Stress Less: A Week's Worth of Dogs and Strategies

Earning a degree is an important life achievement, but it can bring stress. Siena is dedicated to taking care of its Saints by hosting a huge range of activities to promote positive mental health.

Jillian Barend '25 has been involved with Siena's Active Minds chapter since she was a freshman; she now serves as its co-president with Emily Atassi '25. Active Minds hosted Stress Less Week this week, with relaxing get-togethers such as Dear Stranger Card Making, a ManKind Destress Fest, Fueling for Fall, and Positive Pumpkin Painting. It wraps up this evening with Late Night Eats, to be held from 10PM to midnight at the MacCloskey Townhouses.

Active Minds also joined forces with the College's Health Promotion Office and other campus clubs to host the second annual Fresh Check Day Wellness Fair on October 16. Informational booths, supportive messaging and therapy dogs were featured, along with a flu and COVID vaccine clinic.

Barend said that despite tremendous strides made in our society to speak up and speak out about mental health, stigma can still cling to the issue.

"It's much easier to talk about now, but occasionally people who are struggling can be judged by those who don't understand," she explained. "They're expected to tough it out, or man up. It can also be scary to open up. But this is no different than caring for your physical health."

Her dedication to promoting the mental health of her peers led her to speak at a regional event about the mental health of college students.

The local chapters National Alliance on Mental Health (NAMI) and Active Minds co-hosted the Capital Region Mental Health Town Hall on October 10 at the University at Albany's School of Public Health. Held on World Mental Health Day, it was part of the second annual New York State Mental Health Week, a multi-county initiative to combat the stigma associated with mental health issues. It offered dozens of free events, trainings, workshops and activities to promote positive wellness and self-care.

Barend was part of the Active Minds student panel that addressed how college campuses can create "more open environments" to promote discussions and activities in support of mental health.

"We explored ways that students and professors can encourage dialogue, and how to respond in the event of a crisis," she said. "We also stressed that seeking support is the best thing you can do for yourself. You don't have to wait until things get really intense. If you're struggling - reach out."

Barend, a member of Siena's women's golf team who is considering a career in sports psychology, said it's been great to see how the Active Minds chapter has progressed at Siena since it was founded a few years ago. She encourages Saints to follow their Instagram account @activemindssiena
Cathy Dockum '06 LMHC, Siena's associate director of health promotion, was also out in the community representing Siena at NAMI's "Stronger Than the Stigma" Fair held October 27 at UAlbany, which featured live music, therapy dogs, and other activities. While on campus at Siena, she leads the College's Health Promotion office (check out their Instagram @healthysaints) to support students' overall wellness.

"We offer programs and educational resources that focus on both mental health and physical well-being," Dockum explained. "Our goal is to create a supportive campus where students can thrive in and out of the classroom. We want to help everyone prioritize their health so they can reach their full potential!"