Featuring Circus Mojo, stress reduction and mental health resources, fun balancing activities and therapy animals!
Between performances, students could balance a peacock feather, juggle, ride a unicycle, attempt yo-yo tricks, and visit therapy animals—including a Woodstock the therapy chicken!
They could also flex their mental muscles at tables featuring stress reduction and mental health resources available through the Provost’s Committee on Student Mental Health, Boynton Health Service, University Counseling and Consulting Services, the Center for Spirituality and Healing, the Aurora Center, the Fitness / Wellness program at Recreational Sports, Active minds, the Rothenberger Institute, the Department of Psychology, the Animal Assisted Interactions program at the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum, the Disabled Student Cultural Center, and others.
Media Coverage
“Mental health is an issue that few are willing to talk about, so the conversations that do happen are extremely influential. Efforts to normalize mental health at Tuesday’s Cirque De-Stress were one of the most important University of Minnesota-sponsored events of the year.”
– Camille Galles, MN Daily editorial, Oct. 30, 2014
Read the full editorial…
“Mental health is the number one public health issue on campus… So the University is fighting back with free massages, therapy animals and acrobats. Stress and fun don’t always go together but that’s the magic of Cirque De-Stress.”
–McKenzie Gernes, KSTP 5 feature, Oct. 28, 2014
Read the full story…
“‘We see mental health and stress in students as being the number one public health issue on campus,’ said Dr. Gary Christenson, chief medical officer at the University’s Boynton Health Service.”
– KARE 11 feature, Oct. 22, 2013
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“It looked a lot like a circus with jugglers, clowns, aerialists and high-wire walkers. But it was actually a mental health fair designed to showcase the many on-campus resources to help students deal with stress and anxiety.”
– Angela Davis, WCCO 4 feature, Oct. 28, 2014.
Read the full story…
“The circus is coming to the U of M, to help people clean some stress from their lives.” – KARE 11 video, Oct. 21, 2013
See Cirque de-Stress interview on KARE 11.
“Students enjoyed performances, stunts and participated in fun activities designed to provide a temporary relief from mid-semester stress during the event hosted by Boynton Health Service.” – MN Daily video, Apr. 8, 2013
View Cirque de-Stress coverage by the Minnesota Daily.