- University News Archive - ��Vlog��ý Little Rock

Rak promotes mental health, suicide prevention with inspirational mugs, website

Ajani Oyindamola — Wed, 17 Apr 2019 19:36:42 +0000

A University of Arkansas at Little Rock student is promoting mental health awareness with one inspirational smiley-faced mug at a time.�� Emilia Rak, a junior social work major, knows what it’s like to live with mental health disorders and the challenges and stigma that can come from people who don’t understand. “I’ve struggled with mental health issues for several years, and I would become severely depressed,” Rak said. “I had a very good friend, Renee. Her mother passed away a few years ago. She loved coffee, so at her funeral they had a coffee bar. Often, when I was feeling depressed, Renee told me that I had to have a coffee date with her mom in the morning. It was my promise not to harm myself until morning. For many years, my promise to my good friend was the only thing that kept me alive.” Years later, when Rak’s friend continued to struggle with her mother’s death, she began making mugs for her friends who needed a boost to their spirits. The mugs, which she makes at The Painted Pig in Little Rock, are hand-painted with bright colors, smiley faces, and inspirational phrases. “I just started making mugs and giving them to friends of mine who I thought were having a hard time. I love making presents for people,” she said. “While I was doing this, I was engaged in my own art therapy. The mugs take between 2-6 hours a piece to paint. While I was making mugs, there was no room for dark thoughts or to question my own self-worth.” When Rak received a Signature Experience Award from ��Vlog��ý Little Rock last fall, she was grateful for the opportunity to take her project further. “People gave me feedback that my gift saved them from having a bad day or that this simple gift really had an impact in my life,” she said. “The opportunity came up to get the award, and I wanted to really make a difference with the award. I created the website () and started providing content for my website and social media.” Rak was one of more than 100 ��Vlog��ý Little Rock students who received a $1,000 grant to conduct original research, creative works, and community service projects this semester as part of the Signature Experience Award program. Her faculty mentor is Dr. David Namir, professor of social work. She will present her research at the Research and Creativity in the Rock event on April 18 in the Jack Stephens Center. Along with her website, Rak began making more mugs with the goal of delivering them to places that promote mental health awareness and suicide prevention. She gave mugs to the Auxiliary to Arkansas State Hospital, Inc. to support their art therapy program, Creative Expressions, as well as the electroconvulsive therapy suite at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences Psychiatric Research Institute. She also presented mugs to her classmates in her social work classes and asked them to please “pay it forward” by either gifting the mug to someone who was struggling or to keep the gift and “pay it forward” by having a positive, productive day that started with a smile.

Emilia Rak creates these inspirational mugs to raise awareness for mental health issues and suicide prevention.

Rak feels the mugs will especially help people with depression and other mental health disorders as well as people who have suffered a major loss in life. “When you wake up, you feel like you have nothing to keep you motivated,” she said. “All you have to do is look at this mug to make you feel better. People have told me that the mugs make them smile and laugh. It’s been proven that if you physically smile, you feel better. This is a simple way for me to address a serious health problem.” Rak will continue to provide mugs and is accepting orders from anyone who would like a mug, but she would like to prioritize organizations that promote mental health awareness and suicide prevention. “I truly enjoy making people happy,” Rak said. “This is something that is simple and effective. I’ve opened a for anyone who would like to donate, and I’d like to keep doing this for as long as I can.” Rak is on track to graduate in May 2020. She hopes to give back by working as a social worker and eventually an art therapist. “This started out as art therapy, and this is why I am enthused about my future career because I know it works,” Rak said. “I want to make an impact in any way I can. Who knows? I might be painting mugs until I’m 110 years old.” In the upper right photo,��Emilia Rak pets her service dog, Rooster The King of the Universe. Photo by Benjamin Krain.

