A student-led podcast encourages dialogue on wellness to build a healthier, more inclusive campus environment at York University.
The Well-being and YU podcast aims to reduce stigma associated with mental health and highlight the resources available to support students. Episodes explore issues connected to real student experiences, from stress and mental health to identity, spiritual well-being, belonging and more.
“The mission of the podcast is to build meaningful connections with our listeners by creating space for open, honest conversations about the issues that shape student wellness at York,” says the podcast's current host and fourth-year psychology student Susu Beheiry. “I hope the podcast will help listeners shift perspectives and see that self-love and discipline are not enemies and can help to achieve goals. I’m excited to work toward these goals together, one episode at a time.”
Produced by Student Counselling, Health & Well‑being and led by a student host, coordinator and technical editor, the podcast reflects York’s values of community, connection, compassion, respect and acceptance.
Beheiry says the episodes explore the six dimensions of well-being outlined in York’s Well-being Strategy, which is the guiding framework for the podcast. The show is also influenced by the Mental Health Commission of Canada’s Mental Health and Well‑being for Post‑Secondary Students Standard and the Okanagan Charter.
“By sharing practical insights and stories, it helps students build skills, access support and feel more connected,” says Beheiry. “As a psychology major, I am passionate about promoting and applying mental health in my day-to-day life. I want to see other students caring about their mental health and well-being as much as they care about their physical health and grades.”
Faculty and staff may also find the conversations useful, she notes, as the topics relate directly to how students learn, engage and participate.
A recent episode on digital well-being features Roxanne Cohen, postdoctoral fellow in York’s Young Lives Research Lab, and examines how young people use technology, what purposeful use can look like and how digital habits shape mental and physical health.
“The episode invites listeners to reconsider their relationship with screens and explore how to regain balance in an ‘always-on’ world,” says Cohen.
The conversation draws on youth-centered research connected to the Young Lives Research Lab and the Digital Wellbeing Hub – a newly launched first-of-its kind digital well-being platform designed to help Canadians navigate the challenges and complexities of the internet and social media. The hub features research snapshots, trusted resources and youth from across Canada speaking on their experiences.
"We talk about how students are navigating real tensions in their digital lives and why ‘screen time’ alone is an incomplete way to understand what’s happening,” says Cohen. “Helping listeners understand purposeful use and think about digital citizenship can shift digital habits toward healthier experiences.”
Cohen notes that the episode is relevant to faculty and staff as digital technology, including AI, now shapes many aspects of student well-being and learning, influencing everything from attention and workload to mental and physical health, belonging, participation and safety.
“Understanding these well-being experiences can help the broader community support a healthier, more inclusive learning environment,” she says.
Listen to Digital Well-being: A Guide to Healthy Tech Use and explore more episodes here.