Graduate school in normal times is a stressful experience for many. A study in 2018 found 39 percent of the respondents experiencing moderate to severe symptoms of depression. This compared to 6 percent of the general population.
These are not normal times–a two-year long pandemic with lockdowns, isolation, changing protocols on campuses and personal losses. Add divisive politics, racism, climate concerns, and war, and even the most optimistic among us have days we struggle. Another research study in mid-2020 at nine research universities found that the number with anxiety had risen by 50 percent.
If you think that is you, you are far from alone. In response, the Emerging Scholars Network and InterVarsity Graduate and Faculty Ministry in the South Central Region have joined efforts. We are hosting a national interactive webinar that will focus on cultivating good mental health in the graduate school setting. We will learn about:
- good practices of self-care
- the current state of mental health concerns on campus
- how to identify signs that either we or a friend are experiencing symptoms of anxiety and/or depression
- how to be a helpful friend and where and when to help someone find good professional care
We wanted a presenter who knows the campus and graduate students well. Broderick Leaks, PhD is director of counseling and mental health at USC Student Health and clinical associate professor of psychiatry and the behavioral sciences at Keck School of Medicine. In this video, he introduces himself and describes what he will be presenting at the webinar:
Please join us, invite your friends, or even host a watch party on April 25 at 8pm EDT. The webinar is free and you may register to obtain a weblink at: https://gfm.events.intervarsity.org/cultivatingmentalhealth
Bob Trube is Associate Director of Faculty Ministry and Director of the Emerging Scholars Network. He blogs on books regularly at bobonbooks.com. He resides in Columbus, Ohio, with Marilyn and enjoys reading, gardening, choral singing, and plein air painting.