FDLTCC Wellness Model

FDLTCC’s wellness model is based on Mino-bimaadiziwin, “A good life”. Our model is holistic, interconnected, and individualized while incorporating the campus core values: respect, compassion, stewardship, innovation, and integrity. FDLTCC’s model recognizes that wellness is self-defined, existing on a continuum, grounded in humility and divested from perfectionism.

 

Intellectual Wellness

Intellectual wellness recognizes our minds need to be continually inspired and exercised just as our bodies do. It further recognizes the need for both stimulation and rest for critical thinking, curiosity, creativity, and openness.

 

Strategies to enhance Intellectual Wellness:

 

Seek out people who challenge you intellectually 

  • Access advisors 
  • Join or start study groups 
  • Be active on committees 
  • Participate in clubs 

Develop a growth mindset 

  • Be open-minded 
  • Practice “big picture” thinking 
  • See everything as opportunities to learn 

Engage in learning and be a lifelong learner 

  • Participate in class 
  • Attend a seminar or conference on something new to you 
  • Pick up a hobby as they are a fun way to increase your skill set 
  • Use tutors 
  • Read books, articles, etc. 
  • Visit museums 

Become a critical thinker 

  • Intentionally development of your own ideas, views and opinion 
  • Explore other viewpoints to understand yours better 

Teach others 

  • Engage in mentoring programs 
  • Peer tutor 
  • Lead a workshop 

 

Resources:

 

Campus Activities:

  • Academic Late Night
  • TRIO Workshops
  • Environmental Institute Projects & Presentations
  • Rocket Clubs
  • Book Clubs / Campus Reads
  • Author Visits / Book Readings
  • Phi Theta Kappa (PTK)
  • Games in Library
  • Language Symposium
Physical Wellness

Physical wellbeing is caring for your body for healthy quality of life through regular enjoyable physical activity, proper nutrition and eating habits, hygiene, substance awareness, and restful sleep.  Finding a healthy balance of these elements is a way of respecting your body.  Developing proper physical wellbeing habits lends itself to mino-bimaadiziwin (living a good life.)

 

Strategies to enhance Physical Wellness:

 

Maintain proper hygiene 

  • Keep body and hair clean 
  • Brush and floss teeth 
  • Trim nails and hair according to personal cultural practices 

Use health care 

  • Practice preventative health care and access routine health screenings 
  • Maintain relationship with primary doctor/nurse practitioner 
  • Keep vaccines up to date 
  • Practice Traditional Health Care in keeping with personal cultural identity 
  • Recognizing signs of illness and seeking help in a way that makes you, as an individual, feel healthy 

Identify dangers to physical wellbeing 

  • Educate yourself and limit harmful behaviors 
  • Recognize harmful use of tobacco, alcohol, drugs 
  • Practice healthy sexual activity according to identity 
  • Seek substance abuse help if needed 

Practice balanced nutrition 

  • Follow the USDA nutrition guidelines or community guidelines 
  • Learn about nutritional needs for different life stages and specific health needs 
  • Access healthy food sources 
  • Eat real food, low-processed foods 
  • Avoid ultra-processed foods 

Maintain healthy sleep habits 

  • Strive to sleep for 6.75-8+ hours each night 
  • Reduce screentime before sleep 
  • Control light and sound pollution during sleep time 
  • Practice relaxation methods prior to sleep 

Engage in regular physical activity 

  • Walk daily 
  • Join wellness challenges, gym, walking clubs, etc. 
  • Participate in sports, run/walks 
  • Have accountability partners 

 

Resources:

 

Campus Activities:

  • FDLTCC Physical Education Courses
  • Yoga in the Library
  • Pumpkin Walk/Run
  • Environmental Institute Outdoor Gear/Equipment Lending (snowshoes, canoes, lacrosse)
  • Pow Wow
  • Disc Golf
  • Lacrosse
  • Human Services Club
  • Campus Feasts
  • Campus Gardens
  • Walking Trails
  • Wellbeing Wednesday Sessions Statewide
  • Vaccination Days on Campus
Spiritual Wellness

Respect for all living beings and the lands that we live and learn with in reciprocity.

