The Well-being Academy helps faculty, staff, and students support the well-being of students on our campus. There are two training tracks: Motivational Interviewing and Academic Partnerships.
Motivational interviewing
Motivational interviewing (MI) helps people talk about changes they want to make in their lives based on their values and interests. The spirit of MI includes:
- Compassion – caring about the student’s well-being
- Acceptance
- Valuing the students worth
- Supporting their choices
- Understanding their feelings
- Giving positive feedback
- Partnership – working collaboratively with the student
- Evocation – helping students see their own strengths
If students feel accepted, they are more likely to think about changing for the better. Our trainings include:
- Compassionate Conversations (2 hours). Learn to talk to students in a respectful, caring way. It draws on student wisdom and is based in MI spirit. Free for U-M staff and students.
- Wellness Ambassador Training (8 hours, with lunch break). Learn about well-being, campus resources, and some MI basics. We will provide strategies to have helpful conversations to mobilize students toward their goals. Free for U-M staff and students.
- Introduction to Motivational Interviewing (20 hours over 4 weeks). Deep dive into MI foundations, skills, and strategies to help guide students through behavior change. It’s helpful for many Student Life staff, including therapists, advisors, supervisors, clinicians, and more. Free for Student Life staff and students (with permission). Cost for other U-M staff is $200.
Academic partnerships
These trainings are for faculty, instructors, and GSIs who want to build well-being into their work with students.
Advisors and Mentors Training and Support: Intro to Well-being and Resources (1 hour). This session fits well into existing staff meetings to help anyone who talks to students and well-being comes up. You will learn strategies to help you get un-stuck and resources to help yourself and your students.
- Faculty-facing Compassionate Conversations (2 hours). We know you want to support the mental health of students, but often question if you’re equipped to do so. This session challenges you to use compassion and empathy as tools when teaching and mentoring.
- Designing and Teaching Well-being Courses and Modules. A consultation for those creating courses or adding sections about well-being.
- Intro to the Wellness Check-in Intervention (for large, introductory courses). Learn to support students and staff with short check-ins during stressful times of the term.
- Integrating Well-being into Curriculum and Policies. A consultation for leaders to include well-being in their department’s systems and policies.
- Using the Well-being Toolkit for Supporting Student Well-being. A workshop on how to use well-being tools in classes and meetings.
If you want to know more about any of our trainings, fill out our Wolverine Wellness form.