Ways to Flourish

Environmental wellness is one of the eight Dimensions of Wellness, and it refers to not only nature, but also any physical space that one surrounds themselves with. Creating a physical space that is welcoming to all identities is vital, so in this week's episode, we're sitting down with junior Kenny Ferguson to talk about inclusive spaces on our campus. We go over what initiatives the organizations he is a part of plan for students of color, what factors go into whether a space is inclusive or not, and what we could do better as individuals to be more mindful about creating spaces that are welcome to everyone.

Resources:
Center for Student Diversity website
TribeLink cultural & identity organizations

Content warning: This episode contains discussion of drug addiction.

Azad Ashim Sharma is a writer and publisher, director of the87press, based in South London. He recently published his latest collection of poems, Boiled Owls, in which he explores drug addiction, mental health, and their relationship to capitalism and personal connection. Azad visited us in the Wellness Center to talk about the place of poetry in history, the role of creative expression in the recovery process, and his own personal experiences navigating through struggles using his art.

Resources:
Boiled Owlsby Azad Ashim Sharma, available now
Azad's bio on Nightboat Books
the87press website
W&M webpage about substance abuse
W&M Counseling Center

Some of us aren't huge touchy-feely people, and some of us are. No matter what, though, physical touch has proven benefits. Kay Hamlin is our new Massage Therapist at the Wellness Center, and she's excited to be here today to talk about why we all need physical touch in our lives. We talk about what touch can do for us, how COVID has impacted our reactions to touch, and how underdiscussed yet important consent is when we're talking these subjects.

Resources:
Book a massage with a touch professional at W&M!
W&M Wellness therapeutic modality staff webpage

Taking the initiative to learn about ways to make our campus more inclusive for LGBTQ+ students is crucial! Wellness Ambassador Audrey Murcko has been building relationships between the Wellness Center and campus organizations Lambda Alliance and the Rainbow Coalition to help queer students on campus access resources. Today, we go over some of their work by talking about what programs they've been planning, how LGBTQ+ students are sometimes excluded, and what kinds of activism strategies are most impactful for creating a community of inclusion.

Resources:
Lambda Alliance Instagram
Rainbow Coalition Instagram
Center for Student Diversity LGBTQ+ Resources webpage
W&M Counseling Center
W&M TimelyCare webpage

As we continue through cold and flu season after the peak of COVID-19, it can be difficult to decide as students when we can still make it to class and when we ought to stay home. Dr. David Dafashy, Medical Director and Staff Physician at the W&M Student Health Center, is here to clear up some misconceptions. We talk about the difference between upper respiratory infections and bacterial illnesses, what we should do when we experience a particular set of symptoms, and when we should consider making a visit to the Student Health Center.

Stay healthy!

Resources:
Student Health Center website
Health Center appointment webpage

OnWays to Flourish, we're often talking about transitions. One of our biggest questions as students is what we're doing and where we're going after college, and it can turn into a big source of anxiety. Luckily, we're not alone! W&M seniors Lily Dines and Richie Carr and UVA graduate Kaitlyn Baker join us to chat about what feelings arise with graduation, what school traditions we're still trying to fit in, and what some coping strategies are for managing our anxieties.

Resources:
W&M Counseling Center
W&M Career Center

So far in our Music & Wellness series, we've been talking to people who consider music to be a huge part of what they perceive as their well-being. Today, Dr. Max Katz, Associate Professor of Music at W&M, helps us turn a critical lens to music as a form of wellness, as well as what music and wellness are in general. We chat about what role music has in his life, how music can be used in ways that may not qualify as "wellness," and what questions we should be asking to remain curious in our perspectives.

Acupuncture services are now available at W&M! But, chances are, you haven't experienced it before and you don't know much about it. Luckily, Dr. Haunani Chong Drake, our Licensed Acupuncturist and Doctor of Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine, is here to explain to us how she got into the field, how Acupuncture works, and what positive benefits the practice can have on our physical and mental well being.

Interested learning more? Want to book a session now? Check out the resources below!

Resources:

Learn more about Acupuncture at W&M

Book an Acupuncture session (30min Acupuncture Lounge or 45-60min individual session)

Conditions treated by Acupuncture:
The Acupuncture Evidence Project
Evidence Map of Acupuncture for Pain

Acupuncture research:
National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health
Evidence Based Acupuncture
World Health Organization
U.S. Veterans Affairs Office of Research and Development

Welcome back to Part 2 of our conversation with Candice Fox, Assistant Director of Health Promotion and Sexual Violence Prevention! We are finishing up our conversation about how social media affect relationships, this time with the lens of creating healthy boundaries and knowing what we want in our romantic or sexual relationships. We cover what it takes to start thinking about your boundaries, what some examples are of seemingly healthy or unhealthy famous couples, and how different forms of media can alter our views on what's right for us.

If you missed the first part of this conversation, don't forget to check out Part 1!

Resources:
loveisrespect.org
The Haven at W&M
Sexual & Relationship Violence Prevention webpage
W&M Counseling Center
W&M Student Health Center

Ways to Flourish is back with another Valentine's Day special! We sit back down with the Assistant Director of Health Promotion & Sexual Violence Prevention, Candice Fox, to do a little gossiping--what role does social media play in our relationships and the ways we perceive others'? We chat about some examples of couples using their platforms to show off their relationships, signs of an unhealthy relationship based on what they show on social media, and some red flags that could occur in our own relationships.

Stay tuned next week for Part 2 of the conversation!

Resources:
loveisrespect.org
The Haven at W&M
Sexual & Relationship Violence Prevention webpage
W&M Counseling Center
W&M Student Health Center