Health and Medicine People and Community

Healthy Living Starts with Understanding Mental Health

Sophomore Austin Eng hopes a forum on mental health will enhance the dialogue on campus about mental health and resources available to address the issue.

Austin EngThe Student Health Advisory Committee is co-sponsoring a forum Tuesday that focuses on mental health issues, and resources that are available to the University of Miami community that address the issue.

“Through the facilitation of an event such as the Mental Health Forum, I wish to inspire hope within others; hope that allows members of our community to live without inhibition, which means being able to not be okay,” said Austin B. Eng, co-president of the Student Health Advisory Committee.

“I would also like to reduce the stigma in our community surrounding mental health through educating people about the role of mental health in all that we do, as well as informing people that there do exist people who care and those people are here,’’ said Eng, a sophomore who is majoring in psychology.

Tuesday’s forum – the second year it is being held – is co-sponsored by Student Government and ‘Canes Care for ‘Canes. It will be held at 7 to 9 p.m. at the Shalala Student Center Ballroom East. There are also nearly a dozen student organizations  that support the initiative.  

Eng hopes the forum will help bring the campus together in recognizing mental health issues, and result in more attention to overall health and wellness.

“Mental health is only one facet of health, but I believe it is the basic health from which all other health arises,’’ Eng said. “If an individual doesn’t feel willing to take interest in their health, they can’t be truly healthy.”