Orson Morrison, Alyssa Westring, Rob Manuel, Tara Gill and Darrick Tovar-Murray gather after the panel discussion. (Photos by Lavanya Chetal/DePaul University)
Through meditation, yoga, group dialogues and artmaking, some 140 faculty and staff gathered April 16 to care for their mental health and for each other. The latest event in the President’s Dialogue Series, Building a Culture of Community Care, also featured a panel of speakers, small-group dialogues, activities and a resource fair.
Orson Morrison, associate director for clinical services at University Counseling and Psychological Services, moderated the opening conversation. He invited panelists to reflect on “what community, care and belonging mean to us, and how to leverage values and principles such as our potential leadership to really create a culture that will sustain us during these times and also to help us to thrive,” Morrison said.
Alum Tara Gill (CSH ’08), is a psychologist in the Center for Childhood Resilience at Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago. She told the audience that building community as a graduate student at DePaul shaped her approach to her work today. “We learned to practice inclusion. We learned to practice being advocates. Everywhere I go, I bring the Vincentian mission with me,” Gill said.
Darrick Tovar-Murray, associate dean and professor in the College of Education, discussed the concept of the Tree of Life, a healing practice that he uses in work with students and survivors of gun violence. From the roots of our ancestors to a forest of community, he guided the group through the metaphor of trees as strengthening forces for understanding ourselves and each other.
Alyssa Westring, Vincent de Paul professor and chair of the Department of Management and Entrepreneurship, Driehaus College of Business, DePaul University, spoke about how engaging in community can fall outside of what is expected of faculty, but can be the most enriching experiences.
After the panel, members of the Dialogue Collaborative held several sessions, including “Community as a diver of work-life harmony” and “Staying informed with the news and staying sane.” A robust resource fair with information for faculty and staff on how to support themselves and students rounded out the event.
Learn more about DePaul's Dialogue Collaborative here.