Safe space
On this vocal and active campus, it is often the most personal issues that go unspoken. The Mental Health Awareness and Advocacy Group holds weekly mental health safe space meetings throughout the year. These usually take place right after the regular meeting.
What is the Safe Space?
The mental health safe space is a place where personal mental health issues can be discussed in an accepting environment. We can talk about our own mental health, how it feels to have a loved one suffering from mental illness, the last movie we saw, or just listen and support even if we have nothing to bring up. We offer support, confidentiality, and respectful listening.
So, is it a support grouop?
No. We do not have a trained facilitator. You also do not have to share your experiences, or even have had mental health problems — you can talk about advice for a friend, or you can simply listen and support.
Why does this exist?
There are very few places outside of a clinical setting where it is truly safe for people to talk about mental health issues in a respectful, supportive, non-directive and confidential group environment. After all, how can we open up communication with the campus if we can't communicate with ourselves?