The Murray Center for Student Wellness believes mental health is health.聽We foster mental health awareness and suicide prevention through campus outreach, education, open conversation, and stigma reduction.
Our mission is to empower students to care for their mental well-being, while promoting a compassionate campus community where seeking support is normalized and care is always within reach.
Learn About Mental Health
Learning about the ways mental health affects鈥攁nd is affected by鈥攐ur daily lives can help you care for your holistic health and well-being.
What Is Mental Health?
"Mental health is a state of mental well-being that enables people to cope with the stresses of life, realize their abilities, learn well and work well, and contribute to their community."
鈥� World Health Organization (2022)
Mental health is not static; rather, it can be affected by many factors throughout every stage of life. Taking care of your mental well-being means being proactive, exploring new strategies, and finding the tools that work best for you. By understanding how mental health impacts鈥攁nd is shaped by鈥攐ur daily lives, you can better navigate the unique demands of college life and care for your holistic well-being.
Our Comprehensive Approach
Because your mental well-being matters at every step of your college journey, we created "Mental Health Matters: Let's Talk About It"鈥攁 campus-wide campaign designed to empower, educate, and support students in caring for themselves and one another.
Guided by Boston College's Student Health & Wellness Strategic Plan, this initiative is deeply rooted in the Jesuit, Catholic value of cura personalis鈥攃are for the whole person: mind, body, and soul. Mental health is an essential part of this whole.
Through the "Mental Health Matters: Let鈥檚 Talk About It" campaign, the Murray Center for Student Wellness is dedicated to building a campus culture of care, collaboration, and open dialogue. This initiative combines outreach, education, and mental health promotion with QPR suicide prevention training for undergraduate and graduate students, faculty, and staff throughout the academic year鈥攃ultivating a web of support and inviting all members of the Boston College community to take an active role in student mental well-being.
Adapted from frameworks developed by The Jed Foundation, the Suicide Prevention Resource Center (SPRC), and the CDC鈥檚 Health Equity Guiding Principles, the "Mental Health Matters: Let's Talk About It鈥� campaign addresses four primary pillars:
- Identifying & Assisting Individuals at Risk: Recognizing early warning signs and connecting students to mental health support.
- Increasing Help-Seeking: Normalizing conversations around mental health, while educating and empowering students to ask for support for themselves or others.
- Enhancing Life Skills & Resilience: Equipping students with practical tools to navigate stressors and life challenges.
- Promoting Social Connectedness & Mutual Support: Fostering a welcoming campus culture built on belonging and compassionate care.
Together, these pillars build a proactive safety net where every student is seen, supported, and empowered to flourish. By aligning mental health awareness and outreach with accessible resources and collaborative community efforts, we ensure mental health care and campus resources are woven into every aspect of student life at Boston College.
Student Leaders for Mental Health Promotion & Suicide Prevention
Eagles for Wellness is a student leadership and advocacy group within the Murray Center for Student Wellness dedicated to promoting mental health and suicide prevention at Boston College. As student leaders, Eagles for Wellness members work together throughout the academic year to create, plan, and lead dynamic outreach and education initiatives, including driving the ongoing campus campaign, "Mental Health Matters: Let's Talk About It." Eagles for Wellness fosters peer-led discussion, cross-campus collaboration, and creative approaches to engaging the Boston College community in mental health and wellness.聽
Eagles for Wellness empowers student leaders while transforming campus culture through six core focus areas:
- Awareness & Advocacy: Promoting mental health awareness and suicide prevention initiatives across Boston College.
- Outreach & Collaboration: Leading impactful, stigma-reducing programming that brings the University community together.
- Mental Health & Wellness Education: Connecting peers with practical tools, mental health and wellness resources, and campus support services.
- Student Leadership: Gaining leadership skills and event-planning experience, and building confidence through dedicated leadership training.
- Community Building: Working closely with peers, student organizations, and campus partners to foster an inclusive campus web of support.聽
- Personal Growth: Creating space for student leaders themselves to engage their mental well-being with self-reflection, mindfulness, and journaling.
