Mental Health Toolkit: Students
"A Moment of Calm" by Graham Crumb is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported Deed.
Clinical Education Librarian

Mary Margaret Thomas
she/her/hers
Contact:
207A HLHS
Hardin Library for Health Sciences
Hardin Library for Health Sciences
(319) 467-0722
Subjects: Health Sciences
Meditation and Wellness
HARDIN (443 4th floor) AND MAIN LIBRARIES (2060 2nd floor) HAVE REFLECTION ROOMS THAT PROVIDE A QUIET AREA FOR MEDITATION, CONTEMPLATION, OR CALMING SENSORY OVERLOAD.
SELECTED MEDITATION APPS FOR GUIDED MEDITATION, CALMING SOUNDS/MUSIC, AND TO PRACITCE MINDFULLNESS:
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InsightTimerInsight Timer has both free and subscription options. Best free version for long-term use.
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CalmCalm has the option for users to access either a seven-day free trial or the free version of the app without paying for premium contact.
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HeadspaceHeadspace is available with a free trial and limited free features. If you want to upgrade to get full access, you can get a subscription to Headspace Plus.
GETTING STARTED MEDITATING
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NIH: Meditation and MindfulnessWebsite about meditation and mindfulness.
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Guided Meditation VideoShort guided video with body awareness and breathing exercises.
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Box BreathingShort guided video for box breathing (4-4-4-4) exercise.
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4-7-8 BreathingShort guided video for 4-7-8 breathing exercise.
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Mayo Clinic MeditationShort guided mediation video.
MORE STRESS REDUCTION HELP
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Grateful HawksGratitude is a sense of appreciation of what an individual has, for the goodness that is in their lives both within and outside oneself.Gratefulness is often a reflection of an emotional response from an occurrence that made a difference in your life. It turns out there are benefits to regularly acknowledging gratitude. Learn more here.
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Healthy Hawk ChallengeOffers a program to sophomores called the Healthy Hawk Challenge.Its a research study. Students who agree to participate will be asked to complete an online wellness survey that collects information to assess health behaviors in all areas of wellness—fitness, nutrition, sexual health, substances, stress, etc.
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Light TherapyLight therapy is one way to help treat Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), a form of depression associated with the lack of natural light during the winter months.Current students can check out a light box for free for one month to use in their own space. Lights will be checked out in-person on a first come, first served basis. They are available at one location:
CRWC in the Wellness Services Suite (on first floor) - Primary location
Monday – Thursday, 8am-7pm
Friday, 8am-4:30pm -
Relaxation HelpWebsite from university counseling with many resources to aid in relaxation. Including puzzles, coloring sheets, meditation & relaxation videos, and information about hope boxes.
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UI MindfulnessInformation about student Mindfulness programs.
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UI Student Wellness WebsitesResource with websites for wellness.Included topics are: Alcohol and Other Drugs; Basic Needs; Body Image; Eating on a Budget; Fitness; General Health; Health Equity; Medical Information; Mental Health; Nutrition; Sexual Assault; Sexual Health & Sexuality; Sleep; and Tobacco.
Imposter Syndrome Help
- Last Updated: Jun 19, 2025 11:08 AM
- URL: https://guides.lib.uiowa.edu/mental-health
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Subjects: Health and Wellness
Tags: mental health, substance use, treatment, wellness