Mental & Emotional Well-Being

Mental and Emotional Well-being is a lifelong process of developing our whole selves (cura personalis) and our ability to gain and maintain satisfying relationships, navigate conflict, and become more resilient after experiencing adversity.  We believe that everyone plays a role in supporting mental and emotional well-being—individually, within our community, and within our society. Our work is most effective when we come together to support and encourage one another through life’s journey, with its' challenges and triumphs.

Our community-based approach to mental and emotional well-being has been focused around Gonzaga’s participation in The Jed Foundation’s JED Campus program to create a collaborative, campus-wide initiative that focuses on the systems, programs, and policy development to enhance mental health, substance use, and suicide prevention efforts for Gonzaga’s students.  The JED comprehensive approach used at Gonzaga includes:

  • Developing life skills
  • Promoting social connectedness
  • Identifying students at risk
  • Increasing help-seeking behaviors
  • Providing mental health and substance misuse services
  • Following crisis management procedures
  • Reducing access to means

Our work embraces a holistic approach to promoting the 8 Dimensions of Well-Being, positive mental health, connection, and ultimately flourishing, while preventing the adverse impacts of negative mental health, mental illness, and suicide and self-harm. 

Eight dimensions of well-being indicated on a wheel with icons relating to each dimension. Emotional is represented by two theater masks, Environmental is represented by a tree and clock tower, financial is represented with a piggy bank, Intellectual is represented with a light bulb, social is represented by three people, occupational is represented by a brief case, physical is represented by a hand weight, and spiritual is represented by a dove. In the middle of the wheel is the text 'Core aspects of your identity?'

Emotional—Coping effectively with life and creating satisfying relationships
Environmental—Good health by occupying pleasant, stimulating environments that support well-being
Financial—Satisfaction with current and future financial situations
Intellectual—Recognizing creative abilities and finding ways to expand knowledge and skills
Occupational—Personal satisfaction and enrichment from one’s work
Physical—Recognizing the need for physical activity, healthy foods, and sleep
Social—Developing a sense of connection, belonging, and a well-developed support system
Spiritual—Expanding a sense of purpose and meaning in life

(SAMHSA)