Tuned to emotions
Madeline Holland ’15 was nervous about coming to Harvard. Then she met the Smileys. “Before I came to school, I was worried that it was going to be an unsupportive environment,” Holland says. “Then, last semester, Student Mental Health Liaisons (SMHL) came to my dorm and gave a presentation about wellness and mental health. I admired them for addressing the difficulties of adjusting to a new place. Afterwards, I talked to one of the ‘Smileys’ about how to get involved.” Today, Holland promotes emotional well-being among her classmates as a liaison. Founded in 2008 by Harvard University Health Services (HUHS), the Smileys have become important partners to the College’s mental health professionals, according to Paul Barreira, director of behavioral health and academic counseling. “It makes all the difference in the world to have students involved,” says Barreira, a former deputy commissioner for the Massachusetts Department of Mental Health. “Surveys show that, when students...