male college students talking

Emotional Well-Being

Emotional well-being is the knowledge and pursuit toward optimal psychological functioning. It involves the recognition of our thoughts and feelings in relation to our sense of self, relationships, life circumstances and reality, and aids our ability to manage stress, overcome adversity, reduce feelings of negativity, and approach life in a positive manner.1

5 Tips for Emotional Well-Being

  1. Don't avoid your feelings. Find healthy ways to express your feelings and let people close to you know when you are not doing well.
  2. Find a healthy balance. Determine your priorities, focus on things that are important to you, and make time to take care of yourself. Have fun and enjoy the small moments!
  3. Practice gratitude. Focus on positive events in your life and don't sweat the small stuff. Establish a daily gratitude practice to help highlight things that positively impact to your well-being.
  4. Stay connected with people in your life. Send a text message to someone you haven't talked to in awhile, make plans to get together with friends, or even spark a conversation with someone new.
  5. Focus on what matters the most to you in your life and spend time doing what is meaningful to you. Reflect on your personal values, set life goals, or try exploring spiritual or religious practices.

Campus Resources for Emotional Well-Being

Care and Resource Support Team

The Care and Resource Support (CARS) Team accepts referrals, problem solves, and responds to student behavior identified as reasonably causing concern for students’ health, welfare, and safety.

The CARS Team has established liaisons in many academic centers/departments across campus. The CARS Care Manager in the Office of Student Affairs can be contacted at 412-624-5756 or PittCares@pitt.edu.
 
If there is an emergency with a student, please call 911 or contact Pitt Police at 412-624-2121. The CARS Team is NOT an emergency response unit. The Faculty and Staff Guide for Helping Distressed Students is a helpful resource and can be found on the University Counseling Center website.

Disability Resources and Services

Disability is an aspect of diversity. Disability Resources and Services (DRS) is the designated department by the University to determine reasonable accommodations and services. At the University of Pittsburgh, we are committed to providing equal opportunities in higher education to academically qualified students with disabilities.

Students with disabilities are integrated as completely as possible into the University experience. DRS shares with you, the student, the responsibility for creating equal access toward achievement of your academic goals. Through an interactive process, we work individually with each student to provide access to University classes, programs and activities. Please contact us to discuss your individual needs.

Sexual Harassment and Assault Response and Education (SHARE)

Sexual harassment and sexual violence have no place on our campus. To help advance our goal of eradicating sexual misconduct, SHARE offers resources to help all members of our University community report, cope with, and prevent incidents of sexual misconduct or assault.

View more about the Sexual Harassment and Assault Response and Education office and get support.

Stress Free Zone

The Stress Free Zone (SFZ) is a space where students can learn and regularly practice evidence-based, mind/body stress reduction skills. These skills are primarily taught through mindfulness meditation, a form of attention training which involves an intentional, non-judgmental observation of the present moment.

Stress manifests in many ways. In the body, stress can be experienced as tight muscles, headaches, increased heart rate, and heat. In the mind, stress can be experienced as racing thoughts, worrying, sadness, irritability, even anger.

SFZ mindfulness services teach skills for working with the mind/body system in ways that not only help us feel better in the moment but also help increase awareness of mental habits that keep us locked into reactive, unhelpful behaviors. With increased awareness we can begin to break those habits and experience some freedom from them.

Student Health Service

Student Health Service is the primary source for high-quality medical care and health education during your years at Pitt. Their facility is fully accredited and employs a team of dedicated professionals who can serve a wide range of healthcare needs. Their services will enhance the living and learning experience and contribute to students' holistic well-being.

Therapy Assistance Online (TAO)

Therapy Assistance Online (TAO) is a private online library of engaging, interactive programs to learn life skills and to help you bounce back from disappointments or stumbling blocks in life. As you watch videos and engaged with our interactive components, you’ll gain the knowledge, self-awareness, and skills you need to achieve your goals.
 
You can complete TAO at your own pace, whether that’s just one session a day, or perhaps two whole modules. It’s entirely up to you!

Start using Therapy Assistance Online.

ThrivingCampus

ThrivingCampus is an online directory that allows Pitt students to access a list of off-campus, licensed mental health clinicians, many of whom specialize in working with students. The website includes various guides and resources that assist students through the process of securing off-campus outpatient care.

View more information about ThrivingCampus and find an off-campus mental health provider.

University Counseling Center

The mission of the University Counseling Center (UCC) is to provide high quality services and programs that foster the academic and personal development, as well as the psychological well-being, of Pitt’s diverse student body. From outreach and prevention to crisis intervention, the UCC is dedicated to supporting and empowering students to maximize their college experience and realize their fullest potential.

  • Drop-In Services
    • Call 412-648-7930
  • Group Counseling
  • Let's Talk Sessions are drop-in format that offer informal, confidential consultation with a clinician. Consultations are typically 10-15 minutes long and are offered on a first-come, first serve basis. 
  • Wellness Workshops

Explore Emotional Well-Being Resources at Pitt-Bradford  

Explore Emotional Well-Being Resources at Pitt-Greensburg 

Explore Emotional Well-Being Resources at Pitt-Johnstown

 

View more resources

Sources:

1Hettler (1976), Mayol (2012), Mayol et al. (2017), Roscoe (2009), and Swarbrick (2012).