IEU Well Being Center: Candela Terriza Interview
You might have seen across the halls, posters about a Sugar Challenge or a November Calendar with mini challenges for every day. Well, the responsible for these is the new department of IEU Well Being Center.
Candela Terriza, the director of the IEU Well being Center told us about this department and what they can do for the students.
1. What is the difference between the IEU Well-Being Center and the Mentoring & Counselling Office?
“The Well being Center is a department with the mission of increasing student's level of Well being. We focus on health promotion and illness prevention, teaching students abilities and soft skills to have a more satisfying and fulfilling life.” and clarified that “ Counselling is more about intervention, once the person already has an issue with their mental or emotional state.”
2. Is this department only in Segovia?
“The department is on both campuses. And we double all activities.”
3. What does this department entail / what does it take care of exactly?
“The department mission is to develop scientific sounded programs and activities to improve the overall well being of students. With this purpose we have developed a Program ( Ubu – Your Best You ) based on extensively researched well being topics, which is already running this term in both campuses, and will be offered again in January.”
“Furthermore, we have created a Well being Think Tank, which consists of a team of IEU students from different backgrounds, coordinated by one of our professors. They do research and develop new materials and activities related to well being.”
“Aside from the Program, we offer Meditation and Yoga classes weekly throughout the academic year, “ and added that, “From January onward, we´ll offer a variety of one-off workshops on different Well being topics, and Well being Challenges for everyone to join.”
One of the future aspirations is to “ bring well-known speakers for inspirational conferences,” said Candela.
4. But, why has this new department been created?
“I spotted the need during my years at the direction of the bachelor in psychology. During the four years the students are with us at the university, it is very likely they might need to deal with emotional, physical or social related issues, and we offer them the possibility to learn abilities and tools to deal successfully with these. Even more, we offer students the possibility of learning habits and skills that they´ll take with them for life to have a more satisfying and successful life.”
5. What is the UbU Program exactly?
“The UbU program consists of 3 modules that run during three weeks each. Physical health, emotional health, and healthy relations. Two hours one day a week,” explained Candela.
But she continued to clarify that next term they will be offered in the same slot as seminars, so students don’t have classes that could overlap.
“At the end of each module, we go on a Saturday outside the university to have an experiential day, content related to the module. “ and “Students who complete a module, can ask for a credit,” said Candela.
Attendance and participation are the criteria for a pass or fail. The professors are experienced psychologists or professionals related to the well being areas.
To sign up, the student has to go to enrolment in the add & drop period in January (7th January – 14th January) and go into “other activities “ OAC, and then look for UBU: “title of the module” they want to enrol.
6. Any other comments?
“I’d like to emphasize the great impact in your life of having a good level of well being. How many difficulties you can prevent, how many crises you can resolve in a better way, how you can make better decisions to solve your problems, how you can enjoy life in a much happier way.”
“Investing 18 hours in learning how to improve your life, is really worthy. Think of how many hours we invest in other activities with much less impact on our lives. This is really a must.”
7. How can people contact your or get informed?
Email: wellbeing.ieu@ie.edu
Instagram @wellbeingcenter.ieu
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