2.X.2. PechaKucha: Resilience without Borders: Building Mental Well-being and Suicide Prevention in Public Health
Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: Background Despite growing concern over mental health challenges and suicide risk among students, these topics remain underrepresented in public health education. This workshop addresses the lack of structured, inclusive, and practice-oriented teaching on mental well-being and suicide prevention. It builds on a successful pilot at University College Dublin (UCD), where 64 postgraduate students from 28 countries engaged in experiential learning rooted in neuroscience, stress physiology, and resilience-building. This model directly aligns with Domains 2 and 3 of the ASPHER Core Curriculum for Public Health. Objectives 1. Present a flexible, ASPHER-aligned framework for embedding mental well-being and suicide prevention in public health curricula. 2. Demonstrate selected experiential practices (e.g., guided breathwork, reflective tools) used in the UCD pilot. 3. Engage participants in small-group reflection on priorities for integrating mental well-being into teaching. 4. Explore opportunities for institutional adaptation and co-development. Added value This is the first ASPHER-relevant skills-based workshop that brings together public mental health, emotional resilience, and suicide prevention in an academic context. It offers a unique dual approach: combining validated tools (PSS-10, WHO-5) with embodied practices and lived student experiences. The format supports participants to critically reflect on curricular needs while gaining exposure to practical strategies they can adapt. Its flexible model supports multicultural, international, and trauma-informed learning environments. Coherence The workshop flows from insights drawn from the UCD pilot into a brief theoretical framing of experiential pedagogy. Participants then engage in a guided practice, followed by small-group co-design of module components. This sequence evidence, experience, and collaborative design mirrors the original UCD model and concludes with a call for institutional collaboration. Format The session opens with two concise inputs: first, an overview of the UCD pilot highlighting the integration of mental well-being into postgraduate public health education; second, a framing on why experiential learning is essential in suicide prevention and resilience teaching. Participants then engage in a guided neuro-resilience practice (e.g., breathwork or grounding) to experience a core method from the pilot. They then form small groups to co-design what a mental well-being and suicide prevention module could look like in their own context-exploring elements like practical tools, theory-application balance, and cultural relevance. Groups share key insights in a final plenary. The session concludes with takeaways and an open invitation to collaborate with the lead facilitator to adapt the model locally, contributing to broader efforts to embed mental well-being in public health education across Europe. Key messages • Suicide prevention and emotional resilience are teachable skills and should be embedded in every public health curriculum. • Experiential and inclusive learning approaches are key to building psychological safety in global classrooms. Speakers/Panellists Jwenish Kumawat University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland Mary Codd University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland Karl F Conyard University College Dublin, Belfield, Ireland
Author: Chair persons: Jwenish Kumawat (Ireland), Mary Codd (Ireland)
Language: English
Subfield: Clinical Psychology
Field: Psychology
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $3,181
OpenAlex ID: W7101393207
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