Students de-stress with kitten therapy
The Mental Health Student Association hosted its first-ever kitten therapy event, offering students a unique and accessible way to de-stress during midterms.
On February 6, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., the Mental Health Student Association (MHSA), in collaboration with the Men’s Wellness Group (MWG) and Sending Sunshine, hosted a Kitten Therapy event at the Student Centre.
Students sat on yoga mats as kittens wandered around the room. While some students cuddled with them, others engaged them with cat toys. The kittens, energetic and curious, ran across the mats and playfully jumped to make students laugh.
MHSA President Manvir Dhothar spoke with The Medium about her club and the rationale behind the event.
“I’m really passionate about the club because I think [mental health] is something that… university students… struggle with, and it’s very stigmatized. That’s something that [our club] often talks about,” she said.
“We really wanted to think of something different that would attract a lot of students, and also something to accommodate those who don’t feel comfortable around dogs,” Dhothar explained, referencing dog therapy and puppy yoga events that have happened on campus. “I think having an event with animals… really helps those who can’t use other resources to help them de-stress,” she added.
According to Dhothar, the event exceeded expectations, and attendees expressed great enthusiasm on the MHSA’s Instagram page. “There was a positive turnout at the event, with 63 attendees and 120 students on the waitlist,” she said.
“We got so many DMs saying we should do it again. It is definitely something that students loved, and I want to see it happen more often on campus,” she added.
“This is the first time our club has done an event involving animals. It’s a very stressful time during the semester right now, so we wanted there to be a space for students to de-stress, take their mind off their studies, and I think [engaging in animal-assisted experiences] is a simple and comforting way to do that. I think it really helped students to relax and de-stress, and we heard a lot of students today… express that the ten minutes really helped… take away their stress and helped their mental health.”
Dhothar said that Kitten Therapy “was actually part of our Mental Wellness Month Initiative. That is four weeks of a lot of programming.” She added, “we have 10 events before Reading Week that we have done and are still doing next week. We have two for sure happening next week.”
Dhothar announced that the “MHSA will be hosting a de-stressor activity for a drop-in session at the Health and Counselling Centre Wellness Den on Feb 10” from 10 to 11 a.m., as well as a “rose sale and photo booth on Feb 13th for Valentine’s Day,” from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the William G. Davis Building.
“Although I’m graduating, I hope Kitten Therapy becomes an annual event that the MHSA hosts,” said Dhothar.
Students who missed Kitten Therapy or would like to attend a similar event should visit the MHSA’s Instagram page to stay informed.
