WBI Weekly Digest
Well-Being Wednesday
Veterans Day is tomorrow, November 11.
We want to wish all veterans and veteran family members who are part of the University of Minnesota Law community a happy Veterans Day!
Below are some Veteran-specific resources:
Minneapolis VA Health Care System (Find a list of all VA Hospitals & Clinics in Minnesota here)
St. Paul Vet Center - Provides free mental health care for veterans and certain family members
Minnesota Service CORE - Designed to bring essential, community-based services directly to Veterans and their families across Minnesota at no cost to them
Make the Connection - Hear from other veterans and family members about how they sought mental health treatment
Veterans Crisis Line - Call 1-800-273-8255 then press 1, text 838255, or chat online with a trained crisis counselor. 24/7, confidential, free.
A Word on Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) can develop in anyone for a number of reasons. Although frequently associated with veterans, anyone can develop PTSD after a traumatic event. War is not the only cause of PTSD. Car crashes, assault, and more can spur its formation. Many people deal with traumatic events that affect their lives today. We encourage people of all backgrounds to talk through their thoughts and feelings whenever possible. We encourage healthy coping mechanisms and asking for help to work through traumatic events.
Learn more about PTSD and treatment options here.
Here is a list of therapists who specialize in PTSD and trauma treatment.
Hiking/Walking Club: Sunday, November 14, 10 AM: Old Cedar Avenue Bridge
9407 Old Cedar Ave S, Bloomington, MN 55425
Wake Up Wednesday: November 17, 8AM.Light movement to begin your Wednesday.
Mondale Hall, N20
Like to play basketball? Message Alex Jones to join the discord group! (330)442-1832
Home Challenge of the week: Before the weather gets unbearable. Layer up and go for a 30 minute walk around your neighborhood.
Turkey Trotters? Attached are a couple of events that you can get a group of people together to run this turkey day!
Looking for a therapist? Learn about the various types of mental health professionals and types of treatments available.
Types of Mental Health Professionals
Types of Mental Health Treatments
Below are resources available to you!
To schedule your first appointment, call 612-624-1444
Offering in-person and telehealth
Individual and couples therapy available (10-session-per-year limit for each type)
Eating disorder services, ADD/ADHD treatment, alcohol and chemical health services, and group therapy available
Psychology Today Find a Therapist Search Tool
Psychology Today is a great resource to find a therapist
Filter by specific location, accepted insurance, specialty, issues, age, gender, sexuality, language spoken, ethnicity, faith, and more
Not interested in therapy, but just looking for someone to talk to?
LCL offers resources on substance use and compulsive behaviors, mental illness, stress, and well-being
Need assistance now? Call 651-646-5590 or 800-525-6466
Available 24/7
For 24-hour phone counseling, call Sand Creek at 651-430-3383 or 888-243-5744
If asked, say you were referred by LCL
Law school is challenging. This is likely not news for anyone. It is that time of the semester where the stakes feel much higher. Outlines need to be started while finals loom overhead. Your never-ending to-do list likely includes networking emails, resume building, updating LinkedIn, and Googling yourself to confirm that there isn’t anything embarrassing from high school that pops up. At times this makes me very overwhelmed. There are many tips and tricks out there to help with feeling overwhelmed. There is not a one-size technique to fix this, but it may be helpful to try something new and see if anything helps you organize a bit more effectively. When I find myself overwhelmed and unable to take the next step on my to-do list, these are three FREE outside resources that I have found helpful.
I am a big fan of gamifying life. This site and phone app offer a way to make my to-do list a bit more fun. This serves as an external reward system that helps motivate me when I feel exhausted but still need to do the dishes or laundry. There is even a Habitica Chrome extension that gives you experience points for completing Pomodoro sessions.
Sometimes starting is the hardest part of studying. Setting a timer can be very effective for me. The Pomodoro Technique (named after a tomato-themed kitchen timer) promotes the idea of setting a timer for 25 minutes and focusing exclusively on one task. The goal is to avoid toggling between tasks. After the 25 minutes is up, give yourself a small break and then repeat for a total of 4 sessions. I find this is helpful because I get distracted quite easily. If I intentionally set myself up with only one task and the time to do it, I am much more likely to complete that assignment promptly. Here is a YouTube LoFi Pomodoro Timer.
Prioritizing your to-do list can be difficult and tedious. Sometimes I find myself checking off the easy tasks, like the Lexis+ Reward Activities, so I feel like I have gotten something done and in turn, I ignore my most important tasks. The Eisenhower Matrix aims to organize your to-do list by urgency and importance to make sure you spend time on the tasks that can make a difference in your life. I like to do this in a bullet journal, but it can easily be done in a Google Doc, notebook, or a notion template.
Sierra Grandy is a 1L with a passion for mental health and psychology. She likes to research productivity and positive psychology tricks in her very little free time. She is honored to bring that research to you. Please fill out this Google Form or email [log in to unmask] if you seek advice,* resources, expanded explanations, or have a comment/question. Law school is tough. You are not alone. (*not legal or medical advice)
Any questions, concerns, or topics that you’d like some advice on, feel free to submit them here! You’ll get real advice, and maybe some memes for your situation.
WBI has created a Resources Page on our website where law students can always go to find support.
UMN Law Well-Being Initiative
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Current Contacts
Annika Cushnyr - [log in to unmask]
Emily Moss - [log in to unmask]
Sarani Millican - [log in to unmask]
Alex Jones - [log in to unmask]
Ali Casey - [log in to unmask]
Luke Srodulski - [log in to unmask]
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