Caring for Yourself
We care about the health, wellness, and academic success of all our students.
explore wellness
Think of wellness as healthiness in many different dimensions of our lives. These include the emotional, physical, occupational, intellectual, financial, social, environmental, and spiritual parts. These dimensions are interconnected, one dimension building on another.
Explore the links below to learn about the facets of wellness, and how HCC can support your wellness goals.
Emotional wellness is the ability to successfully handle life's stresses and adapt to change and difficult times. How you feel can affect your ability to carry out everyday activities, your relationships, and your overall mental health. How you react to your experiences and feelings can change over time.
hcc resources
Mental Health Support
Office of Student Affairs
Suicide Prevention
Affirmative Action & Title IX
community resources
Behavioral Health Network
Center for Women & Community (UMass)
national resources
National Institutes of Health
Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services Administration
Coping with Grief & Loss
Suicide Prevention
Suicide Awareness & Prevention Info Sheet
Active Minds
Jed Foundation
Jordon Porco Foundation
safeTALK
ASIST
Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1.800.273.8255
A healthy body. Good physical health habits. Nutrition, exercise, and appropriate health care. These make up the physical dimension of wellness. A few ways we can get there might be choosing things that make our body feel good and trimming back the things that bring us down. We can also feel better by creating a routine that balances activity with inactivity, and that is manageable within our obligations and needs. Our body is intelligent, and learning to listen to it more deeply may be very important and empowering.
hcc resources
community resources
Holyoke YMCA
Local health clinics
Tobacco
Womanshelter/Compañeras (Domestic abuse resources for the Pioneer Valley)
Hampden County District Attorney Office
YWCA
national resources
Nutrition
Activity
Centers for Disease Control & Prevention
Sleep
Healthy People
Centers for Disease Control & Prevention
Alcohol
National Institute on Alcohol Abuse & Alcoholism
Tobacco
Other Drugs
Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services
Sexual Violence Awareness & Prevention
Love is Respect
Rape, Abuse, Incest National Network
The No More Project
The National Domestic Violence Hotline
The National Sexual Violence Resource Center
The Department of Justice, Office on Violence Against Women
The spiritual wellness dimension is a broad concept that represents one's personal beliefs and values and involves having meaning, purpose, and a sense of balance and peace. It includes:
- Recognizing our search for meaning and purpose in human existence; and
- Developing an appreciation for life and the natural forces that exist in the universe.
hcc resources
national resources
The intellectual wellness dimension involves many things that keep our brains active and our intellect expanding. In a broad sense, this dimension can involve looking at different perspectives of an issue and taking them into consideration. Through a number of activities you can broaden your perspective and understand diverse points of view.
hcc resources
Courses & Programs
Office for Students with Disabilities & Deaf Services (OSDDS)
Center for Academic Program Support (CAPS)
STRIVE
Library
Writing Center
Math Center
First-Year Experience
Marieb Adult Learner Success Center
community resources
The environmental wellness dimension involves being able to be safe and feel safe. This can include:
- Accessing clean air, food, and water
- Preserving the areas where we live, learn, and work
- Occupying pleasant, stimulating environments that support our well-being; and
- Promoting learning, contemplation, and relaxation in natural places and spaces.
hcc resources
community resources
Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDPE) Western Regional Office
Massachusetts State Parks
national resources
The financial wellness dimension involves things such as income, debt, and savings, as well as a person's understanding of financial processes and resources. A person's satisfaction with their current financial situation and future prospects also comes into play.
hcc resources
Financial Aid Office
CashCourse for Financial Education (select "Holyoke Community College")
Veteran Services
Thrive Center
community resources
Federal Work Study (on campus & in surrounding area)
national resources
Federal Student Aid
Federal Student Loans
Smart About Money
Mint
The occupational wellness dimension involves participating in activities that provide meaning and purpose and reflect personal values, interests, and beliefs, including employment.
hcc resources
Workforce Development
Advising, Career & Transfer Center (ACT)
community resources
national resources
The social wellness dimension involves having healthy relationships with friends, family, and the community, and having an interest in and concern for the needs of others and humankind.