Mental Health Matters in Higher Education
Understanding, Connecting, and Taking Action
Explore a powerful lineup of live events, on-demand webinars, and practical resources designed to help higher ed professionals take action, foster community, and reduce stigma around mental health.
Attend two live events to earn a special Mental Health Certificate of Professional Development, showcasing your dedication to supporting mental well-being.
Plus, download free Awareness Activities for Student Engagement in Higher Ed
Mental Health Matters in Higher Education
Understanding, Connecting, and Taking Action
Explore a powerful lineup of live events, on-demand webinars, and practical resources designed to help higher ed professionals take action, foster community, and reduce stigma around mental health.
Attend two live events to earn a special Mental Health Certificate of Professional Development, showcasing your dedication to supporting mental well-being.
Plus, download free Awareness Activities for Student Engagement in Higher Ed
Join a Community Committed
to Mental Wellness
Join us this Mental Health Awareness Month for sessions designed to support educators in prioritizing their own mental health while learning how to guide and care for their students.
All sessions are free to attend! Registrants will receive access to the on-demand recordings, plus you'll earn a Certificate of Professional Development for each webinar you attend live.
WEDNESDAY MAY 7th, 12:00PM ET
How to Have Appropriate Mental Health Chats with Students – Cailyn Green, SUNY Empire State University
This presentation introduces the importance of faculty and staff identifying potential mental health red flags in students. It reviews examples of how to appropriately engage in mental health conversations and highlights what to avoid. It closes with a discussion on the terms higher education staff should use—and avoid—when talking with students about mental health situations.
Did you attend live? Download your certificate here.
THURSDAY MAY 15th, 3:00PM ET
Inhale Stress, Exhale Calm – Josh Seiler, Final Move Fitness
Mental and emotional strain is at an all-time high, and as stress builds, it can significantly impact both mental clarity and physical well-being. But what if we could interrupt that cycle with something as simple and powerful as mindful breathing?
In this session, holistic healer Josh shares how breathwork offers practical, research-backed techniques to reduce anxiety, enhance focus, and support emotional regulation. Drawing from his experience teaching breathwork in educational settings since 2021, Josh will guide you through simple, accessible exercises you can apply both personally and professionally.
Did you attend live? Download your certificate here.
THURSDAY MAY 22nd, 1:00PM ET
Benefits of Building a Communal Classroom – Caitlin Gilman, University of North Carolina Charlotte
Classrooms thrive when students feel they are part of a supportive and inclusive community. This session explores how fostering a communal classroom—one that emphasizes shared responsibility, emotional safety, and collaboration—can enhance student well-being and promote a more engaging learning environment. Drawing from classroom experiences and educational research, Caitlin shares practical strategies to help students feel seen, heard, and valued, including collaborative assessments, reflective group work, and problem-solving tasks that encourage multiple perspectives.
Grounded in sociocultural and constructivist theories, this talk offers actionable ways to shift classroom culture from individual competition to collective growth.
FRIDAY MAY 30th, 12:00PM ET
Mental Health in Modern Academia: A Conversation with Students – Trenton Jeffers, Inam Osmani, Sonja Jerome, Jessica Skinner
Join us for an engaging student panel discussion on mental health in academia, where college students will share their personal experiences, challenges, and insights. This conversation will explore the pressures of academic life, coping strategies, the role classroom materials play in mental health, and ways institutions can better support student well-being.
Whether you're a student, educator, or advocate, this webinar offers a valuable opportunity to hear authentic voices and foster a more supportive academic environment.
Join a Community Committed
to Mental Wellness
Join us this Mental Health Awareness Month for sessions designed to support educators in prioritizing their own mental health while learning how to guide and care for their students.
All sessions are free to attend! Registrants will receive access to the on-demand recordings, plus you'll earn a Certificate of Professional Development for each webinar you attend live.
WEDNESDAY MAY 7th, 12:00PM ET
How to Have Appropriate Mental Health Chats with Students – Cailyn Green, SUNY Empire State University
This presentation introduces the importance of faculty and staff identifying potential mental health red flags in students. It reviews examples of how to appropriately engage in mental health conversations and highlights what to avoid. It closes with a discussion on the terms higher education staff should use—and avoid—when talking with students about mental health situations.
Did you attend live?
THURSDAY MAY 15th, 3:00PM ET
Inhale Stress, Exhale Calm – Josh Seiler, Final Move Fitness
Mental and emotional strain is at an all-time high, and as stress builds, it can significantly impact both mental clarity and physical well-being. But what if we could interrupt that cycle with something as simple and powerful as mindful breathing?
In this session, holistic healer Josh shares how breathwork offers practical, research-backed techniques to reduce anxiety, enhance focus, and support emotional regulation. Drawing from his experience teaching breathwork in educational settings since 2021, Josh will guide you through simple, accessible exercises you can apply both personally and professionally.
Did you attend live?
THURSDAY MAY 22nd, 1:00PM ET
Benefits of Building a Communal Classroom – Caitlin Gilman, University of North Carolina Charlotte
Classrooms thrive when students feel they are part of a supportive and inclusive community. This session explores how fostering a communal classroom—one that emphasizes shared responsibility, emotional safety, and collaboration—can enhance student well-being and promote a more engaging learning environment. Drawing from classroom experiences and educational research, Caitlin shares practical strategies to help students feel seen, heard, and valued, including collaborative assessments, reflective group work, and problem-solving tasks that encourage multiple perspectives.
Grounded in sociocultural and constructivist theories, this talk offers actionable ways to shift classroom culture from individual competition to collective growth.