Stewardship of the vision regarding the union of nations grounded in Anishinaabeg values and knowledge systems which calls upon all of us to compassionately honor one another.

To practice integrity and bravery to live and let live as our whole selves without fragmenting or filtering our existence.

 

Strategies to enhance Spiritual Wellness:

 

Focus on your sense of values/beliefs/life principles 

  • Spend time reflecting on your guiding life values 
  • Study to grow deeper in personal beliefs as well as expanding knowledge of beliefs of others 
  • Find connection between daily routines and life’s purpose 

Accept and respect spiritual identities of all 

  • Respect everyone’s individual spirit and spiritual voice through understanding our interdependence in this gathering of community 
  • Normalize multi-cultural dialogue and interactions through purposeful routines (Not centering in silence, avoidance or any type of violence)  
  • Encourage and develop an appreciation for diverse viewpoints and perspectives in both curricular and co-curricular activities 

Practice meaningful personal expressions of beliefs 

  • Recognize and develop the relationship between spiritual beliefs and values and daily choices and actions  
  • Develop and support engagement in community spiritual resources 
  • Support wholistic wellness and balance through movement, mindfulness, foods, hydration, sleep 
  • Engage in spiritual practices based on belief system 

 

Resources:

  • Student Clubs & Organization
  • Dean of Academic and Indigenous Affairs -Stewardship of the cultural vision
  • Ojibwemowining Resource Center (Smudging Materials & Asemaa)
  • Drum on campus
  • Wigwam
  • Sweat Lodge
  • Outdoor Classroom
  • Gardens and medicines-food
  • Indoor ecology of the building-meaning in the structure
  • Artwork reflection
  • Trails
  • Poetry post
  • Medicine gardens
  • Bees
  • Offerings when land and plants are disrupted.
  • Prayers for the land and learning community.
  • Cultural center in Fond du Lac (events)
  • Community based events
  • Sawyer big drum
  • Pow wows or round dances
  • AA meeting
  • Sobriety Feasts

 

Campus Activities:

  • Pipe ceremonies 
  • Smudging 
  • Campus clubs 
  • Feasts  
  • Drum  
  • Pow wows 
  • Land-based events and opportunities 
  • Anishinaabe games and events 
Financial Wellness

Financial Wellness is balancing your needs with your resources without stressing other areas of your life. A financially fit person may not be wealthy but has learned to finance the lifestyle they desire. 

 

Strategies to enhance Financial Wellness:

 

Access resources to grow financial literacy skills 

  • Sign up for GradReady  
  • Use financial planning and financial counseling services 
  • Establish a financial relationship with a bank or credit union 

Create a budget  

  • Record every bill and purchase  
  • Develop financial goals and make a plan to meet them  
  • Know the difference between “needs” and “wants”  
  • Save for your wants  

Understand credit and use wisely 

  • If you use credit cards, pay them off monthly  
  • Only borrow what you can comfortably repay  
  • Sign up for Credit Karma or another app to track your credit score and get tips 

Find areas to cut costs  

  • Shop at thrift stores and buy other used items  
  • Only buy on sale  
  • Use coupons and promotions 
  • Negotiate prices whenever possible  
  • Access financial assistance programs 

Plan for the long-term future 

  • Buy insurance  
  • Start/maintain an emergency savings account 
  • Save and plan for retirement early  

 

Resources:

 

Campus Activities:

  • TRIO Financial Literacy Events 
  • Financial Aid Presentation with Seek to Learn Academy Groups
  • Financial Aid Classroom Talks
  • Financial Aid Presentations during Tours and Campus Visit Days
  • Financial Aid Counseling on Student Budgets and Loans
  • Human Resources for New Employees
Emotional Wellness

Emotional wellness is accepting your worth, recognizing, and expressing your feelings in healthy ways, and coping with life’s challenges. It is a dynamic state that fluctuates frequently with your other dimensions of wellness. Emotional wellbeing is supported by a respectful campus community including students, faculty, staff, and administration.

