This document provides information on self-care and mental health for non-traditional college students. It discusses how non-traditional students experience more stress due to having multiple roles and responsibilities as well as feeling out of place in college. Excess stress can negatively impact physical and mental health. The document emphasizes the importance of self-care for managing stress and outlines various dimensions of wellness. It provides examples of self-care activities and has students assess their own self-care and create a self-care plan. The document also discusses when professional help may be needed and provides a phone number for support.

1. Self-Care and Mental Health
forCollege Students
DR. REBECCA BONANNO
CLINICAL SOCIAL WORKER
ASSOC. PROFESSOR, SUNY EMPIRE STATE COLLEGE

2. Agenda
“Nontraditional” college students
Stress
Self-care
Self-care assessment
Self-care plan
Mental health
Professional help

3. “Nontraditional” College Students
•Over age 24
•Delayed enrollment after high school
•Have dependents (spouse, children) and caretaking responsibilities
•Working full-time
•First generation students

4. Stress and the
“Nontraditional” Student
•Time
•Multiple roles and responsibilities
•Gaps
• Time since last school enrollment
• Rusty skills
• New technology
•Do I belong here?
•Lack of confidence

5. Stress, Health, and Mental Health
•Stress can be positive
• Activates coping
• Encourages us to reach out to others for support
•Excess stress can be harmful
• Long- and short-term health problems
• Can worsen mental health problems
•Self-care is essential for managing stress

6. Physical
Emotional
Intellectual
SocialSpiritual
Environmental
Occupational
Dimensions of Wellness

7. What is Self-care?
•Self-care is any activity that we do deliberately in order to
take care of our mental, emotional, and physical health.
•Can be as much about what we don’t do as it is about what
we do.
•Should feel satisfying and good, not just another thing on your
to-do list.

8. Examples of Self-care
•Getting enough sleep
•Needed health and wellness care
•Nutrition
•Setting healthy boundaries with others (i.e. sometimes saying
no!)
•Taking breaks and sick days
•Making time for hobbies and recreation
•Nurturing relationships

9. Self-care Assessment
Take 5-10 minutes to complete the assessment.
Use the back to jot down any notes about what
you are learning about yourself from this
exercise.

10. Discussion
•What did you learn about yourself?
• What surprised you?
•Is there anything on these lists that seems
impossible to you?
•How does this activity help you clarify your
priorities?

11. Create Your Self-care Plan
•Be specific!
•If a goal gives you an “ugh” feeling, pause and
reflect on why that is. Perhaps that is not the
right goal for you at this time.
•Make notes to yourself that you can read later
to help you remember why this felt important
to you today.

12. Sharing
Out

14. Professional Help: Do I need it?
•You are having a difficult time coping with life in general or
cannot function on a day-to-day basis.
•You have impulsive or obvious mood swings.
•You feel sad, blue, hopeless or down most of the time.
•You worry excessively or feel anxious a lot of the time.
•You cannot shake the impact of past or recent traumatic
events.

15. Professional Help: Do I need it?
•You are contemplating suicide.
•You use alcohol, street drugs, prescription drugs, over-the-
counter medications, other substances — or damaging
activities to numb emotional pain.
•You have serious anger management issues that result in a
very bad temper.
•You have an unusual, highly troubled relationship with food
and eating.

16. For Support
Talk One-2-One
800-756-3124
•Free
•Speak with a trained professional
•24/7/365

17. Rebecca.Bonanno@esc.edu