“We always try to encourage a growth mindset and a sense of identity that extends beyond the academic,” says Rachel Winson, the Ӱҵ College Student Mental Health and Wellbeing Advisor.
Rachel has worked in the Caius Health Centre alongside Anne Limon Duparcmeur, the College Nurse and Head of Health and Wellbeing, for more than two years. She is a trained Occupational Therapist and a University of Cambridge alumna, having graduated from Clare College, where she read German and Russian.
A key aim is to explore students’ experiences empathetically and without judgement and to support them to develop coping mechanisms to manage the day-to-day stresses of Cambridge life.
“We know that the tasks that the students face are pretty demanding, so we work with them to understand their own strengths and areas of challenge,” Rachel adds.
“We're very much looking at how we can support them to optimise performance whilst maintaining mental and physical wellbeing.
“Sometimes people think they’re the only one in the College that feel a certain way; I can say you’re not alone in feeling like this – I felt like this 30 years ago when I was in your position.
“It’s three or four years, usually, and a transient period in your life. We’re trying to cultivate cognitive flexibility and to help students look at things from different angles. Helping people to surf the wave of emotions, fall off the surfboard every now and then, but also to hop back up.”
Rachel and Anne support students to cope with the interaction of the environment, the person and their skill set to meet the physical, cognitive, emotional and demands of the task – acquiring a Cambridge degree.
That could involve navigating any number of mental health-related issues or challenges, from imposter syndrome, to perfectionism, to social anxiety, or neurodivergence and physical manifestations. Whilst there are recurring themes which can have common treatments, the Health Centre offers bespoke solutions to support individual students.
For a generation who experienced the Covid-19 pandemic and its aftermath at key junctures in their lives – GCSEs and A-Levels – there were knock-on effects, such as increased social isolation, lack of usual exam conditions, economic and employment challenges, plus social media pressures.
The intensity of a Cambridge degree and eight-week terms is not in doubt, but perspective and balance are imperative, too. Some of Rachel’s role is signposting students, complementing the work of their Tutors or Directors of Studies. Caius is fortunate to have Katharine Radice as Transition and Participation Advisor, while there are support structures in the wider University, such as the and .
As well as supporting students’ mental health, Rachel works on basic organisational skills, attention, functional interventions, stress management, teaching relaxation, goal setting, sleep management and healthy regimes with a work-life balance, deferring to her Occupational Therapy training.
Rachel and Anne at the Caius Health Centre have hosted and continue to host yoga classes, art sessions, Couch to 5k for non-runners – Couch to 5k is a running progression to build-up stamina for a 5k run – craft workshops, mindfulness walks, and even paddleboarding sessions on the river. The activities chosen are accessible for all, irrespective of experience.
“We try a holistic approach,” Rachel adds. “We’re in a fortunate position to have the time and resources to be able to make it specific to what the student needs.
“There's quite a lot of goals and achievements to strive for here; it doesn’t need to be about goals. We’re also trying to offer people opportunities to do things without having to be brilliant at it, which is important.”
Rachel tries to practice what she preaches – mindfulness through exercise and gardening, eating and sleeping well, and socialising with friends and family.
She enjoys her role, particularly playing a part in students’ journeys through Caius and Cambridge.
“I feel very privileged to share that experience,” she says.