 

Strategies to enhance Emotional Wellness:

 

Take care of self 

  • Set aside time for yourself 
  • Be kind to yourself both in the ways you think of/view yourself and in the ways you treat yourself 
  • Get quality sleep and follow a consistent sleep schedule 
  • Understand and honor the interconnection of your emotions and your physical body 

Use daily practices to be aware of your emotional state and tune into your thoughts and feelings 

  • Practice mindfulness 
  • Develop a daily gratitude practice 
  • Use positive self-talk 
  • Choose an optimistic outlook 
  • Keep a journal 

Use community to support emotional self 

  • Build a strong support system of trusted colleagues/peers and family 
  • Seek and accept help from others, both professionals and peers/family, when needed 
  • Take advantage of wellness activities on campus 

Learn methods to reduce emotional fatigue 

  • Practice stress management techniques 
  • Learn time management skills 
  • Identify personal triggers and practice healthy ways to cope 

 

Resources:

 

Campus Activities:

  • Counseling 
  • Courses: Life Management and psychology courses 
  • Mental Health Week 
  • Yoga in the Library  
  • Reiki 
  • Massages 
  • TRIO – Time Management Workshops 
  • Therapy dogs 
Occupational Wellness

Occupational wellness is a dynamic and ongoing process that can be defined as finding satisfaction and fulfillment in one’s work or career while maintaining a healthy work-life balance. Occupational wellness can include alignment of your personal values with your job, engagement in your work, and opportunities for personal and professional growth.

 

Strategies to enhance Occupational Wellness:

 

Align personal values with career choices 

  • Develop self-awareness of your values, strengths, interests, skills, goals, etc. so that your career is personally rewarding and gives your life a sense of purpose and direction 
  • Create interview questions to explore potential employer’s values 

 Advocate for self 

  • Be confident in your capabilities 
  • Advocate for better working conditions, salary and opportunities for promotion 
  • Educate yourself on workplaces’ unions or structures of employee protection  

Pursue professional development opportunities 

  •  Continuously upgrade your skills and knowledge to improve your job performance which can lead to opportunities for advancement 
  • Attend seminars, conferences, etc. 
  • Read relevant research/best practices for your occupation 

 Practice work-life balance 

  • Establish boundaries to balance personal life with work 
  • Practice stress management techniques regularly 
  • Develop and use time management skills 

Build and maintain strong support systems 

  • Network with people both inside and outside of the workplace 
  • Use face-to-face connections as well as digital ones  
  • Continually seek out new people to learn and work with 

Connect your work to larger purpose 

  • Reflect on the good your work brings to the world  
  • Appreciate how your job contributes to a larger purpose or societal benefit 

 

Resources:

Career Development:   

  • Job Shadowing opportunities   

  

Job Search and Placement:  

  • Performance Reviews  

Networking:   

  • Partnerships with Industries  
  • Internships  
  • Alumni Network   
  • Local Employers  
  • Chamber of Commerce   
  • Networking Events 

For Campus Employees:  

  • Professional Development Plans  
  • Performance reviews  
  • Professional Development Funds  

 

Campus Activities:

  • Staff/Faculty/Administrative Duty Days  
  • Law Enforcement Expo  
  • Nursing Expo  
  • Campus Visit Days  
  • Career Fair  
  • Courses: Career Exploration, Job Search Skills, Seeking Careers in Criminal Justice, practicums, internships  
  • Advisory Committee meetings  
Social Wellness

Social well-being can be defined as the sharing, developing, and sustaining of meaningful relationships with others. This allows you to feel authentic and valued and provides a sense of connectedness and belonging.

 

Strategies to enhance Social Wellness:

 

Cultivate Relationships 

  • Invest time and effort in building and maintaining meaningful relationships 
  • Reach out to friends, family, and acquaintances 
  • Attend social events or join clubs and groups that align with your interests 
  • Focus on quality relationships rather than quantity as meaningful connections provide more fulfillment than superficial ones 

Practice Active Listening 

  • Show genuine interest in others’ thoughts and feelings 
  • Ask open-ended questions and validate others’ experiences 

Develop Empathy 

  • Put yourself in others’ shoes 
  • Understand other people’s emotions and perspectives 
  • Practice compassion and understanding to strengthen social bonds 

