The importance of good mental health, the need to remove any and all stigmas attached to it, and promoting wellness, are the aims of NUI Galway’s Mental Health Week runs from Monday February 29 to Sunday March 6.
Hosted by the university’s Psychological Society, in conjunction with other student societies, and the Societies Office, the week will feature social activities, guest speakers, workshops, and an information fair.
The week starts with a psychology lecturers vs students five-a-side football match on Monday. There will also be GIG (LGBT ) Socs’s Breakfast morning in support of Aids West; or watch a movie with Film Soc on the themes of adolescent loneliness and introversion. On Tuesday and Thursday morning ‘Good morning Galway’ initiative will invite students and staff to dance their way into the day from 8am in Áras na mac Léinn.
Tuesday will also see workshops on mindfulness and the problem of domestic violence, followed by a gender based violence discussion, which is open to the public in the O’hEocha Theatre, Arts Millennium building, at 7pm.
The Psychological Society will host the Wellness and Mental Health Fair on Wednesday March 2 from 12 noon to 3pm in Áras na Mac Léinn, with information stands from Console, Shine, Compass, Proactive, Positive Mental Health Foundation, Helplink, Living links, Samaritans, Galway Diocesan Youth Services, Seas Suas. Also on Wednesday the Music Soc provide an ambient music session, there will be two film screenings, a coping with stress workshop, and a psychology career talk.
On Thursday 3, there will be an information stands at Smokies on the main concourse from Seas Suas, promoting the #littlethings campaign, and Reach Out Ireland promoting its‘Note to Self’ initiative. At 5.30pm in the O’hEocha Theatre, Adam Harris will give a talk on how to create an autism friendly campus.
This will be followed by a call to action in the ‘Towards a Mental Healthy Campus’ panel discussion which features a presentation from Treasa Hannify from Please Talk, with Emer Connaughton, Mental Health Ireland; Gillian Karwig, Reach Out Ireland; and university professionals working in the field. These two events open to the public. On Sunday in the College Chapel, the HSE’s Ciaran Lynch will give two talks on positive mental health at 1pm and 9pm.
For details on NUI Galway Mental Health Week see the website www.nuigstudents.ie or call the SocsBox on 091 - 492852.
