Wellness Education for Lifelong Learning (W.E.L.L)

S.A.I.D Peer Educator (Safe and Inclusive Dickinson Peer educators) AND It's On Us Dickinson Chapter

Interested in creating a campus wide culture of respect and inclusion? Get involved!  

Sign up to become a Peer educator. In this student group you will learn to provide peer education on consent, healthy relationships, healthy sexuality and how to support survivors. If you are interested in becoming a peer educator or would like more information on workshops and education for your club leaders or members, please stop by for information or to become a member. To become a S.A.I.D peer educator complete the application, once completed return to Theo Nugin (nugint@dickinson.edu) or drop off at the W.E.L.L office, HUB 1st Floor (inside Student Life) M-Th 8-4p.

2023-2024 S.A.I.D Peer Educators

Rahma Semma

Seblewongel Enyew

Song Yun

Izzy Clarke

Katy Meta

Alcohol Peer Educator 

Peer educators serve as student leaders and role models with the primary goal of educating their peers about alcohol and related topics. Peer Educators are paid by funding from the PA Liquor Control Board. They work on implementing alcohol prevention programming. They also assist in survey administration, marketing, and tracking program feedback.  

2023-2024 Alcohol Peer Educators 

Venus Bhatt '25

Sarah Zuniga '24

Sarah Goodwin '24

Julia Tuliszewski '26

Events Descriptions

Takeout Testing

Did you Know?

1 in 4 sexually active young people will get an STI by the age of 25.  Most will not know it. 

What is Takeout Testing?

Takeout Testing is a STI testing event being held on Wed. March 27 and Thurs. March 28, 2024.  During either day, students can come to the Wellness Center and pick up a free STI self-collection testing kit.

How Do I Participate?

Just select a day and pick-up time:

8:00 a.m. - 9:30 a.m.
10:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.
1:00 p.m. - 2:30 p.m.
3:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.

1. Come to the Wellness Center to pick up your self-collection kit during the time that you selected.
2. Complete the STI testing form on your student health portal.
3. Return the completed kit to the HUB Lower Level on Thurs. March 28 or Fri. March 29 from 11:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
4. Receive your test results on your student health portal in 5-7 days.

Every student who returns their self-collection kit will get to spin the prize wheel.  All spins win!

Groups Descriptions 

Clinical Groups 

Building Balance: Skills for Managing Mood and Improving Well-being    

Fridays (3:30-4:20 pm) 

Wellness Center 

(start date to be announced)   

This is 4-week skills-based group for students who want to improve their ability to manage their mood, increase their ability to tolerate distress, learn ways to cope with stressors, improve their self-care, and learn skills to improve interpersonal relationships. Each session builds on the skills learned the week before, so attendance at all 4 sessions is requested. The 4-week course is packed with empirically supported ways to improve one’s overall well-being and manage distress. Registration and referral from CAPS are required. Participants are invited to share within the group at a level that is comfortable to them; however, the group is psychoeducational/skills instruction format, rather than process oriented.     

Nicole Lavertue, PsyD 

Bunny Connections Group  

Wednesdays 2-3 pm 

Thursdays 12-1 pm.  

Wellness Center: Bunny Group Room; weekly for about 8- weeks per group 

This is a 60-minute closed group (6 students per group) focused on the following: helping students strengthen basic interpersonal connections with other group members; learning how to set and respond to healthy boundaries with other group members and therapy bunnies; and engaging in playful activities alongside, and with, therapy bunnies.  While this group is designed to be primarily experiential in nature, group members are provided opportunities for some personal sharing as they build connections with each other. 

Students do not need to be in any additional forms of mental health treatment, but they will need to complete a group screening. 

Carrie Bowerman, LCSW and Rebecca Shoemaker, PsyD 

DBT-Informed Skills Group

Thursdays 12:00-1:00 PM    

Wellness Center 

This is a structured, time-limited psychoeducational group that will teach various skills from Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT). There are four main skills the group will cover: mindfulness, emotional regulation, distress tolerance, and interpersonal effectiveness. DBT skills were developed to help people who feel overwhelmed by their emotions and/or have a history of difficult relationships. The goal of this group is to improve the quality of relationships and to replace destructive behaviors with more effective coping skills.    

Todd Drazien, LCSW & Missy Stine, PhD 

 Interpersonal Process Group    

Tuesdays 12-1:15 PM  

Wellness Center 

This group provides students with a safe environment where they can increase their understanding of themselves, explore how they relate to others, and try new ways to interact with peers.  

Megan Nesbitt, PsyD & Rebecca Shoemaker, PsyD  

Social Interactive Support Group  

Fridays, 2-3pm 

Wellness Center 

This is a 60-minute clinical support group that aims to help students struggling with making friends, maintaining friendships, or struggling with their friend group. This support group is open to all enrolled students but is targeted towards those who struggle with Social Anxiety Disorder or are on the autism spectrum. This group will encourage students to share their social challenges and will rely on support from the group, psychoeducation, and role-playing exercises.   

