Autumn Quarter, Week 4

10/20/2025

Join us for this month’s Art Open Studio (AOS) — a creative and relaxing space for students to explore artistic expression and connect with others. This session’s theme is Vision Boards for the Academic Year! Take some time to reflect on your goals, aspirations, and intentions, and bring them to life through art.

All supplies will be provided on a first come, first serve basis, and no prior art experience is needed.

Creating a vision board can do more than inspire, it can actively support motivation and well-being. Research shows that visualizing goals helps the brain transform abstract ideas into concrete actions, strengthening self-efficacy and focus.

Repeated exposure to meaningful images also “primes” the brain to notice opportunities aligned with those goals, a process known as value tagging. When paired with intentional goal-setting, vision boards can boost motivation and emotional clarity while reducing stress through the creative, mindful act of making art.

In short, the process itself, not just the product, helps you reflect, plan, and align your actions with what matters most.

Source

Student Wellness is excited to welcome Xochitl (Xochi) Roussel to our mental health team! Xochitl brings a warm, creative, and trauma-informed approach to supporting students’ mental health and well-being.

Her professional interests include art therapy and creative expression, trauma-informed care, mindfulness, and supporting students navigating identity, perfectionism, academic stress, and emotional well-being. She is particularly passionate about working with immigrant, international, first-generation, and low-income students, and approaches her work through humanistic and culturally responsive lenses.

Outside of her clinical work, Xochitl enjoys creating art, exploring museums and community events, kayaking, dancing, baking, spending time in nature, and connecting with loved ones. She speaks English and Spanish.

With Xochitl’s arrival, Student Wellness is now proud to offer Art Therapy—a space where students can explore their emotions and experiences through creative expression.

Education: BA from DePaul University with minors in Psychology and Art History; Currently pursuing a MA School of the Art Institute of Chicago