Interested in Getting Involved?
The Stonehill Wellness Coalition is open to all current students, faculty and staff. Please contact wellness@stonehill.edu for more information.
At Stonehill, Mental Health Matters
New programs underscore the College’s commitment to student wellness.
Expanding wellness programs and increasing access to holistic health services are key elements of Stonehill 2030: Building Together, the College’s five-year strategic plan unveiled in August 2025. Aligning with these priorities, the Stonehill Wellness Coalition has partnered with external organizations to offer two new programs focused on mental health.
“At Stonehill, we are committed to educating the whole person and recognize that supporting mental health is essential to fostering student success,” said Maria Kavanaugh, director of Counseling Services. “The Wellness Coalition’s latest programming will help ensure that our students have the tools to thrive academically and personally.”
Supporting Student-Athlete Mental Health & Performance
On Monday, February 23, the Wellness Coalition will host “From Chaos to Composure: How to Craft a Winning Mentality for Sport and Life,” a program specifically designed for student-athletes and athletic staff. The session will be led by Jonathan Jenkins, Psy.D., CMPC, and Kim O’Brien, Ph.D., LICSW, both experts in student-athlete mental health.
Jenkins and O’Brien will offer insight into common mental health concerns that student-athletes experience and will help participants hone critical skills to build resilience and cultivate personal wellness. Additionally, they will provide 55 copies of their book, Mentality Wins, which will be distributed to Stonehill athletic teams and offices.
This program was made possible by a $500 grant from the Stonehill Wellness Initiatives Fund and a $1,500 grant from the Kyle Cares Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting open and honest communication about the mental health challenges experienced by teens and young adults.
“Thank you to our funders, as well as Dr. Jenkins and Dr. O’Brien, for helping bring this impactful program to Stonehill,” Kavanaugh said. “Along with my co-organizers, Lydia Hogan of Health Services and Shannon Catlin of Athletics, I am so excited for this opportunity to generate meaningful conversation around an important topic like student-athlete mental health.”
Piloting Mental Health First Aid at Stonehill
On Friday, February 27, the Stonehill Wellness Coalition and High Point Treatment Center, a substance use disorder and mental health services clinic in Southeastern Massachusetts, will bring Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) to campus via a pilot session. Key campus partners will participate and offer feedback so that the Wellness Coalition can further develop the program at Stonehill.
MHFA is a “gatekeeper” training program that teaches non-clinicians to recognize signs of mental health or substance use challenges, offer initial support and connect individuals with professional help.
This initiative is supported by a Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration grant awarded to Julia Consentino ’22—Stonehill alumna and High Point Treatment Center staff member—and her colleagues, who will oversee the pilot session.
“We are grateful to Julia and the rest of the High Point team for helping us take the first steps toward implementing MHFA on campus,” Kavanaugh said. “This program will benefit the entire campus community by helping produce knowledgeable and confident leaders equipped to support those in need.”
About the Stonehill College Wellness Coalition
Established in 2024, the Stonehill College Wellness Coalition strives to foster a culture valuing and supporting the well-being of each community member. This work is accomplished through assessment, policy development, programming, service provision and educational outreach related to:
- Alcohol & drug use
- Equal access/engagement of all community members
- General wellness/physical well-being
- Healthy relationships/sexual misconduct
- Mental health promotion/suicide prevention
- Social connectedness
The Wellness Coalition is organized into three subgroups: the Risk Awareness & Resource Promotion Committee, the Outreach & Education Committee and the Policy, Compliance & Harm Reduction Committee.