Date and Title  

Description 

Jan. 19: 

Vaccine 101 and Intro to SCOOP 

Vaccine 101 

Safe, effective COVID-19 vaccines will help us defeat this virus, get back in control of our lives and back to the people and places we love. 

A tested, safe and effective vaccine will be available to all who want it, but supplies will be limited at first. Independent state and federal public health advisory groups have determined that the best way to fight COVID-19 is to start first with vaccinations for those most at risk, then reach more people as the vaccine supply increases throughout 2021. Learn more about vaccines during this live event. 

Introduction to SCOOP 

It’s important to make sure you are taking care of your mental health. Behavioral health is core to our overall health. The COVID-19 pandemic is an extraordinary event so it’s normal that individuals are experiencing significant behavioral health impacts. There are actions you can take, and resources available, to help maintain your mental health. Specific steps you can regularly take to improve and maintain your mental wellbeing are below. SCOOP is an Evidenced Based Best Practice Model for Managing Stress. 

To see the past recorded live events on managing stress, go to the UNC-TV website. 

Feb. 2: 

Staying Connected 

Participants in this virtual event will learn about the importance of staying connected during challenging times and how our connections support our mental health and overall wellness. Some of the topics to be discussed include: 

• Share experiences with others. 
• Connecting through dialogue. 
• Be in each other's lives with consistency. 
• Create new meaning together. 

To see the past recorded live events on managing stress, go to the UNC-TV website. 

Feb. 16: 

Compassion 

As people, we are generally taught about compassion at an early age, but how many of us practice self-compassion or dive deeper into what it means to be compassionate for others? In our moments of deepest stress, why is it important to show ourselves compassion and empathy? This virtual event, will give participants an overview of compassion and empathy, what compassion for ourselves and others really means, a toolbox for cultivating compassion during challenging times, and how compassion and community care are intricately connected to overall wellbeing and stress management. 

March 2: 

Observing Your Use of Substances 

In these unprecedented times, it’s more important than ever to take good care of ourselves and seek a healthy balance in our lives. Whether your goal is to use substances in moderation or to abstain entirely, it is important that we make informed choices. “Get the SCOOP on Observing Your Use of Substances” will be a candid and open discussion that will touch on the 
following topics: 

• Reported rising rates of substance use in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. 
• How to observe and self-assess one’s own use of substances. 
• Provide contact information to access professional assessment and treatment. 
• Discuss the self-help movement and recovery resources. 

Recognizing that different communities offer different levels and types of support, we hope to engage participants in a conversation about what recovery resources currently exist in their communities and identify ways that we can “de-stress” without the use of substances.    

March 16: 

Asking for Help 

The "It's OK to Ask for Help" section focuses on the second “O” of the SCOOP educational series for managing stress to optimize personal mental wellness and self-care. In this session, participants will learn the challenges that prevent people from asking for help and understand that asking for help is not a weakness, but a strength. We will interview three panelists about why asking for help is important and learn what could happen when we don’t ask for help. Following the panelist interviews, we will address stigmas that prevent people from asking for help in the first place. Participants will also be provided with a list of resources they can utilize at any time. By the end of the session, participants will be able to: 

• Realize asking for help is a strength. 
• How to recognize the help. 
• Address the stigma that prevents them from asking for help. 
• Know or understand resources where to turn for help. 

March 30: 

Physical Activity  

Physical activity is a key component of stress management because of the impact it has on the brain for people of all ages, but it can feel stressful to get started. This virtual training will review the importance of physical activity as part of the #SCOOP4Stress campaign to help build skills for better stress management, provide tools to get you started on your physical activity journey and provide an overview of the impact that physical activity has a part of overall wellness. Participants will receive valuable information on how to incorporate physical activity into their daily routines, low-to-no tech ways to track physical activity, and motivation to set physical activity goals as part of an overall wellness and self-care plan. 

For this session, participants are invited to do some journaling and self-reflection prior to this event. 

• What is one area of physical activity you would like to start working on? 
• Reflect on one thing you appreciate about your strong body. 
• How are you nourishing your body, mind and spirit?