DeStress Fest Returns Today with Campus Walk for Mental Health

DeStress Fest Returns Today with Campus Walk for Mental Health

Finals season can bring the pressure, but you don't have to face it alone.

The University Counseling Center is teaming up with the peer-to-peer STAR Mentorship team, NAMI Greater Toledo, Chartwells and local massage therapists to bring you DeStress Fest 2025, a week of events focused on self-care, connection and mental wellness.

"We empower students to do more for their mental health while pursuing their educational journey and beyond," said Dr. La Tasha Sullivan, director of the University Counseling Center. "Caring for your physical, mental, and emotional needs is part of academic success."

The signature event for this year's Destress Fest is the first-ever UToledo NAMIWalk, a campus-wide gathering to raise awareness for mental health.

Students, staff and local advocates are encouraged to join together in taking steps to end the stigma surrounding mental health. The walk is free and open to the public.

It will take place today, April 23, in Centennial Mall. Check-in and a mental health resource fair will begin at 11:30 a.m., and the event program will begin at 12:15 p.m. Be one of the first 100 to register and snag a free "Mental Health Matters" T-shirt.

"This event gives us the opportunity to come together as a community to raise awareness and show our support for those living with mental illness," said Cathy Flanagan, UToledo case manager and NAMIWalk chair. "Everyone is welcome."

To preregister for this event, complete the UToledo NAMIWalks registration form. On-site registration will be available.

NAMIWalks is a national initiative led by the National Alliance on Mental Illness, the largest grassroots mental health organization in the U.S. Their mission is to provide advocacy, education and support to improve lives and reduce stigma around mental illness.

Other destress events include free chair massages by licensed massage therapists in Carlson Library Room 1005 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.