The University of Idaho has several resources available to students that promote the discussion and practice of mental health. One of these resources is “drop-in mindfulness” sessions held every Wednesday from 12-12:20 p.m. through Zoom, hosted by Jamie Derrick, an associate clinical professor in the Department of Psychology and Communication Studies.
These sessions are free and available to anyone of any level of experience to attend, even if they are not currently a student at UI. Participants are led through an open practice of guided meditation sessions that vary week to week, depending on the current social climate. Derrick has incorporated COVID-19 concerns into her teachings and practice, as several participants have experienced stress related to the pandemic. As well, the Wednesday, Nov. 4 session focused on the aftermath of the 2020 election, according to Derrick.
“So much of what I’m doing now is really supporting people to handle the heightened stress and the sense of disconnection,” Derrick said. “The practices are almost all about finding ease and relaxation. We’re not pulling up any deep things, we’re just really taking care of ourselves.”
Derrick’s sessions typically consist of an opening “settle-in” of participants, a general exercise or open practice and a conclusive exercise to encourage participants to retain the ease and relaxation of the session throughout the rest of their day. Derrick encourages individuals who are considering mindfulness to explore it, join the sessions and be aware of the expectations set for themselves regarding their involvement in practice.
“Don’t push too hard,” Derrick said. “Allow space for fun and rest and whatever distractions that are wholesome and helpful. Self-compassion is really important—to try to suspend self-judgment or judgment of other people.”
Outside of scheduled “drop-in” sessions, Derrick has also led mindfulness training workshops for groups and organizations on campus. Michaela Lafountaine, chapter president of Gamma Beta Phi at UI, is a senior secondary education major who has taken Derrick’s classes, attended her mindfulness sessions and has applied her teachings to her personal life and her sorority.
“It’s 20 minutes once a week and can be really impactful towards a lot of different aspects of your life,” Lafountaine said. “I think it’s one of our best resources on campus because it’s so accessible and so impactful.”
During the period of increased COVID-19 cases among UI Greek chapters, Lafountaine introduced mindfulness techniques to her sorority to cope with the isolation period and encourage mental wellness during a time of stress and uncertainty.
“I think it has been really beneficial to me personally and even just to the chapter, in general, to be able to acknowledge (that) this is not a normal experience,” Lafountaine said. “It’s helped our mindset and morale to be able to have those tools available to us and know that ‘no, we don’t have to perfectly know how to attack this, but there are ways to get there.’”
Other mental health resources on campus include the Counseling and Testing Center, (208-885-6716) located in Mary Forney Hall, room 306, VandalHealth, (208-885-6693) located at 831 Ash St. with access on the west side of the Student Health Building and Jamie Derrick herself, who leads scheduled group mindfulness training for classes and living groups on campus. She can be reached at [email protected]. For immediate crisis assistance, contact the National Suicide Prevention Hotline at 800-273-8255 or the Idaho Suicide Prevention Hotline at 208-398-4357. Katarina Hockemacan be reached [email protected].