you will have the opportunity to consult with course developers about adapting the program to fit unique structural, implementation, and instructional needs at your institution.
The training features a mix of videos and daily discussions focused on practical implementation strategies. This is a course you will find rewarding to teach, and one that students will find equally beneficial.
Hosted by Dr. Jim Mazza and Dr. Jacklyn Lally of DBT in Schools, this course is an essential addition to any educational curriculum aiming to improve student resilience and well-being.