Yoga for staff and students offers a chance to destress

“WE are all very conscious of the concept of wellbeing at St. Angela’s,” says the woman the helm.

College President Dr Anne Taheny believes a calm mind makes life easier for both students and staff allowing them to study and work effectively. To this end both can avail of yoga on campus.

There are 1300 students based at St. Angela’s, a college which has earned an amber flag. This status is given by the HSE to organisations who have positively promoted mental health awareness. Dr. Taheny is proud of the accolade.

“We deliver suicide prevention training which is important for teachers and nurses going out into the work place,” she says, “I think there is an increase in mental health issues. I’m not quite sure what is driving that, perhaps changes in society and families and the pace of life today. I’m not too sure that students today have the same coping strategies as they had 10 years ago as it’s a very different world we live in today.”

With reference to social media, Dr. Taheny says: “There is a lot more coming at students on a daily basis. They are exposed to a virtual world. The pressures of budgeting and studying that go with college life has not changed drastically but there are extra pressures to contend with.”

Welfare Officer at St. Angela’s Marie Lyons knows all about those extra pressures and says Smile Week is about addressing those issues.

“We had Rachel Reilly from Mental Health Ireland here this week. This was a fantastic informal chat. Students got involved. We learned that exercise really does impact on mental health. Communication is the most important thing when it comes to mental health. We, we have to talk about it, observe behaviours and offer help to those who may need it. It’s great to bring it to forefront and remove stigma.”