Peer Wellness Resources
Yale is home to a diverse array of student organizations and related resources involved in promoting wellness. These organizations vary in their focus and address issues ranging from art and culture to the true meaning of happiness. Many work to encourage wellness on campus through events, discussions, activities, coursework, and advocacy.
Wellness-focused student organizations and opportunities for peer-to-peer discussion are described in detail below. Use the sort and tag features to view these resources grouped according to topic.
For a list of peer counseling resources, click here.
Beyond the Binary
Join Seth Wallace and Kacei Conyers for an ongoing discussion on gender identity, sponsored by the Office of LGBTQ Resources. Beyond the Binary is a safe space for conversations on life and well-being for those who identify as transgender, agender, dual gender, genderqueer, gender questioning or otherwise. Snacks are provided.
Chaplaincy Fellows
The Chaplaincy Fellows are a core group of students throughout the residential college system who help engender an ethos of reflection, non-judgmental conversation, and respectful curiosity of divergent worldviews. With the guidance of the staff of the Chaplain’s Office, Chaplaincy Fellows are empowered to facilitate conversations rooted in life’s big questions around meaning, purpose, authentic success, and happiness.
Coalition for Mental Health & Wellbeing at Yale
The Coalition for Mental Health & Wellbeing is a union of student organizations committed to positive mental health and well-being at Yale. In open monthly meetings, Coalition members plan joint initiatives, such as Mental Health and Wellness Weekend, aimed at enhancing the well-being of the student body. The Coalition’s Steering Committee advocates for mental health and well-being at Yale, liaises with Yale health professionals and Yale administrators, and serves on the Yale College Mental Health & Counseling Advisory Committee.
Communication and Consent Educators (CCEs)
The CCEs are a group of undergraduate students who work to foster a positive sexual and social climate at Yale. Directed by the Office of Gender and Campus Culture in the Yale College Dean’s Office, CCEs conduct trainings, spark conversations, and collaborate with student groups to ensure that mutual respect, and mindfulness are standard campus practice.
Flourish
Flourish: An Undergraduate Journal for the Interdisciplinary Study of Human Flourishing is a joint effort between Psi Chi and the Yale Society for the Interdisciplinary Study of Human Flourishing. Using both humanities and scientific research-based approaches to address the topics of happiness, human flourishing, and the good life, the journal serves as a forum for conversations on different aspects of human well-being. Flourish also hosts a speaker series with Yale professors whose work is related to human flourishing.
healthyU
healthyU ”fosters health in the Yale community by providing a support network for those trying to improve health, stay healthy, or share insights about health. healthyU holds weekly workshops for health-promoting activities and health instruction.”
InspireYale
InspireYale is the Yale chapter of InspireU. Through web-based and social projects, InspireYale works to “promote happiness and drive positive social change for Yale’s campus and the New Haven community.”
McDougal Health and Wellness Fellows
The Health and Wellness Fellows, as part of the McDougal Graduate Student Life Fellowship, plan health and wellness-related events and activities for the graduate and professional student community. The Fellows offer tips for staying well in the weekly McDougal Notes and support the activities of the Student Wellness office.
Mind Matters
Mind Matters is a student organization that works to create an open dialogue about mental health in the community, particularly by hosting guest speakers, arranging study breaks, screening films, and circulating newsletters. Student members advocate for positive mental health at Yale, working with peer liaisons and the Yale College Council to reduce the stigma associated with mental health and to educate students about the resources available to them.
Vita Bella!
Vita Bella! is an undergraduate-run magazine that celebrates and promotes positive living through photography, creative writing, fashion, journalism, and art. The magazine also hosts events that “aim to spread love, joy, and beauty in all forms to enrich the lives of students.”
Yale New Haven T’ai Chi Study Group
Yale New Haven T’ai Chi Study Group offers class once a week and practice sessions twice a week at Dwight Hall. Classes are open to the public, and beginners are welcome, especially during September. A monthly membership fee of $40 is charged starting in October, though classes are free for undergraduates.
YMindful
YMindful is a religiously unaffiliated student organization for collective meditation and mindfulness. YMindful students gather every Saturday in Jonathan Edwards College and take turns leading meditation. No prior experience is needed, and anyone is welcome to attend.
Yogis at Yale
Yogis at Yale (YAY) is a student-run organization that hosts daily yoga classes for the entire Yale community. Classes are free and drop-in style and cover a range of yoga forms.