Mental health initiatives and events
Queensland Mental Health Week
Running from October 4-12, Queensland Mental Health Week (QMHW) is an annual awareness week that aims to shine a spotlight on individual and community mental health and wellbeing. The week provides the opportunity to understand the importance of mental health in our everyday lives. It affects how we think, feel, and act. It also helps determine how we handle stress, relate to others, and make choices.
QMHW takes place every October. To acknowledge the importance of taking time to focus on our mental health, a number of initiatives will take place throughout October.
Guided mindfulness and breathwork by the Lakes - St Lucia
To raise awareness of the importance of positive mental health and wellbeing, alternating 20-minute guided mindfulness and breathwork sessions will be held by the UQ Lakes. These sessions will offer attendees practical tools to calm and refresh your mind, allowing you to reset your energy and regain clarity.
Breathwork for Calm & Clarity (20 mins)
Discover how simple breathing techniques can help you reduce stress and restore balance in minutes. In this guided session, you’ll explore how different breathing patterns affect the nervous system and practice tools you can use anytime to calm anxiety or reset your energy. No prior experience needed.
Mindfulness for Focus & Reset (20 mins)
Step away from distractions and learn how mindfulness can sharpen focus and ease stress. This session introduces practical, science-backed strategies to bring your attention back to the present, followed by a guided practice you can use daily to refresh your mind and regain clarity.
Where: Soundshell, Dr Mary Mahoney AO Amphitheatre, St Lucia
When: Thursday 9 October
Session Times:
| Breathwork | Mindfulness |
| 8:30am | 9:00am |
| 9:30am | 10:00am |
| 10:30am | 11:00am |
Guided mindfulness and breathwork for other campuses (online)
To raise awareness of the importance of positive mental health and wellbeing , alternating 20-minute guided mindfulness and breathwork sessions will be held online. These sessions will offer attendees practical tools to calm and refresh your mind, allowing you to reset your energy and regain clarity.
Breathwork for Calm & Clarity (20 mins)
Discover how simple breathing techniques can help you reduce stress and restore balance in minutes. In this guided session, you’ll explore how different breathing patterns affect the nervous system and practice tools you can use anytime to calm anxiety or reset your energy. No prior experience needed.
Mindfulness for Focus & Reset (20 mins)
Step away from distractions and learn how mindfulness can sharpen focus and ease stress. This session introduces practical, science-backed strategies to bring your attention back to the present, followed by a guided practice you can use daily to refresh your mind and regain clarity.
Where: Online
When: Thursday 9 October
Session Times:
| Breathwork | Mindfulness |
| 12:30pm | 1:00pm |
| Register now | Register now |
5-minute mental wellbeing challenge
Challenge commences on Monday 13 October 2025
Challenge ends Sunday 23 November
This new program builds on the success of the 15 minute challenge by delivering a challenge that specifically targets mental wellbeing.
The aim of the 5 minute challenge is to establish a micro-habit of proactively investing just a few minutes a day into your mental wellbeing and gain a significant sustainable reduction in stress and an improvement in mental resilience. The key is to find something that you enjoy doing for your mental wellbeing and incorporating that as a daily habit.
Choose any wellbeing activity* from the following 6 wellbeing categories:
Mind - examples, meditation, gratitude, relaxation time
Social - examples, call a friend/family member, active listening, team activity
Physical - examples, be active, prepare/eat a healthy meal, improve sleep routine
Learning - examples, listen to a podcast, learn a new skill, read a book
Giving - examples, encourage someone, make a donation, send a thankyou message
Nature - examples, enjoy a meal outdoors, get some sun, watch sunrise/sunset
Research shows that the human brain can be rewired by repetitive behaviour. We thus wire our brains with what we do repetitively.
How does it work?
- Simply find 5 minutes a day to do a wellbeing activity* of your choice for as many days as possible throughout the 6-week challenge.
- Form a team of 5 to 8 with your colleagues and each member register on the online platform.
- Compete against fellow UQ teams for which team can undertake a wellbeing activity for the most days during the 6-week challenge to win the competition.
*Wellbeing activity - conscious activity with an intent of benefiting your mental wellbeing.