Enhance Communication Skills 

  • Be clear, respectful, and considerate in your interactions 
  • Recognize that effective communication fosters deeper connections 
  • Understand the role culture plays in communication and work to be aware of biases 

Set Healthy Boundaries 

  • Understand your limits and communicate them assertively 
  • Respect others’ boundaries as well 

Volunteer or Help Others 

  • Engage in acts of kindness 
  • Volunteer or assist others to create a sense of purpose and strengthen social ties 

Join Social Activities 

  • Participate in group activities, workshops, or classes 
  • Share experiences to build connections 
  • Use your connections to start an exercise or wellness social group 
  • Join an organization, volunteer, or take up a hobby that expands your social circle 

Practice Digital Balance 

  • Balance virtual interactions with face-to-face ones 
  • Recognize that in-person interactions have unique benefits 

Use Self-Reflection 

  • Reflect on your social interactions 
    • List elements that make a relationship rewarding and make sure you are providing these factors in your relationships 
    • Reflect on your current relationships and determine which ones need improvement 
    • Schedule time to reach out to be supportive of your friends, family members, and colleagues 
    • Be intentional with the time you spend with others 
  • Identify patterns, strengths, and areas for improvement  
  • Adjust your behavior accordingly 

 

Resources:

  • Campus Counselor- Every Tuesday
  • Advisors
  • Instructors
  • Gym down in basement
  • TRIO
  • Anishinaabewigamig (Language & culture center) – monthly ceremonies, support groups, and language activities
  • Community sobriety meetings
  • 13 Moons Workshops
  • Community Education
  • Libraries
  • AICHO

 

Campus Activities:

  • Game Day every Tuesday in the Library 
  • Lacrosse every Thursday in the Gym 
  • Welcome Week  
  • Student Clubs  
  • Teaching & Learning – faculty association  
  • 13 moons workshops  
  • Hand games – Wednesdays @ noon 
  • Drum group practice – Fridays 
  • Hand drumming with Oshkii-giizik 
  • Collaborations with FDL language program: lacrosse, symposium, storytelling events 
Environmental Wellness

Environmental wellness is an awareness of the dependent relationship humans have with the natural world, their personal surroundings, and community. It is a recognition and respect for the cyclical nature of the world we are a part of where the health of our surrounding environment affects us just as our choices and daily habits impact the physical world. It consists of practicing ganawenjigewin, a way of life that emphasizes that relationship with the earth and works to reduce harm to the environment through learning, lifestyle habits, and activism.

 

Strategies to enhance Environmental Wellness:

 

Practice a sustainable lifestyle

  • Create and advocate for policy changes and social changes for environmental wellness within community
  • Unplug from technology and unplug technology when not in use
  • Buy locally produced food, support local farmers
  • Walk or ride a bike wherever possible instead of driving

Connect with nature

  • Photograph the outdoors
  • Spend time outdoors appreciating nature through all the seasons (i.e. hiking, snowshoeing, canoeing, etc.)
  • Learn traditional crafts, tree and bird identification
  • Grow a garden
  • Forage for natural foods

Conserve natural resources

  • Conserve water through efficient appliances and limiting water use
  • Conserve energy through energy efficient light bulbs and appliances
  • Buy only things you need
  • Print less
  • Use reuseable coffee mugs/water bottles/food containers
  • Use reuseable shopping bags
  • Recycle and reduce waste

Respect personal surroundings and reduce stressors from environment

  • Understand the impact of climate change and a healthy environment on wellbeing
  • Maintain a clean and organized work and living space and use toxic-free cleaning materials
  • Keep yourself safe from noise, air and water pollution, secondhand smoke, UV radiation
  • Be cognizant of risks certain settings present (late night, traveling alone or to new places)

 

Resources:

 

Campus Activities:

Testimonials

My favorite thing about FDLTCC is the people. I’ve met fantastic students, faculty and staff who go above and beyond what I expected.

I chose FDLTCC because of its size and the curriculum. When I first came here in 2019, I was just looking for what I needed to volunteer, perhaps in a crisis shelter. I met with Don Jarvinen, and the rest is history.

It is awesome here at the FDLTCC Education Program because it is like a family here, if you need help or are struggling with anything, you have quite a few people who will help you out.