Like physical health, emotional well-being is an essential part of overall wellness, and requires ongoing attention and care.
According to Mental Health America, “Emotional well-being gives you the power to manage your emotions, to flourish while coping with daily stressors, to focus your energy on important personal priorities, to connect deeply with others, and more fully enjoy your life.”
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To raise awareness, May has been designated as National Mental Health Month.
This month, as well as routinely throughout the year, the MHealthy Mental and Emotional Health program invites U-M faculty and staff to take an Emotional Wellness Check-up and take action to improve well-being.
The MHealthy Thrive! stress-management program, the Faculty & Staff Assistance Program and the UMHS Employee Assistance Program offer a wide variety of online and in-person programs at no charge.
Take an Emotional Wellness Check-Up
Like an annual physical wellness check-up, an Emotional Wellness Check-Up gives a snapshot of current well-being. It’s also an opportunity to make small changes now that can improve health and reduce the risk of illness in the long run.
Self-help and in-person check-up options available to university employees include:
• The interactive mental health continuum on the MHealthy Mental and Emotional website invites employees to reflect on how they are feeling — struggling, surviving or thriving — and offers several self-help options to explore. Just hover the cursor over the tree that best describes today’s mood to see a list of online options.
“The Emotional Wellness Check-Up asks, ‘How are you feeling today?’ because at different points in time, we will find ourselves at different states of emotional health,” says John R. Sonnega, Ph.D., stress management program manager for MHealthy.
“Right now, some of us are struggling, some of us are doing okay but really just surviving, and some of us are thriving. No matter where you are on this continuum, we want you to know that there is always room to grow. We are here to help, and even small steps can lead to feeling more energized, connected, and resilient.”
• Make an appointment for an in-person Emotional Wellness Check-up. Confidential short-term counseling is always available to university faculty, staff and their families at no charge, and can play an important role in routine preventive health care:
- Health System employees: Contact the UMHS Employee Assistance Program at 734-763-5409 or [email protected], or visit the UMHS EAP website.
- Ann Arbor and Flint campus employees: Contact U-M Faculty & Staff Assistance Program at 734-936-8660 or [email protected] or visit the FASAP website.
- Dearborn campus employees, call 313-593-5430.
Free mental and emotional health classes
A wide variety of free classes are available throughout the year. Register and learn more. Classes during May include:
• May 13 – Losses in our Lives: End of a Relationship, UMHS
• May 14 – Stress and Sleep, Kipke Conference Center
• May 20 – Addressing Compassion Fatigue in High-Loss Environments, UMHS
• May 27 – Discovering Stress Reduction: Fostering Energy & Creating Coping, Palmer Commons
• May 28 – Forgiveness Gratitude and Caring for Well-Being, Flint Campus
• Every Wednesday, through May 27 – Relaxing Under the Stars, U-M’s Natural History Museum Planetarium
• Second Thursday of every month – Drop in Caregivers Support Group, Michigan Union
Jennifer Sporer
It is wonderful that UM is providing these programs; however, most are during the day when I cannot attend. I cannot take a long lunch to accommodate those hours. Perhaps they are directed towards people on 2nd or 3rd shift?