Wellness fair emphasizes need to focus on mental well-being

Friday, May 02, 2025 • Greg Pederson :

A special event at The University of Texas at Arlington on April 23 focused on the importance of mental health and offered ways to support it.

Students from the Advanced Topics in Clinical Psychology class partnered with UTA Libraries to host the Impact Mental Wellness Fair. The goal was to raise awareness and support mental health across campus. The event featured interactive exhibits and gave students, faculty, and staff a welcoming space to explore strategies and learn about campus resources for well-being.

Bonnie Laster, assistant professor of instruction in the Department of Psychology, said the fair was a big success and helped students make a meaningful impact.

“The fair surpassed our wildest expectations. We estimate around 350 people attended,” she said. “I’m very proud of our 30 psychology students who created it from the ground up, while also handling their other classes.

“The students came up with the idea to highlight mental health resources on campus. Many techniques and systems exist that people may not know about. The goal was to spread awareness and help others access what they need to improve their well-being.”

Beyond awareness, Laster saw the fair as a chance for students to gain real-world experience. She received a Library Experiential Learning Faculty Fellowship to support hands-on learning through UTA Libraries.

Her students also received a Libraries' Open Initiatives Grant to fund fair-related materials and will publish their findings in MavMatrix, UTA Libraries’ repository.

The fair’s interactive nature set it apart. Instead of just reading about mental health, attendees experienced different wellness techniques directly.

“Many attendees didn’t realize how many counseling services exist, like CAPS (Counseling and Psychological Services) and RVSP (Relationship Violence and Sexual Assault Prevention),” Laster said.

Chloé Bennett, experiential learning librarian, stressed the importance of engagement:

“We didn’t want just a poster session,” she said. “Students built booths to let people try different therapy techniques and see what works for them.”

Although the fair didn’t include formal therapy sessions, it offered several stress-relieving activities and therapy options, including:

• Yoga sessions for mindfulness and relaxation
• Therapy dogs providing comfort and companionship
• Virtual reality experiences to reduce anxiety
• Guided meditation to help with focus and stress relief
• Video games to promote cognitive well-being

Attendees also learned about Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), which helps with anxiety, depression, and PTSD, and got info on other mental health approaches. Campus and community resources were also shared.

Clinical Psychology student Daniel Anderson said the event was a reminder to focus on mental health during the stressful end-of-semester time.

“April is tough with finals and deadlines. It’s easy to push mental health aside,” he said. “This fair reminds us that well-being isn’t one-size-fits-all. We wanted to show different ways to get support.”

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