CWC Talks

Dr. Phillip Daniels is no stranger to death and he wants us all to stop avoiding hard conversations about it. Dr. Daniels believes that planning for our deaths, no matter how young or invincible we may feel, or how terrified we are at the prospect, is ultimately an empowering act. In this conversation, Dr. Daniels approaches the topic of planning for our deaths with depth and humor and explains how to communicate our final wishes to our loved ones.

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With our routines and activities disrupted by the pandemic, this conversation about creativity is particularly timely. Creativity can take many forms, and it's a powerful tool of self-exploration, expression, and healing from painful experiences. Drs. Stephani Jahn and Sara Nash share how they personally use creativity, and how students can develop their own creativity practices to support growth, self-acceptance, and having more fun. 

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Food is everywhere, and we all have to eat. Yet disordered eating, common on college campuses, can develop when something as fundamental as feeding ourselves becomes loaded with the need for control, self-judgments, morality, and punishment. In this episode, UF students discuss fat talk and diet culture and encourage anyone struggling to start the journey of recovery.

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Body image issues and eating disorders can cause a tremendous amount of suffering for college students. In this episode, Dr. Ana Cikara shares about counseling students with these challenges, some of her own experiences with eating and body image, and how she has personally worked to develop a healthier relationship with her body.

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Dr. Shu-Yi Wang came to the US from Taiwan as an international student. In this touching conversation, he shares intimately about his experiences transitioning to the US, and how these challenges shaped his relationships, self-esteem, and development as a person.

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In this episode, graduate student Austin Gordon shares his story of growing up in a conservative Christian home and coming out as gay.  He also discusses his experiences with bullying, personal therapy, his mom’s death, and his journey to accept himself and encourage others to do the same.

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Approximately 10% of college students report thinking of suicide at any given time. Dr. Meggen Sixbey has been working with people considering suicide for 20 years. She shares how she got into this work, how she counsels people who are thinking about suicide, and why reaching out to someone who won’t judge and will truly listen can be so helpful in coming through a suicidal crisis.

If you or someone you know is struggling with suicidal thoughts below are some resources to help:

• UF Counseling & Wellness Center Suicide Prevention Resources
• Alachua County Crisis Center
• National Suicide Prevention Awareness Week
• The Trevor Project
• National Suicide Prevention Lifeline
• Livethroughthis.org
• CWC Groups (Peer Support)

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Ever wonder what is so hard about saying no? Boundaries are a critical part of healthy relationships, but most of us don't learn how to set and maintain them when we are growing up. As a result, we emerge into adulthood fearing the conflict or discomfort that can arise when we decline an invitation, end a conversation, or kick a nosy roommate out of our personal space.

In this episode, licensed clinical social worker Judah Cordovano and I explore why boundaries matter, how to practice setting them, and how we've worked to get better at them with our family and friends.

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Do you or people you love struggle with panic attacks?  Licensed mental health counselor Olivia Pitkethly had her first panic attack 20 years ago and has been learning to cope with them ever since. We talk about the purpose of panic, how terrifying panic attacks can be, and about how Olivia developed skills to help her “ride the waves” and reduce the intensity and frequency of her panic attacks.

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What is anxiety, really, and why are we all so anxious? Licensed clinical psychologist Felicia Brown explains the evolutionary purpose of anxiety, how it can help us, and how too much of a natural human tendency can wreak havoc on our mental and physical health.  From test anxiety to the trauma response, Dr. Brown shares some simple and powerful practices to prevent anxiety from overwhelming us.

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