Todd Drazien, LCSW  

Drop in Workshops 

Alleviating Anxiety and Panic Workshop    

Mondays: Firstt Mondays of the month (2/5, 3/4, 4/1) 

Offered at 12:30-1:20pm and 3:30-4:20pm at the Wellness Center (2nd Floor Conference Room)  

This is a 50-minute drop-in group workshop which covers the signs and symptoms of anxiety, the difference between worry and anxiety, and the impact of anxiety and panic. The session is full of different evidence-based ways to alleviate anxiety, as well as tips for overcoming Panic Attacks. This is a psychoeducational workshop.   

Nicole Lavertue, PsyD    

Dialing Down Depression   

Mondays: 3rd Monday of the month (2/19, 3/18, and 4/15) 

Offered 12:30-1:20 pm and 3:30-4:20pm at the Wellness Center (2nd Floor Conference Room) 

This is a 50-min drop-in group workshop which covers the signs and symptoms of depression and its impact on oneself and in relationships. Much of the time in session is devoted to learning evidence-based skills to help reduce depression, as well as improve mood, interpersonal connection, and promote healthier thinking. This is a psychoeducational workshop.    

Nicole Lavertue, PsyD 

Managing Stress Workshop   

Monday, April 8, 2024  

Offered 12:30-1:20 and 3:30-4:20pm at the Wellness Center (2nd Floor Conference Room) 

This is a 50-minute drop-in psychoeducational group workshop, discussing signs and symptoms of stress, as well as how stress impacts our lives and our bodies. Much of the session is spent learning many different skills or strategies that are proven to reduce stress and improve overall functioning.   

Nicole Lavertue, PsyD  

Navigating Grief and Loss Workshop  

Mondays: 4th Monday of the month (2/26, 3/25, and 4/22) 

Offered 12:30- 1:20 and 3:30-4:20pm at the Wellness Center (2nd Floor Conference Room) 

This is a 50-minute drop-in group workshop that discusses the difficult journey of grief and loss, as well as offers tools that may help along the journey of grieving.  This workshop is psychoeducational in nature.  

Nicole Lavertue, PsyD    

Upgrade Your Well-Being    

Friday 1/26 at 3:30 pm – 4:20 pm 

Monday 1/29 at 12:30 – 1: 20 pm and 3:30-4:20pm 

At the Wellness Center, 2nd Floor Conference Room 

This is a 50-minute drop-in psychoeducational workshop which focuses on improving your overall well-being. The goal of the workshop is to increase your coping strengths and add tools to your toolbox, so you can enhance your overall well-being.   

Nicole Lavertue, PsyD  

Getting Through It   

Thursdays 3:30-4:30 pm 

Wellness Center 

This workshop provides participants with a basic understanding of what trauma is and focuses on a variety of topics all surrounding/focused on understanding traumatic events how we respond to them, and the path to recovery from these experiences. Examples of topics include...Safe and Inclusive spaces, healthy relationships, and The Neurobiology of trauma.    

Theo Nugin, MS 

Bunny Break  

Wednesdays, 2-3p beginning 9/20  

Wellness Center 

Need a break? Sign up for a bunny break. There is no agenda for this time other than to hang out with the bunnies. Bring a book, bring your homework, and just spend time with Dixie and Otto.  

Students must RSVP through Engaged, limit 5 students per break.  

Lauren Strunk, LPC 

Mindful Mondays  

Mondays at 5:30 PM, beginning 1/29 (no meeting on 3/11 or 3/18) 
This brief, twenty-minute session will focus on helping attendees learn techniques to be present with themselves, slow thoughts, and set aside stressors. Meets weekly on Mondays. Beginners and drop ins welcome.    

Megan Nesbitt, PsyD  

HUB Dance Studio  

Non-clinical, drop-in   

Support Groups 

Chronic Illness Support Group  

Tuesdays 12 – 1 p.m. on 2/6, 2/20, 3/5, 3/19, 4/1, 4/16, 4/30   

Are you living with a chronic medical illness? Feeling Overwhelmed or alone? Or just wanting to connect with others who know what you are going through?  The Wellness Center is hosting a twice monthly “lunch and learn” style group for students with a chronic medical illness. This is a “drop in” style group, meaning there is no commitment, and you are welcome to attend any or all sessions. Light snacks will be provided. Our goal is to bring together students who are impacted by a chronic medical illness in a safe space with a counselor and nurse practitioners to offer support, guidance and structure to foster success both on and off campus.   

Location: Student Life Conference Room (in Student Life Suite, next to HUB info desk)  

Carrie Bowerman, LCSW and Ashley Lebo, MSN, CRNP 

Non-clinical Support Group, open/drop in, in-person at the HUB  

Destination Dickinson: Supporting International Students  

2nd and 4th Friday of the month 

12:45-1:25 pm 

This 40-minute group is designed to bring International Students together- to just be. The group meets twice a month and offers a welcoming, safe, and supportive space, where international students are invited to share with one another their experiences, both ups and downs, specific to being an International Student, as they navigate their journey at Dickinson College. This is a drop-in group, which will offer support, as well as some strategies to help manage this unique experience. All are welcome; students can attend as their schedule allows; attendance at all meetings is not required.  

Location: HUB Side room 205 

Nicole Lavertue, Psy.D. 

Non-Clinical Support Meeting, open/drop-in, in-person at the HUB