FRIDAY MAY 30th, 12:00PM ET
Mental Health in Modern Academia: A Conversation with Students – Trenton Jeffers, Inam Osmani, Sonja Jerome, Jessica Skinner
Join us for an engaging student panel discussion on mental health in academia, where college students will share their personal experiences, challenges, and insights. This conversation will explore the pressures of academic life, coping strategies, the role classroom materials play in mental health, and ways institutions can better support student well-being.
Whether you're a student, educator, or advocate, this webinar offers a valuable opportunity to hear authentic voices and foster a more supportive academic environment.
Attend any two live events in the series to earn a distinct Mental Health Certificate of Professional Development!
Attend two live events in the series to earn
a distinct Mental Health Certificate of Professional Development!
Webinars On-Demand
Browse instructor-led sessions and podcasts on student wellness, faculty resilience, mindfulness, and more.
Student Wellness
- Supporting College Students with Executive Functioning Impairments
- Supporting College Students on the Autism Spectrum
- Trauma and Neuroscience-Informed Education
- Welcoming Ain't Belonging: Fostering an Environment of Validation and Mattering for Men of Color
- Back to School Anxiety (NAMI Podcast)
- NAMI on Campus (NAMI Podcast)
- Stress, Anxiety & Coping (NAMI Podcast)
Personal Growth & Self Care
- Transform Public Speaking from Fear to Fun
- Resiliency: Handling Pressure by Not Losing Your Cool
- Mindfulness & Meditation: Maximizing Your Mood
- Stress: How to Actually Manage the Most Powerful Emotion
- Self-care and Self-compassion: Let's Take Care of Ourselves by Being Kind
- PsychSessions Podcast: How Do You Keep Doing This?
- Who Am I?
- How to Meditate (Playlist)
- Workplace Mental Health (NAMI Podcast)
Webinars On-Demand
Browse instructor-led sessions and podcasts on student wellness, faculty resilience, mindfulness, and more.
Student Wellness
- Supporting College Students with Executive Functioning Impairments
- Supporting College Students on the Autism Spectrum
- Trauma and Neuroscience-Informed Education
- Welcoming Ain't Belonging: Fostering an Environment of Validation and Mattering for Men of Color
- Back to School Anxiety (NAMI Podcast)
- NAMI on Campus (NAMI Podcast)
- Stress, Anxiety & Coping (NAMI Podcast)
Personal Growth & Self Care
- Transform Public Speaking from Fear to Fun
- Resiliency: Handling Pressure by Not Losing Your Cool
- Mindfulness & Meditation: Maximizing Your Mood
- Stress: How to Actually Manage the Most Powerful Emotion
- Self-care and Self-compassion: Let's Take Care of Ourselves by Being Kind
- PsychSessions Podcast: How Do You Keep Doing This?
- Who Am I?
- How to Meditate (Playlist)
- Workplace Mental Health (NAMI Podcast)
Free Resource
Empower Your Students Through Self-Reflection
By encouraging students to explore their reactions to stressors and coping strategies, this download helps connect real-world mental health topics to core psychology concepts, promoting critical thinking, self-awareness, and empathy.
Access the free download today to get started supporting meaningful conversations around mental health in your classroom.
Recognizing the Challenges
Many students and faculty alike report struggling with stress, anxiety, and other mental health concerns—often without seeking help or knowing where to even begin. By recognizing these shared experiences and barriers to support, we can create a healthier learning environment for all.
- Academic Pressure – Balancing coursework, deadlines, and expectations.
- Social & Emotional Well-being – Navigating relationships, identity, and self-care.
- Mental Health Stigma – Fear of judgment preventing people from seeking mental health support.
- Financial & Life Stressors – Managing tuition, the rising cost of living, and shifting economic landscapes
- Instructor Burnout – The demands of teaching, grading, and the emontional labor of supporting students while managing personal obligations.
88%
of instructors report feeling under-equipped to support students with non-academic concerns at least occasionally.
(50% occasionally, 29% frequently, and 9% always)
Source: 2024 Mental Health Month Survey, Hawkes Learning
2 in 5
college students indicated that their mental health significantly affects their ability to focus, learn, and perform academically.
Source: 2024 Student Voice Survey,
Inside Higher Ed
64%
of students said access to mental health resources makes them more likely to stay enrolled and graduate.
Source: 2023 TimelyCare Survey
53%
of faculty considered leaving their job because of burnout, increased workload and stress.
Source: 2024 TimelyCare Survey
83%
of faculty at least somewhat agreed that student mental health problems are significantly worse now compared to when they began their careers.
(23% somewhat agree, 27% agree, 33% strongly agree)
Source: 2023-24 The Healthy Minds Study’s Faculty/Staff Survey
35%
of faculty felt supporting students in mental and emotional distress has taken a toll on their own mental and emotional health.
Source: 2023-24 The Healthy Minds Study’s Faculty/Staff Survey
Additional Resources
While this list of resources and webinars is designed to provide you with practical, actionable strategies, we know many other valuable mental health resources are out there.
Whether you're looking to educate your community, connect students with crisis support, or simply practice better self-care, these resources can empower you to make a lasting impact and foster a more positive learning environment.
Online Resources
- Active Minds: activeminds.org
- The Steve Fund: stevefund.org
- The Jed Foundation: jedfoundation.org
- Mental Health America: mentalhealthamerica.net
- NAMI On Campus: nami.org
- Half of Us: mentalhealthishealth.com
- Bring Change to Mind: bringchange2mind.org
National Helplines
- NAMI Helpline: 1-800-950-NAMI
- Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255
- Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741
- Jed Foundation Campus Program Helpline: 1-800-273-8255
- Active Minds Student Mental Health Helpline: 1-888-407-4939
©2025 Hawkes Learning