Signature events hosted by Eagles for Wellness include:
- Mental Health Fest: An interactive annual fall event connecting students with wellness-focused student groups and campus resources.
- Tropical WellFest: A mid-year event designed to support student mental health amidst seasonal stressors.
- Men鈥檚 Mental Health Panel & Dinner: An initiative fostering open dialogue and community around men鈥檚 mental well-being and help-seeking.
- Monthly Tabling: Active campus presence for mental health promotion, covering key topics including Suicide Prevention Awareness Month and campus mental health resources and tools for stress management, digital wellness, and mindfulness
There is a place for you in Eagles for Wellness鈥搘hether you want to advocate for mental health and suicide prevention, develop leadership skills, create and host campus-wide events, or connect with a passionate team of student leaders!
Eagles for Wellness welcomes undergraduate students across all class years, schools, identities, involvement levels, and personal experiences who are passionate about mental health promotion, suicide prevention, and peer support. Eagles for Wellness meets bi-weekly throughout the academic year to connect over snacks, brainstorm new ideas, lead engaging discussions, and plan upcoming campus events and programs for mental health and wellness.
During the Fall 2026 semester, Eagles for Wellness meets every other Thursday from 4:00 PM to 5:00 PM, with additional flexible volunteer opportunities available throughout the academic year.
If you have questions or are interested in joining, we would love to connect with you! Please reach out to Kelly Hughes, Assistant Director for Mental Health & Wellness, at kelly.hughes@bc.edu, or visit the Murray Center for Student Wellness in Gasson Hall 013 to learn more.聽
Learning about the ways mental health affects鈥攁nd is shaped by鈥攐ur daily lives empowers you to care for your holistic health and well-being. Taking care of your mental health means being proactive, exploring new strategies, and finding the evidence-based tools that work best for you.聽
Your toolkit is organized into three interconnected dimensions of wellness:
Mind, Body, and Soul.
Mind
When navigating the demands of academic and campus life, learning to direct your mental focus and regulate your nervous system can make all the difference.
Dynamic Breathing
Dynamic breathing is a powerful exercise designed for immediate tension release and a natural boost in energy and focus. A core skill taught in the Mindfulness Institute for Emerging Adults (MIEA, formerly Koru Mindfulness), this technique is particularly beneficial when you feel fatigued but still need to stay productive鈥搊ffering a quick wave of energy without disrupting your sleep cycle later. You can watch the MIEA Dynamic Breathing Tutorial to learn how to practice it yourself.
Mindfulness Meditation聽
Mindfulness teaches us to remain present in the moment with curiosity and self-compassion. The evidence-based benefits of mindfulness are vast鈥攊mproving focus and attention while fostering stronger emotion regulation, empathy, and stress resilience (Mindfulness Institute for Emerging Adults). It can be helpful to view mindfulness as a muscle: intentional, consistent practice makes incorporating awareness into daily life feel more natural over time. If mindfulness is the muscle, meditation is the primary technique used to build that strength, offering a grounded approach to managing stress, anxiety, and daily pressures. To begin building your daily practice, try this 10-Minute Guided Mindfulness Meditation from Mindful Peace.
Body
Physical movement and intentional rest provide immediate, physiological relief from stress, serving as vital anchors for your mental health.
- Sleep is one of the most powerful predictors of overall health, cognitive performance, and emotional well-being. Paying attention to your sleep hygiene鈥攐ptimizing your environment and daily habits to foster restorative rest鈥攊s one of the most straightforward ways to care for your holistic wellness.聽
- While the basic concepts of sleep apply to everyone, an ideal routine looks different for each person. Taking small, intentional steps to test minor adjustments allows you to discover the personalized habits that best help you recharge and thrive.
- To explore actionable strategies and learn how to optimize your nightly routine, check out the practical guide to Mastering Sleep Hygiene.
