Character Strengths
VIA Character Strengths Survey & Character Reports
Take the free Character Strengths Survey at this site. It is based on the work by positive psychologist, Martin Seligman.
Strengths from Family, Culture and Community
Family Strengths - The Family Strengths Perspective - Single Parent, Theory, Families, and Strong - JRank Articles
All families have strengths and problems. What are the qualities of a strong family?
Principles of Cultural Strength
This site has information about how culture builds resiliency and provides examples. Cultural principles that lead to resilience include perseverance,
optimism, growth mindset, responsibility to community, and clarity of vision.
10 Characteristics: What Makes a Positive Community
What is a positive community?
Resilience
10 Ways to Build Resilience
Build resilience through finding purpose, believing in your abilities, positive beliefs, developing a strong social network, embracing change,
being optimistic, nurturing yourself, building problem-solving skills, establishing goals, taking action, and developing your skills.
How to be more resilient: 8 ways to build your resilience — Calm Blog
Build resilience with competence, confidence, connection, character, contribution, coping, and control. What are the barriers to developing resilience?
Stress Management Link and Videos
The College Student's Guide to Stress Management
Visit the College Student's Guide to Stress Management by Purdue University.
Mental Health for College Students
"The Mental Health Guide for College Students" site includes descriptions and symptoms of common mental health challenges for college students along with suggestions for coping with them and links to helpful resources.
Stress Management
The Mind Tools site has good information on stress management.
How to Manage Stress - Tips and Techniques
Visit this site for a good summary of stress management sources and how to cope.
YouTube Videos for Stress Management
There are many short videos available on YouTube that can be used for mindfulness, breathing, and progressive muscle relaxation. These videos can be used periodically during the semester, especially before mid-terms and finals. Here are some short videos of about 5 minutes on various topics.
Mindfulness Soothing Autumn Music (with video of autumn scenes) (5 minutes)
Rainfall Autumn Mindfulness (5 minutes)
Relaxing Music with Ocean Waves (5 minutes)
Healing Music with Waterfall (5 minutes)
Box Breathing Relaxation Technique (3 minutes)
5 Minute Deep Breathing Exercise | City of Hope - YouTube (5 minutes)
Reduce Stress with Progressive Muscle Relaxation (6 minutes)
Bob Marley Three Little Birds (2 minutes)
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT): Tasks & Beliefs
This site provides an overview of cognitive behavioral therapy and benefits.
Relax with Breathing Techniques
Videos:
Box breathing relaxation technique: how to calm feelings of stress or anxiety
5 Minute Deep Breathing Exercise | City of Hope
The Blue Zone
Home - Live Better, Longer - Blue Zones
This site provides information, research, and examples of how communities are using this ideas to improve lives.
Bing Videos
This 3 minute video is a good summary of the Blue Zone concept.
Exercise, Learning and Mental Health
Exercise can boost your memory and thinking skills - Harvard Health
Maximize the brain benefits of exercise.
5 Walks to Boost Your Mental Wellness
Discover five different walks to boost mental wellness.
Role of Physical Activity on Mental Health and Well-Being: A Review - PMC
This article from the National Library of Medicine has good information on the connection between exercise and mental health.
Sleep, Mental Health, and Learning
How Sleep Deprivation Impacts Mental Health | Columbia University Department of Psychiatry
Sleep is important to mental health.
Mental Health and Sleep
This site explains how sleep affect mental health and provides suggestions for getting enough sleep.
The Impact of Sleep on Learning and Memory | Chronobiology and Sleep Institute | Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania
Sleep impacts learning and memory.
The Effects of Sleep Deprivation on College Students
This research study on nursing students shows that sleep deprivation negatively affects brain function, mental health, and psychomotor functions.
Sleep | Sleep | CDC
The Center for Disease Control and Prevention has information about sleep and sleep disorders.
Good Nutrition
MyPlate | U.S. Department of Agriculture
Set goals for healthy eating at the USDA website.
Happiness (Concise Version of Textbook)
Authentic Happiness | Authentic Happiness
Learn strategies and tools to lead a happy life. There are also free inventories that measure signature strengths, general happiness, satisfaction with life, optimism and many other topics related to happiness.
How to Be Happy: 27 Habits to Help You Live a Happier Life
This site has 27 ideas to increase happiness.
Finding Happiness in Your Life: Tips That Can Help
Explore ideas for increasing happiness.
The How of Happiness
Many of the ideas from this book by Sonja Lyubimorsky are referenced in this textbook.
Life Purpose (Concise Version of Textbook)
Five Steps to Finding Your Life Purpose | Psychology Today
This site contains ideas for thinking about your life purpose.
How (and Why) to Find Your Life's Purpose (5 minute video)
This video explore finding purpose from a psychological point of view.
Health Questions
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention | CDC
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention provide the latest research on a variety of health topics. Health topics A-Z are listed.
WebMD - Better information. Better health.
Visit the Web MD for answers to your health questions. Wellness topics are included.
Wellness - Health Information | Directory | Community
The Wellness Web contains a very complete alphabetical listing of health topics. Learn about nutrition, weight loss, women’s health issues, stress management, how to quit smoking or find information on an illness or health topic. It has a fun and relaxing section titled, "Be happy, Be Well" with games, puzzles, movies, travel, poetry, and music.
Alcohol
Al-Anon Family Groups
Al-Anon and Alateen Family Groups provides resources for friends and family of those who have a drinking problem.
Help for Alcoholics and Chronic Problem Drinkers Assistance Resources - Alcohol Addiction Center
The Alcohol Addiction Center has Resources for Alcoholics and Problem Drinkers. The site includes tips for getting help, free resources, information, statistics, and links.
Homepage - Responsibility.org - Promoting Responsible Alcohol Decisions
Visit the Responsibility.org for information about calculating BAC and resources for dealing with drunk driving and underage drinking.
How Much is Too Much to Drink? - Rethinking Drinking | NIAAA
The Rethinking Drinking Site is a new government site that provides valuable research based information on drinking and how it affects your health. Find answers to these questions: What counts as a drink? Is your drinking pattern risky? What's the harm? Thinking about change? The site provides strategies for cutting down or quitting drinking. There are online questionnaires to check your drinking pattern and assess signs of problems. The site provides tools for making a change.
Have a problem with alcohol? There is a solution. | Alcoholics Anonymous
This site contains information for adults, teens and others dealing with alcoholism in their families or communities. There are referrals to local groups. There is no cost involved.
Drugs
Effects of illegal drugs on the heart: ACLS certification guide
This site has information about illegal drugs and how they affect the heart and other side effects. Find information on opium, heroin, cocaine, methamphetamine, rohypnol, LSD, and ectacy.
Narconon | Drug Rehabilitation | Drug Education
This site is dedicated to living without drugs. It offers information and assistance with drug addiction.
Everything You Need To Know About Drug Rehab
This site indexes treatment centers for drug and alcohol addiction.
Vaping
The future of smoking: Big Tobacco's deadly dream
This site describes the myths about vaping and smoking that tobacco companies are advertising to young people. What are the effects of vaping and smoking on the body and brain?