Harvard organization promotes mental health

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – In a continuing battle against depression and stress, Harvard University’s student wellness organizations are teaming up to reach undergraduates – particularly freshman – during this term’s reading period.\nReading period is a break from classes that allows students more time to study before exams. Right before winter break, Harvard’s Undergraduate Council passed the Reading Period Resources Act, which enlists the help of five campus organizations in increasing mental health resource awareness among students.\nTheir input has resulted in an informational pamphlet listing resources, mental health contact information and mental health events, and will be distributed to Harvard students primarily through e-mail this week.\nThe Bureau of Study Council, the Harvard University Health Services Center for Wellness, UHS Mental Health Services, the Harvard College Women’s Center and the Office for Sexual Assault Prevention and Response all contributed to the pamphlet.\nUndergraduate council representative Tamar Holoshitz, who sponsored the legislation, said the idea stemmed from discussions with students and tutors in Quincy House about ways that mental health prevention efforts could be expanded on campus.\n“(Reading period) is the time when students are under the most amount of stress,” Holoshitz said\nSunglim Shin, a counselor at the Bureau of Study Council, concurred.\n“Some students feel like they are running on empty,” Shin said. “They tend to have such a full platter with all of the activities and the commitments that they have.”\nPaul J. Barreira, director of behavioral health and academic counseling at Harvard University Health Services, said Holoshitz and outgoing Undergraduate Council President Ryan A. Petersen came to him with idea of expanding Harvard’s reading period outreach efforts.\n“I think we’ve got to do multiple events to reach students, so that there are a lot of different resources available,” he said. “Students respond in different ways.”