SHAC Health Promotion and Education

University Center Building,  Suite 340
527 SW Hall Street
503-725-5339

www.pdx.edu/health-counseling/wellness

The focus of Health Promotion and Education rests in comprehensive, community-level interventions aimed to influence the environment in which students live, work, and learn. This work is accomplished through health promotion programs (planned, organized events and activities that empower students over time to make informed decisions regarding their health); health education (providing health-enhancing learning experiences for faculty, staff, and students through campus-wide events, workshops, and classes); and environmental approaches (policies and partnerships).

Health Promotion and Education is comprised of:

• Illuminate: An interpersonal violence prevention (IPV) program which uses the power of prevention education to promote healthy relationships and sexuality by addressing the underlying social determinants of violence and to create equal and respectful relationships. Illuminate seeks to shed light on the social injustices that lead to sexual and relationship violence and to create social change through prevention programming such as bystander intervention, anti-oppression, consent workshops, and campus social norms.

• Wellness & Health Action Team (WHAT): A group of student peer health educators who take a peer mentor approach to talking about and educating students on a wide variety of wellbeing topics and healthy lifestyle choices.

• Mental Health Promotion: Encompasses trauma-informed trainings for faculty, staff, and students who serve other students, suicide prevention programming and support and advocacy for students in recovery including those involved with the Collegiate Recovery Community student organization.

• The Mind Spa: A private space where students can rest, relax, and unwind at no charge. The Mind Spa contains a light therapy alcove, biofeedback software, an automatic massage chair, and other services to help students learn new skills to reduce stress and anxiety levels. Students can book up to three (3) appointments per term at www.pdx.edu/health-counseling/mind-spa. Additionally, students may access the Virtual Mind Spa Experience whenever needed no matter their location: sites.google.com/pdx.edu/virtual-mindspa/home.