{"id":6983,"date":"2025-12-02T10:15:52","date_gmt":"2025-12-01T23:45:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.flinders.edu.au\/student-health-and-well-being\/?p=6983"},"modified":"2026-05-22T11:14:05","modified_gmt":"2026-05-22T01:44:05","slug":"celebrating-a-year-of-impact-chris-ogradys-wellbeing-programs-in-2025","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.flinders.edu.au\/student-health-and-well-being\/2025\/12\/02\/celebrating-a-year-of-impact-chris-ogradys-wellbeing-programs-in-2025\/","title":{"rendered":"Celebrating a Year of Impact: Chris O\u2019Grady\u2019s Wellbeing Programs in 2025"},"content":{"rendered":"<hr \/>\n<p>My colleague Chris is a wellbeing program beast! His 2025 offerings have been very well received by students. See what they said about the programs and perhaps get inspired to join one in 2026.<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p>We (the collective of HCDS, Oasis and BetterU) run more <a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.flinders.edu.au\/student-health-and-well-being\/2025\/02\/13\/wellbeing-programs\/\">student-wellbeing focused programs<\/a> than most people can keep up with.<\/p>\n<p>But as you can imagine, many of our programs are starting to wrap up for the year.<\/p>\n<p>One of my colleagues who is responsible for the lions-share of our <strong>live<\/strong> program delivery &#8211; Chris O&#8217;Grady &#8211; just released his 2025 Wellbeing Program Report (see headline image below).<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright size-medium wp-image-6565\" src=\"https:\/\/blogs.flinders.edu.au\/student-health-and-well-being\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/71\/2025\/02\/COG-Profile-Circle-Perfect-1-298x300.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"298\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blogs.flinders.edu.au\/student-health-and-well-being\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/71\/2025\/02\/COG-Profile-Circle-Perfect-1-298x300.png 298w, https:\/\/blogs.flinders.edu.au\/student-health-and-well-being\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/71\/2025\/02\/COG-Profile-Circle-Perfect-1-150x150.png 150w, https:\/\/blogs.flinders.edu.au\/student-health-and-well-being\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/71\/2025\/02\/COG-Profile-Circle-Perfect-1.png 403w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 298px) 100vw, 298px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>He has delivered a suite of programs that have made a real difference for students &#8211; creating safe, supportive environments and equipping participants with practical tools to thrive.<\/p>\n<p>Some highlights include:<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3><strong>Mindfulness at the Core<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>Mindfulness has been a cornerstone of Chris\u2019s work this year, with programs designed to help students manage stress and improve academic performance.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR)<\/strong><br \/>\nA structured eight-week program that gave students tools to reduce anxiety and build resilience.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>90% completion rate<\/strong><\/li>\n<li>100% overall satisfaction<\/li>\n<li>Students reported improved concentration and stress management.<\/li>\n<li><em><em>\u201cThis program allowed me to take a step back from my stress and reduced my overall anxious thoughts.\u201d<\/em><\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><strong>Mindfulness for Academic Success<\/strong><br \/>\nA five-week program focused on applying mindfulness techniques to study routines.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>63 students completed<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>Impact across programs:<\/strong>\n<ul>\n<li>Self-awareness \u219183%<\/li>\n<li>Concentration &amp; attention \u219167%<\/li>\n<li>Academic functioning \u219162%<\/li>\n<li>General wellbeing \u219181%<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li>Student feedback:<br \/>\n<em>\u201cLearned techniques to improve concentration and work efficiency.\u201d<\/em><br \/>\n<em>\u201cTalking about wellbeing in a group normalised challenges.\u201d<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Oh yeah and he did 34 online mindfulness meditations as well \ud83d\ude00<\/p>\n<p>If you are wondering &#8216;why such a focus on mindfulness?&#8217; &#8211; there are a few answers to that question.<\/p>\n<p>First, psychological programs are by far the most effective and reliable interventions we (universities) have in our toolkit for supporting student wellbeing. Mindfulness fits into that category.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/taso.org.uk\/evidence-toolkits\/evidence-toolkit-student-mental-health\/?biro-orderby=evidence_strength&amp;biro-order=DESC#listing-headers\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-6984 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/blogs.flinders.edu.au\/student-health-and-well-being\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/71\/2025\/12\/Screenshot-2025-12-01-113426.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"1289\" height=\"655\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blogs.flinders.edu.au\/student-health-and-well-being\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/71\/2025\/12\/Screenshot-2025-12-01-113426.png 1289w, https:\/\/blogs.flinders.edu.au\/student-health-and-well-being\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/71\/2025\/12\/Screenshot-2025-12-01-113426-300x152.png 300w, https:\/\/blogs.flinders.edu.au\/student-health-and-well-being\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/71\/2025\/12\/Screenshot-2025-12-01-113426-1024x520.png 1024w, https:\/\/blogs.flinders.edu.au\/student-health-and-well-being\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/71\/2025\/12\/Screenshot-2025-12-01-113426-768x390.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1289px) 100vw, 1289px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Second, this has become a real expertise area for Chris over the past couple of years having established his own mindfulness practice and trained in the internationally recognised <a href=\"https:\/\/positivepsychology.com\/mindfulness-based-stress-reduction-mbsr\/\">MBSR<\/a> model.<\/p>\n<p>Third, mindfulness as a practice is foundational to other helpful study practices. Learning new study skills is better if done mindfully. Learning how to manage big emotions is better if done mindfully. Mindfulness training is a type of training that supports all other related trainings that a student might do whilst at university.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3><strong>Expanding Support for Neurodiverse Students<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>But Chris didn&#8217;t stop at mindfulness.