The Holistic Huskies

HHE10: Dr. Thomas Long’s Support of Mental Health Within UConn’s School of Nursing

Welcome back to a new episode of Holistic Huskies! Morgan Xu, a new member of our team, will kick it off by interviewing Dr. Thomas Long, a medical humanities professor and the director of UConn's Nursing Learning Community. As he wraps up his time in his beloved world of academia, Dr. Long reflects on his educational journey, ways students can improve their mental health or find long-term support, and challenges he's witnessed new generations of nursing students go through.  Contact us: Holistic_Huskies@gmail.com [Holistic_Huskies@gmail.com] Visit our page: https://studenthealth.uconn.edu/holistic-huskies/ [https://studenthealth.uconn.edu/holistic-huskies/] Follow us on social media: @uconnstudenthealth If you are a UConn student in need of mental health support, please contact UConn student health and wellness at (860)-486-4705 or check out our website to learn more about the mental health services offered: https://studenthealth.uconn.edu/mental-health/ [https://studenthealth.uconn.edu/mental-health/]

HHE09: Giving to Receive: Fresh Check with Refreshr

In today’s episode, we are shamelessly plugging the incredible and fast-growing platform Refreshr, a grassroots movement led by UConn students Jamison Cote and Alex Kim to foster community amongst college students during the pandemic. We had the amazing opportunity to sit down with Jamison last Fall and get the low-down on what this campaign is all about, Jamison’s motivation for starting it, and how you can get involved in this wonderful initiative. Follow Refreshr on social media: @refreshrcampaign Join the Refreshr movement: refresher.org Stay tuned to Fresh Check week: suicideprevention.uconn.edu/events Contact us: Holistic_Huskies@gmail.com [Holistic_Huskies@gmail.com] Visit our page: https://studenthealth.uconn.edu/holistic-huskies/ [https://studenthealth.uconn.edu/holistic-huskies/] Follow us on social media: @uconnstudenthealth If you are a UConn student in need of mental health support, please contact UConn student health and wellness at (860)-486-4705 or check out our website to learn more about the mental health services offered: https://studenthealth.uconn.edu/mental-health/ [https://studenthealth.uconn.edu/mental-health/]

HHE08: New Perspectives, Neuroscience, and the NFL: Spencer's Growth from Grief

Welcome back to another episode of the Holistic Huskies! Today we have Spencer Low, a recent UConn graduate, to speak to the hardship of losing a loved one. Four years ago, Spencer lost his father to suicide. This blow, though devastating, taught him the value of empathy, honesty, and preventative mental health. Join us as Spencer shares his journey through grief, and how he finally found his passion for mental health and cognitive science.  Also stay tuned for our take on the NFL controversy of Dak Prescott's transparency on his mental health. To find resources from UConn Student Health and Wellness, follow @uconnstudenthealth on instagram or check out https://shs.uconn.edu/. If you would like to be featured on the show, please each out to holistic.huskies@gmail.com and tell us a little bit about yourself! All interviews are conducted virtually, and we accept anyone with a story to share! Thank you for your time, and stay healthy huskies!

HHE07: Finding Ways to Give: Craig's UConn Experience as a Single Parent

Hi everyone! We hope that everyone is staying safe, finding ways to cope with today's uncertainties, and staying strong in the fight for justice. This episode, recorded on April 13th 2020, is a window into the life of Craig Alejos, a UConn alumnus from the class of 2019. After serving in the military for 5 years, Craig enrolled as a Human Development and Family Science major at UConn at age 27. As if that wasn't unconventional enough, he also was the sole caretaker of his 5 year old daughter. Fighting through stigma, past relationship trauma, and depression, Craig's resilience grew as well as his unrelenting capacity for empathy and kindness. He tells his story on what his hardships have taught him, and how others can use their pain to grow and give back to others. Feel free to reach out to him using the information below! Craig's Contact Information: * Email: craig.alejos@uconn.edu * Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sailordad1987 [https://www.facebook.com/sailordad1987] * Twitter: @sailordad1987 And if you'd like to stay updated on our episodes, give us a follow on instagram @holistic_huskies! Thank you!  ***please forgive us for the audio quality - we recorded during a storm and didn't have the best connection!***

HHEO6: Mindfulness: The Windover Wellness Hack

Hi everyone, and welcome back to another installment of the Holistic Huskies! Today we have mental health superstar and my personal friend, Catherine Windover! Catherine details her journey about discovering her anxiety disorder in high school, and the steps she took to take control of her negative thoughts even in the midst of the suicide of a loved one and the onset of her depression. This strong, talented and intelligent individual is here to tell you how mindfulness might just save you from the dark places of your mind.