Mental Health Awareness Sharing Session - Let's shine a light on mental health
The Covid-19 pandemic has amplified existing stressors and created new challenges for postgraduate students, including switching to virtual research projects or seeking funding extensions when research is postponed.
The Swinburne Sarawak Postgraduate Research society (PGRS) organised a session entitled, “Let's shine a light on mental health”, with speakers representing the university: senior counsellor Evelyn Liew, and Associate Professor Ida Fatimawati bt Adi Badiozaman, Head of the School of Design and Arts.
“A mental health awareness sharing session is a great way to provide better understanding of the signs, symptoms, and how mental illness can affect a person's life. It was encouraging to have the postgraduate students sharing their journey, challenges they encountered with some coping strategies which contribute to the opportunity for others to learn and feel they are not the only ones facing similar issues.
“Having a support group and staying connected with friends and family is especially important during these difficult times, as realizing that you are not alone in dealing with your issues,” said Evelyn Liew.
The session covered topics such as unmasking mental health, strategies and best practices from masters and PhD students, and navigating expectations and timelines when doing research.
If you need someone to talk to, the counselling team at Swinburne Sarawak can be reached via email at ecounselling@swinburne.edu.my