Williams:
On Thursday, October 11th, College Council’s Mental Health Committee will host You Are Not Alone, an evening of solidarity and support for students who have been impacted by issues affecting their emotional, psychological, or social wellbeing. All are welcome and encouraged to attend. You Are Not Alone will be the culminating event of the College’s Break the Silence Week, a five-day initiative to raise awareness and promote thoughtful and sensitive discussion about depression and suicide.
You Are Not Alone will begin at 9 p.m. in Goodrich Hall. Four students will speak about the challenges they have faced relating to their own ability to fully thrive at Williams or in the world beyond; an open mic for the student body will follow. Counselors from the Health Center and the Chaplain’s Office will be available as resources.
Many students at Williams struggle with depression, alcoholism, disordered eating, heartbreak, anxiety, coming to terms with their sexuality, or a variety of other mental health challenges. Many struggle with the notion of effortless perfection. Many struggle in ways they cannot even articulate. We hope this event will give students a fuller understanding of the nature and spectrum of mental health challenges on campus. We also hope that it will be a step for the Williams community toward becoming an environment where struggle is not equated with failure.
To continue this honest discussion, the Mental Health Committee will facilitate a weekly support network, Good Company, beginning on 10/18, on Thursdays at 9 p.m. in Griffin 1. Come to share. Come to listen. Come to be together, in Good Company.
Please support the Williams community and ‘You Are Not Alone’ on Thursday, October 11th.
Sincerely,
Krista Pickett and Gia Recco
Co-Chairs of Mental Health Committee
The Mental Health Committee is a College Council initiative created to foster a community of support and to strengthen resources for those on campus facing challenges to their mental health and wellbeing. The committee is comprised of representatives from College Council, Peer Health, Active Minds, the Student Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) and the athletic community, RASAN, the JA Class, and the student body at-large. By facilitating discussion, addressing the issues we see, and learning about the ones we do not, the committee is striving to make Williams a community that does not hide from personal struggle, but faces it head on.
Mental Health Committee Members
Follow Mental Health at Williams on Facebook
Gia Recco, Co-Chair
Krista Pickett, Co-Chair
Lauren Bender
Cooper Nassery
Iva Nikolau
Taylor Nutting
Jonathan Pekar
Ali Piltch
Blair Robinson
Marissa Thiel
Lysa Vola
B R E A K T H E S I L E N C E W E E K
All Week – Remembering 1,100
1,100 flowers displayed in Paresky, each representing one of the 1,100 college students who die by suicide each year.
Tuesday, October 9th – National Day Without Stigma
Together, we can eliminate the stigma and shame associated with mental health issues.
Wednesday, October 10th – Dinner Discussion: De-Stigmatizing Depression
5:30 p.m., Dodd Living Room, Catered by Spice Root
Join us for an honest, open conversation about dealing with depression and its stigma at Williams and beyond.
Thursday, October 11th – National Depression Screening Day
Anonymous online screening for depression symptoms: click to take the online version
Take care of yourselves and take care of each other!