Mindful Stretching
Mindful stretching and somatic movement allow you to discharge stored physical tension while tuning into your body鈥檚 sensory signals. Pay attention to your physical needs, increasing any movement that feels restoring and supportive. Simple movements like the Cat & Cow stretch help flex and extend the spine to improve circulation, harmonize your breath, and release physical tension. Similarly, Triangle Pose incorporates gentle twists and stretches to strengthen core stability while opening the hips and back, while the Sphinx Stretch lengthens the spine and abdomen to counteract low-back pain and compression caused by long periods of sitting at a desk. To integrate simple movement into your study sessions, try this Desk Yoga Flow from Bellevue College & Indigo Moon Yoga.
Soul
Caring for your soul involves cultivating self-compassion, reflecting deeply, and making space for creative expression that restores your spirit.
Journaling and Reflection
Journaling involves writing down the daily thoughts, feelings, and experiences you encounter鈥搊ffering a unique, low-pressure space to gain mental clarity, foster self-compassion, and process internal emotions. As a practice of self-care, try ending your evening by writing down three small things you were proud of yourself for during the day, taking a moment to notice any self-critical thoughts and offering yourself kindness and understanding instead. Journaling can also foster deeper reflection, helping you examine personal patterns, clarify values, prioritize goals, and cultivate gratitude. If you need inspiration, explore our curated list of Journaling & Reflection Prompts to help channel your thoughts and express yourself freely.
Engaging in expressive arts and music serves as a holistic workout for your brain, offering profound physiological benefits like calming the nervous system, reducing stress, and supporting emotion regulation. Listening to music can immediately shift your mood鈥攚hether you curate an energetic playlist for a motivation boost or a grounding, gentle mix to process your feelings beyond words. At the same time, making art fosters a state of 鈥渇low,鈥� stimulating neuroplasticity (the brain's capacity to adapt and build new pathways). Cultivating creativity through hands-on practices like painting, crafting, or coloring mandalas enhances focus, deepens self-expression, and builds long-term psychological resilience. To support your creative reflection, explore our MCSW Spotify Playlists or listen to the Rooted Podcast.
When to Seek More Help
Knowing When & How to Seek Additional Support
Building a personal mental health toolkit is a wonderful way to care for your daily wellness, but self-care is not a substitute for professional mental health care鈥攏or are you expected to navigate challenging times alone. Recognizing when to reach out for additional support is a vital sign of self-awareness and strength. Consider connecting with campus mental health resources if you experience persistent changes in mood, chronic exhaustion, or if stress begins disrupting your academics, relationships, self-care, and daily functioning for more than two weeks.
When emotional distress feels unmanageable, or if you experience thoughts of suicide or self-harm, immediate and compassionate support is available 24/7 to help you:聽
Boston College Resources:
Murray Center University Counseling Services
Gasson 001
617-552-3310 | bc.edu/counseling
Hours: M - F 8:45a - 4:45p. After hours or on weekends, you can still reach the Psychological Emergency Clinician (PEC) by calling 617-552-3310 and choosing option 2.
Boston College Police Department
Emergency line: 617-552-4444
Non-emergency line: 617-552-4440 | bc.edu/bcpd
If you or someone you know is in imminent danger of harm to self or others please call 情色空间PD鈥檚 emergency line or 911.
Office of the Dean of Students | bc.edu/dos
Submit a Student of Concern repot at bc.edu/report or call 617-522-3470 to ensure follow-up care.
National Suicide Prevention LIfeline (accessible 24/7) - call or text 988.
Veterans: call 988, then press 1
Whether you are seeking individual or group counseling, navigating a complex situation, exploring peer wellness coaching, or responding to an urgent or emergency mental health situation, Boston College offers a comprehensive web of support designed to meet you wherever you are. Remember: asking for help and support is a normal part of the college experience. Explore our guide below for an overview of campus support services, step-by-step guidance for navigating mental health care, and direct contacts for urgent and emergency mental health situations for yourself or a friend.