At Springfield College, one student-run organization is working to remove the stigma of mental health and self-care. Minds in Motion, a club dedicated to mental wellness education and awareness, provides students with a welcoming environment where they can connect, share experiences and learn the importance of taking care of one’s mental health.
Founded in September 2020, Minds in Motion was created with a simple but meaningful purpose: to educate, promote mental wellness practices and foster open communication about mental health around the campus community. Through its meetings, activities and welcoming atmosphere, the organization encourages students to prioritize their well-being while reminding them that they are not alone in their experiences.
The idea for Minds in Motion began during the 2019-2020 academic year, when Victoria Garrick, a prominent mental health and body image advocate, visited Springfield College to speak with student-athletes. Her message about mental health, body image and the importance of being open about personal challenges deeply resonated with student-athletes Abby Murdock and Aly Coyle. Inspired by Garrick’s presentation, the two recognized the need for a space on campus where students could openly discuss mental health without the fear of judgment.
Along with fellow student-athlete Cameron Borges, Murdock and Coyle began working toward creating an organization centered around mental wellness. The founders collaborated with graduate assistants, club advisor Lauren Gray, and Dr. Brian Krylowicz, the previous director of the Springfield College Counseling Center, to develop and officially structure the organization.
Although the founders originally intended to launch the club earlier in 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic interrupted their plans. Campus closures and the uncertainty surrounding the pandemic delayed the organization’s debut. However, the founders remained determined to pursue their vision. When Springfield College reopened its doors following the initial campus shutdowns, Minds in Motion officially launched.
From the beginning, the club was designed to be more than just another campus club. Its founders wanted to create a safe and welcoming environment where students could share personal experiences, learn healthy coping strategies and challenge the stigma that often surrounds mental health. They understood that college students face a variety of pressures, including academics, athletics, relationships and the challenges of adjusting to being away from home. Minds in Motion was created to remind students that taking care of their mental health is just as important as taking care of their physical health.
That philosophy continues to shape the club’s meetings today.
Walking into a Minds in Motion meeting, students are immediately welcomed by board members and fellow club participants. The atmosphere is designed to feel comfortable and inviting, allowing members to feel included regardless of whether they are attending for the first time or have been involved since the beginning.
“We meet every other Monday in Dodge, and it’s kind of like we talk about a variety of topics surrounding mental health, whether that be facing your fears or coping strategies, or just awareness and inclusion,” said board member Aoife Blais.
Once the meeting begins, a member of the executive board typically leads the group through a meditation exercise. This opening meditation gives members an opportunity to slow down, clear their minds and be present before moving into the rest of the meeting. Following the meditation, members move to the tables for the meeting’s main activity. Each meeting is centered around a different aspect of mental wellness, giving students the opportunity to explore topics related to self-care, mindfulness, emotional well-being and personal growth. Rather than simply discussing mental health in a traditional classroom-style, Minds in Motion incorporates fun and meaningful activities that encourage participation and connection.
“While we focus on more serious stuff, we also try to have fun. We do Jeopardy and other things,” said Blais. “We try to make the meetings fun, so like it’s a place where people can relax, but also like learning more about mental health and stuff.”
These activities provide members with practical ways to think about their own well-being while creating opportunities to interact with others. The goal is to make conversations about mental health approachable and engaging, rather than intimidating. The club’s emphasis on community is especially important in a college environment, where students can sometimes feel overwhelmed or isolated. Between attending classes, completing assignments, participating in athletics, working and maintaining social relationships, finding time for personal well-being can easily become an afterthought. Minds in Motion works to change that mindset by making mental wellness an ongoing conversation within the Springfield College community.
Today, the organization continues to be supported by a dedicated group of student leaders who help create its welcoming environment and organize its activities. The current board members are Joe Koiser, Aiden Miller, Aofie Blais, Jess Blyth, Dani Matist, Kayden Avisata-Taylor and Natalie Dickson. Together they help carry and innovate the vision established by the club’s original founders.
Dani Matist decided to join the board in her second year at Springfield College. “When I was a freshman, on the board for MIM was my NSO leader, and then Connor Joyce… I think both of them with Joe being my NSO leader, he was like I think you would be really good at this. Being a social work major, it made sense for me to like to join and kind of see,” said Matist. “As soon as I got there, it was like immediately the board was so welcoming and so open, and it made just like a really big impact on my freshman year, and so I think that like stepping into sophomore year and like looking for those leadership opportunities, like MIM jumped out at me at being like really helpful for like what I want to do in the future, but also like one of the best programs that we have here on campus.”
More than six years after its founding, Minds in Motion continues to represent an important message within the Springfield College community: taking care of yourself matters. What began as an idea inspired by a lecture with a mental health advocate has developed into a beautiful student-run organization focused on education and positive change.
“It’s definitely gotten larger, gotten more involved on campus with Fresh Check Day, different events that the counseling center has put on. Like, we partner with them,” Blais added. “I think the types of meetings that we’ve done have definitely like the genres have broadened and become more – I don’t know if it changes from E-board to E-board – but like we have more ideas and creativity I would say with them.”
Through meditation, meaningful activities and open conversations, the club provides students with an opportunity to step away from pressures of everyday life and focus on something equally important: their mental well-being. Minds in Motion is working toward a campus community where conversations about mental health are welcomed rather than avoided, where self-care is encouraged rather than overlooked, and where students can feel comfortable knowing that they don’t have to navigate life’s challenges alone. Its message is simple but powerful: mental wellness deserves attention, conversation and a place in every student’s college experience.
(Photo courtesy of Minds in Motion/Instagram)