<\/p>\n<p>Chris and Christine (Disability Advisor) also facilitated an <strong>ADHD Support Group<\/strong>, which students described as life-changing:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><em>\u201cI know I\u2019m not alone in my struggles and I have learnt some great strategies.\u201d<\/em><\/li>\n<li>Participants valued community, accountability, and practical techniques for study and emotional regulation.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>As neurodiversity-affirming practices become more common, this kind of support will only grow in importance.<\/p>\n<p>This is also a good chance to shout-out the <a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.flinders.edu.au\/student-health-and-well-being\/2025\/08\/28\/neurodiversityproject\/\">Neurodiversity Community of Practice (N-CoP)<\/a> &#8211; that isn&#8217;t run by Chris &#8211; lol.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3><strong>Mental Health First Aid (MHFA)<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>MHFA continues to be a student favourite. It is an excellent CV builder and a vital skill set for life and work. One of the great developments in mental health over the last couple of decades has been the increase in mental health literacy in the Australian community. MHFA has been central in that progress.<\/p>\n<p>This year\u2019s sessions saw:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>35 student attendances<\/strong><\/li>\n<li>100% recommendation rate<\/li>\n<li>Increased confidence in recognising signs of mental health challenges and encouraging help-seeking.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3><strong>Why It Matters<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>Across all programs, students reported feeling more connected, supported, and equipped to manage stress and study demands. They highlighted the value of sharing wellbeing experiences in a safe space and learning practical tools they could apply immediately.<\/p>\n<p>Chris\u2019s passion for group processes and his ability to create inclusive, engaging environments have been key to this success. His work complements curriculum-based initiatives and strengthens the overall wellbeing ecosystem at Flinders.<\/p>\n<p>Pride is an odd word at times, but I am proud of what he has built and continues to build.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3><strong>What\u2019s Next?<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>Stay tuned in the new year for details on when these programs will run again.<\/p>\n<p>If you\u2019re looking for wellbeing content in the meantime, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.flinders.edu.au\/betteru\">BetterU<\/a> will continue posting content throughout Dec and Jan.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-6992 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/blogs.flinders.edu.au\/student-health-and-well-being\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/71\/2025\/12\/2025-WELLBEING-PROGRAMS_Page_1.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1655\" height=\"2340\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blogs.flinders.edu.au\/student-health-and-well-being\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/71\/2025\/12\/2025-WELLBEING-PROGRAMS_Page_1.jpg 1655w, https:\/\/blogs.flinders.edu.au\/student-health-and-well-being\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/71\/2025\/12\/2025-WELLBEING-PROGRAMS_Page_1-212x300.jpg 212w, https:\/\/blogs.flinders.edu.au\/student-health-and-well-being\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/71\/2025\/12\/2025-WELLBEING-PROGRAMS_Page_1-724x1024.jpg 724w, https:\/\/blogs.flinders.edu.au\/student-health-and-well-being\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/71\/2025\/12\/2025-WELLBEING-PROGRAMS_Page_1-768x1086.jpg 768w, https:\/\/blogs.flinders.edu.au\/student-health-and-well-being\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/71\/2025\/12\/2025-WELLBEING-PROGRAMS_Page_1-1086x1536.jpg 1086w, https:\/\/blogs.flinders.edu.au\/student-health-and-well-being\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/71\/2025\/12\/2025-WELLBEING-PROGRAMS_Page_1-1448x2048.jpg 1448w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1655px) 100vw, 1655px\" \/><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>My colleague Chris is a wellbeing program beast! His 2025 offerings have been very well received by students. See what they said about the programs and [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":492,"featured_media":6991,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[20058,81,23,15107,34,2287,15454,31,19082,104,20,42,19947],"tags":[756,19847,20088,11911,18853,18215,11176,5388,9427,44,16382,9138,11,11816,18834,19063,5386],"class_list":["post-6983","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-better-u","category-flinders-services-and-programs","category-mental-health","category-oasis","category-participate","category-people","category-productivity","category-psychological-tools","category-self-care","category-training","category-treatment-options","category-well-being-at-flinders","category-workshops","tag-academic-success","tag-adhd-support","tag-betteru","tag-concentration","tag-emotional-regulation","tag-flinders-university","tag-focus","tag-mental-health","tag-mental-health-first-aid","tag-mindfulness","tag-neurodiversity","tag-productivity","tag-resilience","tag-self-awareness","tag-stress-reduction","tag-student-wellbeing","tag-wellbeing-programs"],"post_mailing_queue_ids":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.flinders.edu.au\/student-health-and-well-being\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6983","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.flinders.edu.au\/student-health-and-well-being\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.flinders.edu.au\/student-health-and-well-being\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.flinders.edu.au\/student-health-and-well-being\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/492"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.flinders.edu.au\/student-health-and-well-being\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6983"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.flinders.edu.au\/student-health-and-well-being\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6983\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.flinders.edu.au\/student-health-and-well-being\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/6991"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.flinders.edu.au\/student-health-and-well-being\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6983"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.flinders.edu.au\/student-health-and-well-being\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6983"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.flinders.edu.au\/student-health-and-well-being\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6983"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}