Miami University’s suicide prevention team and the student counseling service will sponsor a weeklong campaign to spread awareness about suicide prevention as well as stress management, self-care, and improving well-being.

Stress Less Week (April 6-13, 2023) kicks off with stress less day on April 6 from 4-6:30 p.m. in the Armstrong Fritz Pavilion. The event will feature therapy dogs, free massages, snacks, games, journaling, and messages of hope. During the event, students will learn about managing stress, maintaining a healthy mind and active lifestyle, and enhancing community connection. Prizes and giveaways include Insomnia Cookies, gift cards, and Oxford Community Yoga passes.

Other activities throughout the week include a DIY destress event at the Miller Center for Student Disability Services, collage-making at King library, a suicide prevention training, and workshops addressing coping skills, mindfulness, and ways to stress less.

“Stress less week is designed to both raise awareness and equip students with coping and helping behaviors," said Jennifer Young, Ph.D., associate director for community engagement at the student counseling service. "Participants will learn strategies to manage anxiety, recognize signs of emotional distress in friends, and identify ways to help." Young also chairs the suicide prevention team.

All activities, held at various locations across the Oxford campus, are free and open to the public.

• Stress less workshop with student counseling service. Thursday, April 6, 4-5 p.m. in 111A Harris Hall.
• Stress less day. A time to learn about mental health treatment, suicide prevention, and stress management. Thursday, April 6, 4-6:30 p.m. in Armstrong Fritz Pavilion.
• DIY de-stress event through the Miller Center for Student Disability Services. Monday, April 10, 1-3 p.m. in 304 Shriver Center.
• QPR suicide prevention training facilitated by the HAWKS peer health educators and Miami Hope. Monday, April 10, 5-7 p.m.
• Contextualizing stress in today’s social and political environment: Why it might not be your fault. A discussion with staff from student counseling service and the office of student wellness. Tuesday, April 11, 12:30-1:30 p.m. in Upham Hall 235 and virtual.
• Collage for wellness. A drop-in event to create stress-relieving collage; facilitated by makerspace at King library. Thursday, April 13, 3-5 p.m. in King Library 303.
• Campus care (drop-in conversations with a mental health counselor) and other mental health workshops will also occur throughout the week.

For a complete list of available activities and further details, visit the student counseling service website.

The suicide prevention team consists of representatives from the student counseling service, the office of student wellness and the office of residence life, as well as Miami faculty, staff and students from various mental health-focused departments and organizations. Their mission is to educate the campus community about suicide prevention efforts to reduce and prevent suicide and mental health concerns among students and the community.