��Vlog��ý Little Rock to host suicide prevention walk April 13

Ajani Oyindamola — Mon, 01 Apr 2019 13:37:01 +0000

The University of Arkansas at Little Rock is fighting the epidemic of suicide by holding a suicide prevention walk on Saturday, April 13.�� Vlog��ý Little Rock Counseling Services is partnering with the Arkansas chapter of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention to hold an Out of Darkness Suicide Prevention Campus Walk beginning at the Donaghey Student Center mall area. “The intent for bringing the walk to campus is to encourage conversation about the serious issue of suicide,” said Dr. Mike Kirk, director of ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Counseling Services. “We also want to promote help seeking from a mental health professional as a positive behavior that healthy individuals participate in when appropriate.” Registration will begin at 11 a.m. Dr. Mark Allen Poisel, vice chancellor for student affairs, will give the welcome at noon, while the one-mile walk around campus will begin at 12:15 p.m. The walk is open to ��Vlog��ý Little Rock students, faculty, staff, alumni, and members of the public. There is no cost to participate. Any participant who raises $100 will receive a T-shirt. Those who cannot attend the walk in person can also join as virtual walkers. All proceeds will go to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. About 1,100 college students die from suicide every year, according to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. In Arkansas, suicide is the third leading cause of death for those aged 15-24 and the 10th leading cause of death in the state. Suicide prevention is especially important on college campuses since suicide is the second leading cause of death in the world for those ages 15-29, according to the �� Participants may register by. For more information, contact Kirk at hmkirk@ualr.edu or 501-569-8651. In the upper right photo, over 100 students, faculty, staff, alumni, and members of the public walked in the 2018 Out of Darkness Suicide Prevention Walk at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock. Photo by Benjamin Krain.

The BridgeWay starts scholarship/internship program at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock

Ajani Oyindamola — Thu, 01 Nov 2018 13:05:25 +0000

, a mental health and substance abuse facility in North Little Rock, is partnering with the University of Arkansas at Little Rock to provide students in the Department of Applied Communication with a unique opportunity to receive a scholarship and gain professional experience at the same time.�� The BridgeWay will donate $2,500 a year to ��Vlog��ý Little Rock to sponsor a scholarship and internship program for applied communication students in the College of Social Sciences and Communication. Beginning in January 2019, one student will be selected per year to receive a $2,500 scholarship and an internship at The Bridgeway. Bruce Trimble, director of business development for The BridgeWay and a passionate advocate for mental health in Arkansas, graduated from ��Vlog��ý Little Rock in 2006 with a Master of Arts in applied communication. “When I graduated, I wanted to do anything to help with the applied communication program because I got so much out of it,” Trimble said. “This is another way to honor the program and give students an opportunity for a great scholarship and internship experience.” The students selected for the scholarship will assist Trimble in developing communication strategies and messages targeted at combatting the stigma surrounding mental health and expanding The BridgeWay’s services. “One of the things I’ve learned over the years is the stigma that surrounds mental health can largely be combatted by communication,” Trimble said. “The interns will be assisting with messaging around mental health and helping me identify targets and barriers to expand our services within the state of Arkansas. This internship is a way to give back and expose this area of communication to young leaders.” The BridgeWay provides inpatient mental health services, outpatient care, and counseling to Arkansans. Now celebrating its 35th anniversary, the hospital is the largest freestanding psychiatric facility in the state and serves nearly 5,000 people a year. In 2014, Trimble experienced a paradigm shift when he realized that Arkansas was a leading state for suicide. Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson appointed Trimble to the Arkansas Suicide Prevention Council. This involved building connections to hospitals and treatment centers, challenging the stigma associated with mental health, and educating the populace about resources in the state, particularly for people who are struggling with depression or thoughts of suicide. Trimble has also been instrumental in establishing a call center in Arkansas for the Suicide Prevention Hotline, which opened in December 2017. �� “Statistically, Arkansas is eleventh in the nation for suicides, and that is definitely something we could reduce if more people got help,” Trimble said. “Every day is a wakeup call. Each number is a person, and we need to reverse that trend.” Trimble received the 2018 Alumni Making a Difference Award, which recognizes ��Vlog��ý Little Rock alumni for being instrumental in their community to foster the co-creation of better social worlds through positive communication. Receiving the award was a highlight for Trimble, who was happy to share the experience with his proud father, 90-year-old Robert Trimble. He also serves on the Advisory Board for the Department of Applied Communication which helps connect community businesses, nonprofits, and alumni with the university. Trimble is one of the featured speakers in the 2018-19 Leadership Lecture Series. On Nov. 1, he will deliver his lecture, “Language Matters: Our Role in Destigmatizing Mental Health Issues.” In the upper right photo,��Bruce Trimble (left) celebrates with his father, Robert Trimble, after receiving the ��Vlog��ý Little Rock 2018 Alumni Making a Difference Award.

