The Awakened Life: An 8-Week Guide to Student Well-Being

Find peace, balance, focus, and well-being in the midst of everyday pressures of college life.

This is an 8-week, small group resource designed to teach psychosocial skills and help students build resiliency and foster mental, emotional, and spiritual well-being using mindfulness techniques. Specifically intended to equip chaplains, college ministers, and spiritual leaders, The Awakened Life can help students learn and cultivate spiritual practices that will lead to abundant living despite the anxieties and pressures of college life. Research demonstrates that mindfulness practices contribute to improved mood, concentration, and relationships. The Christian faith tradition has a lot to add to the conversation around mindfulness and draws from a rich contemplative history. With this knowledge in mind, this curriculum teaches students to be more present and navigate emotional disturbance with equanimity by incorporating these mindful practices into their daily lives.

Sarah E. Bollinger, PhD, LCSW is Director of Collegiate Ministry Leadership Development, Division of Higher Education, General Board of Higher Education and Ministry.

Angela R. Olsen, MDiv, is an elder in The United Methodist Church and Associate Pastor of Connections, Community United Methodist Church, Columbia, Missouri.