Ways to Flourish

Content warning: This episode contains discussion of drug addiction.Azad Ashim Sharma is a writer and publisher, director of the87press, based in South London. He recently published his latest collection of poems, Boiled Owls, in which he explores drug addiction, mental health, and their relationship to capitalism and personal connection. Azad visited us in the Wellness Center to talk about the place of poetry in history, the role of creative expression in the recovery process, and his own personal experiences navigating through struggles using his art. Resources:Boiled Owls by Azad Ashim Sharma, available nowAzad's bio on Nightboat Booksthe87press websiteW&M webpage about substance abuseW&M Counseling Center

Taking the initiative to learn about ways to make our campus more inclusive for LGBTQ+ students is crucial! Wellness Ambassador Audrey Murcko has been building relationships between the Wellness Center and campus organizations Lambda Alliance and the Rainbow Coalition to help queer students on campus access resources. Today, we go over some of their work by talking about what programs they've been planning, how LGBTQ+ students are sometimes excluded, and what kinds of activism strategies are most impactful for creating a community of inclusion.Resources:Lambda Alliance InstagramRainbow Coalition InstagramCenter for Student Diversity LGBTQ+ Resources webpageW&M Counseling CenterW&M TimelyCare webpage

As we continue through cold and flu season after the peak of COVID-19, it can be difficult to decide as students when we can still make it to class and when we ought to stay home. Dr. David Dafashy, Medical Director and Staff Physician at the W&M Student Health Center, is here to clear up some misconceptions. We talk about the difference between upper respiratory infections and bacterial illnesses, what we should do when we experience a particular set of symptoms, and when we should consider making a visit to the Student Health Center. Stay healthy!Resources:Student Health Center websiteHealth Center appointment webpage

On Ways to Flourish, we're often talking about transitions. One of our biggest questions as students is what we're doing and where we're going after college, and it can turn into a big source of anxiety. Luckily, we're not alone! W&M seniors Lily Dines and Richie Carr and UVA graduate Kaitlyn Baker join us to chat about what feelings arise with graduation, what school traditions we're still trying to fit in, and what some coping strategies are for managing our anxieties.Resources:W&M Counseling CenterW&M Career Center

So far in our Music & Wellness series, we've been talking to people who consider music to be a huge part of what they perceive as their well-being. Today, Dr. Max Katz, Associate Professor of Music at W&M, helps us turn a critical lens to music as a form of wellness, as well as what music and wellness are in general. We chat about what role music has in his life, how music can be used in ways that may not qualify as "wellness," and what questions we should be asking to remain curious in our perspectives.

Acupuncture services are now available at W&M! But, chances are, you haven't experienced it before and you don't know much about it. Luckily, Dr. Haunani Chong Drake, our Licensed Acupuncturist and Doctor of Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine, is here to explain to us how she got into the field, how Acupuncture works, and what positive benefits the practice can have on our physical and mental well being.Interested learning more? Want to book a session now? Check out the resources below!Resources:Learn more about Acupuncture at W&MBook an Acupuncture session (30min Acupuncture Lounge or 45-60min individual session)Conditions treated by Acupuncture:The Acupuncture Evidence ProjectEvidence Map of Acupuncture for PainAcupuncture research:National Center for Complementary and Integrative HealthEvidence Based AcupunctureWorld Health OrganizationU.S. Veterans Affairs Office of Research and Development

Welcome back to Part 2 of our conversation with Candice Fox, Assistant Director of Health Promotion and Sexual Violence Prevention! We are finishing up our conversation about how social media affect relationships, this time with the lens of creating healthy boundaries and knowing what we want in our romantic or sexual relationships. We cover what it takes to start thinking about your boundaries, what some examples are of seemingly healthy or unhealthy famous couples, and how different forms of media can alter our views on what's right for us.If you missed the first part of this conversation, don't forget to check out Part 1!Resources:loveisrespect.orgThe Haven at W&MSexual & Relationship Violence Prevention webpageW&M Counseling CenterW&M Student Health Center

Ways to Flourish is back with another Valentine's Day special! We sit back down with the Assistant Director of Health Promotion & Sexual Violence Prevention, Candice Fox, to do a little gossiping--what role does social media play in our relationships and the ways we perceive others'? We chat about some examples of couples using their platforms to show off their relationships, signs of an unhealthy relationship based on what they show on social media, and some red flags that could occur in our own relationships.Stay tuned next week for Part 2 of the conversation!Resources:loveisrespect.orgThe Haven at W&MSexual & Relationship Violence Prevention webpageW&M Counseling CenterW&M Student Health Center

Balancing mental health with life is a difficult task for anyone, but this topic sometimes gets pushed aside in the world of sports and being a student-athlete. Amy Schwem, a Psychology and Kinesiology major and member of the Tribe Women's Volleyball team, comes in to continue the conversation about how important taking care of mental health is, not only as an athlete, but also simply as a college student. We talk about what barriers exist to talking about mental health, how student-athletes' lives be glamorized, and what strategies we can use in our busy lives to focus on our mental well being.Note: This episode was recorded by the Ways to Flourish team in October 2023.  Resources:W&M Counseling CenterThe Hidden OpponentTribe Volleyball Instagram pageTribe Athletics website

Welcome back to another semester of classes and the eighth season of Ways to Flourish! Our team has grown: Cheryl will be taking the mic, and Jazzy will be helping out behind the scenes. We're so excited to get started this semester and have some fun conversations with new and familiar faces alike! Stay tuned every Wednesday for a new episode.Questions? Feedback? Know someone who should be a guest? Reach out to our email wellness@wm.edu or DM our Instagram account @wellnesswm!

