Big Sky Health Symposium Focuses on Mental Health
OGDEN, Utah (May 30, 2019) – The Big Sky Conference continues to bring awareness to issues that need to be heard and this year’s Health and Wellness Symposium wasn’t any different, as Mental Health and Wellness was the topic of discussion.
The subject of Mental Health and Wellness may scare most college students and adults, but not Victoria Garrick. She walked around the room drawing everyone’s attention with her words and professionalism, as she dove deep to take everyone on a journey with her from freshman to senior year on and off the volleyball court.
“The Big Sky Health and Wellness Symposium was a huge success thanks to our keynote speaker, Victoria Garrick,” said Big Sky Commissioner Tom Wistrcill. “Victoria’s presentation on mental health and wellness touched everyone in the room, as the conversation continued even after she was done speaking. We want to bring mental health and wellness education to the forefront and make it a conversation on our campuses. I’m happy that we had coaches, student-athletes and administrators in the room to hear her story.”
Garrick’s presentation at the Norm Asbjornson Hall on the campus of Montana State University was one that left everyone in the room creating a safe space for those around them to be vulnerable when needed.
With student-athletes, administrators, faculty and staff in the room, Garrick spoke about her struggles mentally while a student-athlete at USC, and her climb to the top of the ladder, where she was able to shine on Senior Day with her family and friends and know that although she may not have spent every year of her volleyball career full of smiles, by the time she finished her USC career she was able to hold her head high.
“Victoria delivered a very powerful message that had an immediate and profound impact on me as a head coach,” said Daniel Jones, Montana State Women’s Volleyball Head Coach. “There are so many things that we are trying to do as coaches to help our athletes be their best in the classroom and on the court. Victoria eloquently reminded me just how important it is to simply remove stigma’s and barriers around counseling and psychological services by advocating for them with my team.”
The Big Sky Student-Athlete Advisory Committee has adopted the hashtag #UnderOneBigSky. It represents their mental health initiative for the upcoming school year, where they want fellow student-athletes to know that they are not alone, and everyone matters.