Welcome to the WNC Wildcat Wellness webpage!


Where we prioritize the health and happiness of our entire community. At our college, we believe that fostering wellness isn't just beneficial—it's essential for academic success and personal fulfillment. From students to faculty and staff, everyone is encouraged to prioritize their physical, mental, and emotional wellbeing. Our comprehensive resources and support services cater to diverse needs, whether you're seeking mental health resources, fitness facilities, food assistance, or ways to manage stress. Join us in creating a campus culture where everyone can thrive, both personally and professionally. Welcome to a college where your wellbeing matters.


 

   Tips & Tricks to Boost Mental Health

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Appeal to your senses:

Does listening to an uplifting song make you feel calm? Does squeezing a stress ball help you feel centered? What about taking a walk in nature and enjoying the sights and sounds of the trees? Everyone responds to sensory input a little differently, so experiment to find what works best for you. Engaging the senses can help reduce stress and tension, promote relaxation, and improve overall well-being. It can also provide a distraction from negative thoughts and emotions, and can help to create a more positive and balanced state of mind. Appealing to the senses can be a simple yet effective way to improve mental well-being.

Exercise:

Exercise is a scientifically proven mood booster, decreasing symptoms of both depression and anxiety. It also decreased stress, increases self-esteem and self-confidence, and creates better sleep.

Check out out our exercise room located in the Student Center at the Carson campus!  Call 775-445-3218 for more information.

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laughter

Take time to laugh:

Hang out with a funny friend, watch a comedy or check out cute videos online. Laughter helps reduce anxiety.

Laughter can boost mental health by releasing endorphins which are natural chemicals in the brain that act as a mood elevator. It can also reduce stress, tension and anxiety, increase social bonding and boost the immune system. Laughing can help shift perspective and promote a more positive outlook on life. 

Work your strengths:

Working on one's strengths can improve mental health by promoting a sense of accomplishment and self-esteem. It can also provide a sense of purpose and direction, and increase feelings of competence and self-efficacy. Additionally, focusing on strengths can help to shift attention away from areas of weakness and promote a more positive outlook. Overall, working on one's strengths can contribute to greater overall satisfaction and well-being.

 

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writing

Write it out:

Has something been bothering you? Let it all out. Writing about upsetting experiences can reduce symptoms of depression.
Writing about one's feelings allows for self-reflection and understanding of emotions. It can also serve as a form of emotional release and can help to process and cope with difficult experiences. Additionally, it can provide a sense of control and organization in times of emotional turmoil. Writing can also be a way to identify patterns and triggers that may contribute to emotional distress. Overall, journaling and writing about emotions can be a valuable tool for managing and improving mental well-being.

Take a Personal Enrichment Course:

Here at WNC we offer a variety of personal enrichment or professional developement non-credited courses through our Continuing Education Department. These courses provide avenues for self-discovery, boosting self-esteem and satisfaction. They offer opportunities for achievement and goal-setting skills. Continuous learning enhances cognitive abilities and social connections, promoting overall happiness and fulfillment. Take the leap and try something new! 

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Here are some favorite wellness apps, podcasts and websites to try out!

Anxiety logo

Anxiety Reliever | Consists of calming audio recordings, helpful guides, an insightful tracker, breathing tool and supportive messages.


Calm Logo

Calm | Sleep better, boost confidence and reduce stress and anxiety with the help of guided meditations, soothing music, and bedtime stories.


Fabulous Logo

Fabulous | Fabulous helps users increase their energy levels, be more productive and focused, exercise and sleep better by building healthy. habits and routines in your life.

Savelo

Sanvello: Stress & Anxiety Help | Techniques to help you manage your moods and thoughts, so you can understand what works for you to feel better.

Headspace logo

Headspace | Learn to meditate with our 10-day beginner’s course that guides you through the essentials of meditation and mindfulness.

Balance Logo

Balance | Balance is a personal meditation coach. Each session, you’ll answer questions about your meditation experience and goals. Then using its audio library, Balance assembles a daily meditation catered to you. The more you share over time, the more personalized and effective your meditations become.

down dog logo

Down Dog | Meditation. Take a mindful moment to breathe and reflect, with Down Dog's calming meditation app.

HM

Healthy Minds Program App | With a combination of podcast-style lessons and both seated and active meditations, you’ll learn what the science says about the brain while developing skills to tap into these learnings for a healthier, happier you.

Ten Percent Happier

Ten Percent Happier | With the Ten Percent Happier app, you’ll access practical teachings alongside guided meditations to make mindfulness into a habit you carry everywhere. We have more resources telling us how to be happy than any humans ever. And yet many of us can’t figure it out. Why? And what does it actually take to lead a happier life?

Happify

Happify | Engaging activities and games that can be used anytime, anywhere—on your smartphone, tablet or computer. Small slices of time can make big-time changes. Complete a few activities each week to start seeing meaningful improvement in your life satisfaction and your ability to fight back against negativity.