In the second episode of our Music & Wellness series, we are talking about the benefits of making music. Sound and the body have a strong relationship, and creating music is the livelihood of many. Today, we talk to Townsend T, a singer-songwriter and mental health advocate from Arkansas. We go over how she got into music, how it has helped her during challenging times, and what she has learned by doing her You're Not Alone project. Keep an eye out for Townsend next time she is in Williamsburg, and check out her new EP!Resources:Townsend's websiteTownsend's Spotify profile

College is supposed to prepare us for real-world workforce. However, most people will find at their first job that the learning curve can be quite steep. Nikita Khandheria, a W&M senior and CEO of the fine dining restaurant Ditas in Marin County, has experienced workforce culture shock firsthand on an especially extreme level. Today, she talks about how she got to where she is, how difficult it can be to balance all of life's demands with mental health and success, and what advice she has for those stepping into the workforce.Resources:Ditas Marin websiteNikita's Instagram

It's almost Thanksgiving, so we're all probably thinking about food. Luckily, we have Abe Konick, owner of Abe's Kitchen and previous contestant on MasterChef, as well as Wellness Ambassador Anne Ryan Gareis, to talk to us about how food can appeal to all 8 Dimensions of Wellness. Abe tells us about where his love of food came from, how food brings us all together, why national food insecurity is a problem, and how we can improve our cooking in college. Have a wonderful Thanksgiving break too all, and remember to use more salt!Resources:Abe's Kitchen websiteAbe's Kitchen Instagram

The Matoaka Bottom Feeders' Instagram page reads "Tight lines and good times. Conservation, Mental Health, Sustainability." The student org was established a few years ago to allow William & Mary students to engage in their favorite hobby while contributing to local research. This week, we are casting our lines out to Co-Founders Xavier Starrs and Dudley Harmer to talk about why fishing can be wellness, too. We discuss how the club came to be, how getting on the water improves our mental health, and how the club supports conservation efforts.Resources:Matoaka Bottom Feeders TribeLinkMatoaka Bottom Feeders Instagrammatoaka.bottomfeeders@gmail.com

Hey, what kind of music do you like? Listening to music provides a way for us to connect with our emotions and the people around us. In this first episode of our new Music & Wellness series, we talk to senior Lauren Peterson about what her relationship to music is, how she feels like music can change her emotional state, and what she does to expand her music taste.

We are back this week with Part 2 of our Wellness in Greek Life series! We are continuing the conversation with seniors Emma Brooks and Peter Semaan, but this time, we're coming at the topic from a different angle. We recognize and deconstruct systemic issues and barriers within Greek life, as well as explain how these obstacles look from the inside perspective.Make sure to catch Part 1 if you missed it before!Resources:W&M Kappa Alpha Theta Instagram pageW&M Kappa Alpha Order Instagram page

Greek life and wellness are not necessarily things you'd immediately think of going together, but being a member in a social sorority or fraternity goes deeper than people outside that sphere sometimes realize. Seniors Emma Brooks and Peter Semaan join us for a two-part series to discuss the role of well-being in their Greek life organizations. In Part 1, we talk about what their favorite parts about being involved in Greek life are, how their organizations address the 8 Dimensions of Wellness, and how W&M's specific culture of Greek life is especially unique. Stay tuned next week for Part 2!Resources:W&M Kappa Alpha Theta Instagram pageW&M Kappa Alpha Order Instagram page

One must define their own personal wellness. Luckily, the Wellness Center has a new face around to help us do that--meet Dr. Khaliah Wilson, our Assistant Director of Health Promotion! In this week's episode, we chat about what she has noticed about our campus since arriving, how she practices wellness, and how the Office of Health Promotion can be a resource for students.Resources:Health Promotion Wellness Mindset websitekwilson02@wm.edu

Food insecurity and historic food-related inequity is a topic at William & Mary that does not necessarily get talked about enough, as it is something that many students have never had to experience themselves. The Campus Food Exchange is a confidential program that provides access to nonperishable food, household products, and personal hygiene products to students, faculty, and staff. Campus Minister with the Wesley Campus Ministry Max Blalock joins us today to talk about what the Campus Food Exchange does, how food insecurity is a real historic (and often ignored) issue in the City of Williamsburg, and what some misconceptions are about the Wesley House.Campus Food Exchange Hours:Sadler Location, Rm. 157Sunday-Thursday 7:00am -- 12:00amFriday-Thursday 7:00am -- 1:00amWesley Location (526 Jamestown Rd.)Mondays 1:00pm -- 3:00pmThursdays 4:30pm -- 6:30pmSaturdays 3:00pm -- 5:00pm Resources:Max's email: mwblalock@wm.eduMax's phone number: (757) 634-7406Campus Food Exchange website

Dr. Kelly Crace, Associate VP for Health & Wellness at the Wellness Center, joins us once again! This time, we are talking about authentic excellence in organizations, as well as how to create flourishing "&" cultures instead of "or" cultures. We also touch on the Life Values Inventory, which helps individuals determine their personal values and in turn help them flourish in their teams.Kelly's book about authentic excellence for organizations is available now!Resources:Life Values Inventory websiteCenter for Mindfulness & Authentic Excellence (CMAX) websiteAuthentic Excellence for Organizations: Creating Flourishing "&" Cultures by R. Kelly Crace, Charles J. Hardy, and Robert L. Crace