Stress Busters 4-week program - EOIs open
Next start date: October 21, 2025
Time commitment: 1.5 hours/week
Duration: 4 weeks
A condensed version of the 12-week Mind Set program, this 4-week program will focus on recognising and moving away from unhealthy and/or unsustainable coping mechanisms and learning sustainable approaches to building and maintaining mental fitness.
Topics:
- Managing burnout
- Re-energising
- Building coping skills
- Managing conflict
The program includes:
- x1 90 minute workshop per week (Tuesdays 12:15pm)
- Workbook
Express your interest
Expressions of Interest (EOI's) are now open. Express your interest no later than 9am on Wednesday 8 October. Those who have secured a position in the program will be advised no later than Wednesday August 20.
Understanding stress and where to get support
Our mental health is key to our wellbeing. It influences how we think, feel and act every day. As a UQ community we seek to build inclusive environments that reduce mental health stigma and build mentally healthy workplaces. Learn more about UQ's approach to managing psychosocial risk>>
Stress can arise from a variety of sources. Understanding the mental and physical warning signs and taking early steps to manage stress and seeking support when required is important for health and wellbeing.
Signs of stress
Stress presents differently in everyone, clues to look for are:
- Emotional and mental signs of stress
- Feeling overwhelmed, ‘on edge’
- Unable to stop worrying
- Difficulty concentrating
- Mood changes, irritability or anger
- Thoughts of self-harm or suicide
- Physical and behavioural signs of stress
- Changes in appetite
- Changes in sleep pattern/feeling exhausted
- Physical reactions – headaches, upset tummy, tense muscles
- Withdrawal from friends and family
- Increased usage/reliance on alcohol or other substances to cope
Strategies to reduce stress
- Sleep – regulates cortisol (body produces more cortisol when you don't get enough sleep), deep sleep benefits, mood benefits and emotional resilience.
- Art/music/creativity – releases stress and tension, triggers positive emotions and reduces cortisol.
- Exercise – lowers adrenaline and cortisol, stimulates endorphins, alleviates anxiety and depression symptoms.
- Diet/nutrition - the gut brain connection (gut microbiome) can influence mental health. Consuming fruit and vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins plus certain nutrients have a role in brain health.
- Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) – changes negative thought patterns and improves relationship between thoughts, feelings, behaviours.
- Gratitude – lowers cortisol levels and decreases symptoms of anxiety.
- Mindfulness/meditation/breathwork practices
- Time in nature - 20 to 30 minutes can significantly lower cortisol and helps regulate sympathetic nervous system.
Useful resources
- Mindfulness apps - Smiling Mind | Headspace | Calm ($)
- Guided meditation - 10-minute meditation for stress
- Breathwork practices - Box Breathing | Physiological Sigh | Alternate nostril breathing
- Beyond Blue resources - Look after your mental health and mental wellbeing
- Cognitive behavioural therapy - This way up
- Mindful Colouring
Support services for UQ staff
Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
The EAP provides confidential counselling services for staff and their immediate family members.
Find out more about UQ's EAP service>>
Mental Health Champions Network
Mental Health Champions are staff who lead the creation of a culture that promotes and encourages a respectful, destigmatising and supportive approach to the proactive management of mental health and wellbeing.
Mental Health Champions are Mental Health First Aid trained. You can ask them about:
- support services provided by UQ and external organisations
- promoting mental health events and initiatives
Find a Champion in your area and learn more about the network>>
UQ Psychology Clinic
The UQ Psychology Clinic provides caring and supportive psychological therapy services to individuals, couples and families. Appointments are charged at highly affordable rates.
The clinic is open to the public. It offers psychological assessment and therapy services to people of all ages, including children, adolescents, adults and older adults.
Find out more about UQ's Psychology Clinic>>
UQ Health Care
UQ Health Care is a dedicated team of GPs, nurses, allied health professionals and specialists. They provide care across clinics in St Lucia, Gatton, Annerley, Toowong, Ipswich and Meadowbrook.
St Lucia and Gatton campus services are available to staff and students, while the others are open to the public as well as the UQ Community.
Find a UQ Health Care near you>>