 

happiness lab logo The Happiness Lab The Happiness Lab is a podcast that's all about the science of well-being. The goal of the podcast is to teach listeners a whole set of tips for simple things you can do to be happier every day.
get sleepy logo The Get Sleepy Podcast | Get Sleepy is a twice weekly story-telling podcast with the goal of helping you get a great night's rest. In reviews, listeners have described the podcast as “Life changing”. Behind the podcast is a small creative team of writers, voice-over artists, and meditation experts.
liz moody logo Healthier Together with Liz Moody | Come along with Liz as she uncovers the unknown hacks, tips, and tricks you need to know for making a healthier life easier—topics include what to eat to fight disease, how to take control of your finances, tips for fighting anxiety and depression, productivity and career advice, advice for making friends as an adult, the best skincare routine elements, healthy cooking secrets, and so much more.
unlocking us logo Unlocking Us with Brenè Brown | Unlocking Us is a psychology and self-help podcast hosted by Brené Brown. The show consists of both monologue and interview content and focuses on human vulnerability through Brown's experiences in social work.

 

 


Other Resources


Call 911 if you or someone you know is in immediate danger or go to the nearest emergency room.

 

  • Contact the Campus Victim Advocate Shaun Mabanta by emailing CampusAdvocate@cssnv.org or calling 775-771-8724 (cell) | 775-221-7612 (direct). Supported by Crisis Support Services of Nevada
  • Wildcat Reserve - The Wildcat Reserve is Western Nevada Colleges food and hygiene student supply hub and we are here to help students and their families overcome food insecurity. Our ordering process will be done hands free and orders will be delivered via curb-side pick-up in the parking lot outside of the Student Center entrance. Check out the webpage for more inforamtion on the intake and ordering/pickup process.
  • Visit the WNC Academic Advising and Access office Monday-Friday from 8am-5pm or call 775-445-3267
    Carson Campus Bristlecone Building, Room 103
  • Call University Police Services at WNC 775-445-3308
    Carson Campus Bristlecone Building, Room 123
  • Healthy Campus - WNC's mission is best achieved in an environment that promotes a healthy lifestyle for students, faculty and staff. WNC is committed to providing a safe and healthy working and learning environment at its campuses.

  • Carson Tahoe Behavioral Health - Services include individual and group counseling, medical model detox services, inpatient and outpatient psychiatric services, psychological testing, dialectical behaviroal therapy (DBT), substance abuse treatment and support groups.
  • Mallory Behavioral Health Crisis Center - Provides 24-hour help to those suffering from a mental health or substance use emergency. Serving an at-risk population by providing immediate access to critical care.
  • Advocates to End Domestic Violence - Offers individual counseling, support groups, emergency shelter, crisis intervention and other helpful resources. 
  • Friends in Service Helping (FISH) - Gives access to job trainings, mental health resources, life skill developement and more. Providing Food, Instruction, Shelter, and Healthcare to community members in need, so that they may improve their self-sufficiency through life-changing experiences.
  • Ron Wood Family Resource Center -  Offers a wide range of services, or can refer you to someone who can help. They pledge to provide a fast, friendly and professional response to your family’s needs. Many of these services are free. They just need to know what you need, and their staff will help find some realistic options for the problems you’re facing. Their whole purpose is to help you, or connect you with the people who can.

Here are some ways to find a provider:

  • Connect with your primary care provider for a possible mental health screening and/or referral for mental health treatment.
  • Some federal agencies offer resources for locating treatment services, such as The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). They provide general information on locating treatment services in the area. Call SAMHSA's National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357) or check out the Behavioral Health Treatment Services Locator.
  • If you have health insurance, check with a representative to know local treatment providers covered by your insurance plan. Current and former service members can visit MentalHealth.gov and/or U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs.

988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline

  • Call or text 988 to connect with a trained crisis counselor.
  • Use Lifeline Chat on the web. The Lifeline provides 24-hour, confidential support to anyone in a suicidal crisis or emotional distress.

Worried about another person?

If you are worried about a friend's social media updates, you can contact safety teams at the social media company . They will reach out to connect the person with appropriate help.

Veterans Crisis Line

  • Use Veterans Crisis Chat on the web. The Veterans Crisis Line is a free confidential resource that connects veterans 24 hours a day, 7 days a week with a trained responder. The service is available to all veterans and those who support them, even if they are not registered with the VA or enrolled in VA healthcare.

  • The WNC Behavioral Intervention Team (BIT) aims to foster a safe campus environment by providing resources to support students, faculty and staff. BIT helps meet the needs of distressed, distressing and or disruptive students through a network of campus and community resources.
  • The Nevada Public Employee Benefits Program (PEBP) has a provider finder for various treatment needs.
  • WNC employees are offered an employee assistance program. The program is strictly voluntary and confidential, and can help you or any member of your immediate family with confidential assessment, problem identification, personal and work-related issues. EAP is accessible by telephone twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. For more information, brochures are available in the WNC Human Resources Office or visit their website GuidanceResources Online and enter our “Organization Web ID”: WNCEAP to find out how ComPsych can help.
  •  Human Resources: Call 775-445-4237 or email humanresources@wnc.edu

Through the support of a SAMHSA grant WNC has launched this Wildcat Wellness webpage.