��Vlog��ý Little Rock to host first Self-Care Fair

Ajani Oyindamola — Fri, 21 Sep 2018 14:14:21 +0000

��Vlog��ý Little Rock’s Counseling Services will host its first Self-Care Fair on Wednesday, Sept. 26 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The event will raise awareness about counseling services and other self-care services available at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock. Five booths, each representing one of Maslow’s five Hierarchy of Needs, will be set up in Ottenheimer Library as well as the Donaghey Student Center’s foyer and mall. Booths will represent physical needs, safety, relationships, self-esteem, and self actualization. The one-day fair will be held in lieu of Suicide Prevention Week in order to focus on the broader issues of self-care, though suicide prevention resources and awareness will remain a key part of its offerings. “Whether it’s mental health, physical health, or both, we want to show our ��Vlog��ý Little Rock community that we have resources available to help them and that we are here for them,” said Counseling Services Director Dr. Mike Kirk. The fair will feature a myriad of self-care resources, from massage chairs to opportunities to meet and talk to campus police. All attendees will receive a ticket that can be exchanged at Kona Ice for a free shaved ice after visiting each booth. Attendance is free and open to all members of the ��Vlog��ý Little Rock community.

��Vlog��ý Little Rock to host suicide prevention walk

Ajani Oyindamola — Fri, 16 Mar 2018 14:23:58 +0000

The University of Arkansas at Little Rock is fighting the epidemic of suicide by holding a suicide prevention walk on Saturday, April 7.�� Vlog��ý Little Rock Counseling Services is partnering with the Arkansas chapter of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention to hold an Out of Darkness Suicide Prevention Campus Walk beginning at the Donaghey Student Center mall area. Registration will begin at 12:30 p.m. ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Chancellor Andrew Rogerson will welcome the participants at 1 p.m. followed by comments from Mike Kirk, director of Counseling Services. The half-mile route through campus will begin around 1:15 p.m. The walk is open to ��Vlog��ý Little Rock students, faculty, staff, alumni, and members of the public. There is no cost to participate. Any participant who raises $100 will receive a T-shirt. All proceeds will go to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. “The intent for bringing the walk to campus is to encourage conversation about the serious issue of suicide,” Kirk said. “We also want to promote seeking help from a mental health professional as a positive behavior that healthy individuals participate in when appropriate.” About 1,100 college students die from suicide every year, according to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. In Arkansas, suicide is the third leading cause of death for those aged 15-24 and the 10th leading cause of death in the state. Suicide prevention is especially important on college campuses since suicide is the second leading cause of death in the world for those ages 15-29, according to the �� Participants may register by. For more information, contact Danna Wolters at dswolters@ualr.edu or 501-733-2562.

