As a local chapter of a national nonprofit, Active Minds at GMU particpates in a variety of programs established by Active Minds, Inc., as well as other national awareness campaigns and mental health-related events at Mason. Read below to learn about the programs Active Minds has put on--to see photos of these events, click here.
National Suicide Prevention Week
​
Active Minds works closely with the Mason Cares team to put on a variety of suicide prevention and mental health promotion activities. A sample of the week's programs have included Send Silence Packing, a national traveling display, and What Would a Friend Say?, an event where students were invited to write on a white sheet what they would say to a friend in crisis.
Sept
Past Events and Programs
Oct
National Day Without Stigma (NDWS)
National Day Without Stigma is an Active Minds, Inc. program held on the first Monday of each October, during NAMI's Mental Illness Awareness Week. The campaign aims to reduce stigma through education and promotion of help-seeking behavior. In the past we have hosted Stomp Out Stigma!, an outside event where students wrote down stigmas on a piece of paper that were folded up inside a plastic bottle and then stomped out, as well as passed out glowsticks to "shed light" on the stigma surrounding mental health issues.
Nov
PostSecretU
PostSecretU is the campus version of Frank Warren's acclaimed PostSecret project throughout which Active Minds collects anonymous secrets from GMU students, faculty, and staff and presents the secrets in a way that encourages an open dialogue about issues students face, with an emphasis on mental health. The goal of this program is to foster a sense of community on campus and help students realize they are not alone in their struggles. November 2011 was the first year Active Minds at GMU held this program, and clinical psychologist and author Dr. Rahimeh Andalibian was invited to speak and give a workshop about the importance of storytelling to attain freedom from our past.
National Mental Health on Campus Conference
The Active Minds National Mental Health on Campus Conference, held annually in November, is the only national conference addressing college student mental health and young adult advocacy. The conference brings together hundreds of experts, change-agents, and leaders from across the country and educates, energizes, and inspires the next generation of mental health advocates. It is hosted in Washington, DC every other year, and our chapter first attended it in November 2011.
Dec
Stress Less Week
December 2013 was the first year Active Minds, Inc. initiated a de-stress week for the fall semester. Active Minds GMU hosted a Stress Less Fest that gave students the opportunity to relax before finals by making stress balls or friendship bracelets, coloring, or playing around in a ball pit.
Feb/Mar
HEAL Your Body Week
​
HEAL (Healthy Eating and Love) Your Body Week coincides with National Eating Disorders Awareness (NEDA) Week. Active Minds' most noteworthy program is the Positive Post-It Note Project, a week-long program during which students are invited to write a positive, uplifting message or picture on a sticky note that is then placed with others at various spots throughout campus. Other events have included an interdisciplinary forum on eating disorders and body image and a Love Your Body fashion show.
Apr
Stress Less Week
​
Stress Less Week aims to raise awareness about stress and anxiety disorders. Active Minds has previously hosted a Laugh More! comedy show as well as Maggie Bertram from the Active Minds National Speakers Bureau.