Conference will raise awareness of suicide in LGBTQ community

Ajani Oyindamola — Fri, 02 Mar 2018 15:35:11 +0000

The University of Arkansas at Little Rock will host a conference to raise awareness about the LGBTQ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer) community and suicide risk and prevention on Saturday, March 10.�� The will take place from 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. in Donaghey Student Center Ledbetter Hall. The conference includes plenary and breakout sessions that feature national experts on LGBTQ+ mental health and suicide risk and will be focused on making mental health, suicide prevention, and education an LGBTQ community priority. The featured speaker is Kimberly Shappley, a registered nurse, international board-certified lactation consultant, ordained minister, and mother of a transgender daughter who has turned Shappley into an accidental advocate. Her family’s story has appeared on The TODAY Show, Vice HBO, Good Housekeeping, Huffington Post, and several national women’s magazines. Working with Equality Texas as their faith outreach coordinator, Kimberly is a nationally recognized sought-after speaker as a southern conservative Christian parent of a transgender child. Additional presenters include:

��Dr. John Blosnich, “Questions of Life and Death: Seeking answers about suicide deaths among lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people.” Blosnich is an assistant professor in the Division of General Internal Medicine at the University of Pittsburgh, a research assistant professor with the West Virginia University Injury Control Research Center, and a research health scientist with the Center for Health Equity Research and Promotion at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Pittsburgh Healthcare System.
��Dr. Stephen Russell, “Understanding and Preventing Suicide in LGBT+ Communities.” He is the Priscilla Pond Flawn Regents Professor in Child Development in the Department of Human Development and Family Sciences at the University of Texas at Austin. He studies adolescent development with an emphasis on adolescent sexuality, LGBT youth, and parent-adolescent relationships.
��Dr. Jody Herman, “Suicide Risk and Prevention Among Transgender People.” She is a scholar of public policy at the Williams Institute at the University of California, Los Angeles School of Law. Her work has included research on the fiscal impacts of discrimination against transgender people, employer-provided health benefits coverage for gender transition, the development of trans-inclusive questions for population-based surveys, and suicide among transgender people.

The conference is open to members of the public. The cost to attend is $20 for students and $50 for general admission. For more information, contact Tabitha Childers at 870-834-6777 or tabitha.afsp.ar@gmail.com.

Suicide Prevention Week is Sept. 19-23

Ajani Oyindamola — Wed, 14 Sep 2016 14:34:59 +0000

Every year, more than 800,000 people die from suicide.�� Suicide prevention is especially important on college campuses, since suicide is the second leading cause of death in the world for those ages 15-29, according to the �� The University of Arkansas at Little Rock’s Counseling Services is holding its fourth annual Suicide Prevention Week Sept. 19-23 to help combat suicide. The purpose of Suicide Prevention Week is to educate about campus mental health resources, reduce overall stigma concerning behavioral health issues, and promote help seeking behavior. Suicide Prevention Week will kick off with three selfie photo stations from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday, Sept. 19. The photo stations will be located in the foyer of the Donaghey Student Center and at tents near the Engineering and Information Technology Building and the University Commons Lawn area. ��Vlog��ýLR students and employees are encouraged to take photos and post them to social media with the hashtag #��Vlog��ýLRSPW to raise awareness of suicide prevention. The events will continue with brain games from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 21, in Donaghey Student Center Diamond Café. Brain games will feature mindball. On loan from the, the game measures brainwaves and challenges players to calm their minds in order to keep the ball from moving toward them. Magician Aaron Acosta will also provide entertainment during brain games. Acosta has generously donated 25 percent of his fee to the Suicide Prevention Week Foundation. Suicide Prevention Week will conclude with a proclamation by Chancellor Andrew Rogerson on the importance of suicide prevention and a memorial balloon release in honor of those affected by suicide. The proclamation and balloon release will be from noon to 1:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 22, at Donaghey Student Center Diamond Café and mall area. There will be live music, and Sodexo will provide a dessert bar. For more information, contact ��Vlog��ýLR Counseling Services at ualr.edu/counseling or call 501.569.3185.

- University News Archive - ����Vlog��ý Little Rock

Rak promotes mental health, suicide prevention with inspirational mugs, website

����Vlog��ý Little Rock to host suicide prevention walk April 13

The BridgeWay starts scholarship/internship program at ����Vlog��ý Little Rock

����Vlog��ý Little Rock to host first Self-Care Fair