From Burnout to Balance: Maintaining Mental Health as a Student

Brianna Villalpando • September 13, 2024

6 Self-Care Strategies to Avoid Overwhelm as a Student

Being a student can feel like a rollercoaster of emotions. One minute you’re excited, the next you’re feeling overwhelmed or burned out. Juggling school, work, mental health, and your social life is tough, and it’s easy to feel like there’s a never-ending list of tasks to complete. So how do we combat stress and anxiety when there are so many pressures around us? Today, we’ll explore six strategies for student self care. 


“Self care” is a buzzword that you’ve probably heard on many occasions, but what does it actually mean for someone with a packed schedule like yours? At its core, self-care is about tuning into yourself and participating in activities that support your physical and mental well-being. It can include a variety of practices, from staying hydrated and eating well, to meditating and getting enough rest. However, managing these self-care goals can sometimes feel like an added task on top of the piles of homework and essays you’re already managing.


To help you navigate self-care in a way that fits into your busy schedule, here's a list of flexible and practical strategies that can support your path toward achieving your personal goals.


1.Establish a Routine


Establishing a weekly rhythm can be a game-changer when you’re juggling school, work, and a variety of other tasks and relationships. Your routine doesn’t have to look like anyone else’s, it can be as simple as getting up early  to move your body or saving Monday afternoons for chilling on the couch and binge-watching your favorite show. The key is that a routine gives you something to depend on, helps you stay on track, and can pull you back to center when things get chaotic.


To build your routine, start by writing down your key responsibilities, any time commitments, and personal goals that matter to you. Then, put them into your calendar or planner. A solid routine not only helps you feel more in control but also makes decision-making a lot easier.


2. Stay Connected


Another important part of self-care is staying connected with the people who matter to you. Building a support network and keeping in touch can help you stay grounded and provide you with someone to talk to when you need it. Maybe calling your parents on the way home from class makes you feel more relaxed, or FaceTiming with your best friend every Thursday night helps you de-stress and catch up. Maintaining these connections is super important for sharing experiences and having the support you need.


3. Practice Self-Evaluation


How do you know when you're drifting off course? Do you have any personal red flags that signal it's time for a check-in? Setting up a plan for self-evaluation is a key part of self-care and helps keep you on track. This might involve simply assessing your eating and drinking habits for the week, tracking your sleep patterns, or ensuring you're taking care of your personal hygiene.


But it’s not just about the basics. A self-evaluation can also dive deeper, ask yourself if you’ve felt fulfilled this week or how your happiness levels are shaping up. Keeping a journal of these reflections can help you stay connected with your well-being and spot areas for improvement. It’s like having a wellness check-in with yourself, giving you a clear picture of where you stand and what changes might be beneficial.


4. Healthy Social Media Consumption


A key aspect of self-care is figuring out how your environment, especially your social media habits, affect your mood. It’s important to pay attention to what you’re consuming online and how it’s making you feel. For example, do you find yourself feeling drained after scrolling through TikTok for half an hour? Is doom scrolling messing with your productivity? Or does following that cute corgi’s Instagram make your day better?


Staying aware of how social media impacts your stress and overall mood is key to managing your mental health. If you notice certain accounts or content aren’t doing you any favors, don’t hesitate to block, unfollow, or hit "not interested." It’s all about curating a feed that supports your well-being.


5. Figure Out How you Study Best


Studying is pretty much the biggest gig you have as a student, and finding a routine that works for you can cut down on stress. Here’s how to figure out what works best for you:

  • Daily Grind: Do you do better studying for 30 minutes every day leading up to an exam?
  • Cramming Champ: Or are you the type who thrives on last-minute cramming?
  • Content Preferences: Do you prefer watching videos, listening to podcasts, or are you all about handwritten notes?


Play around with different methods and see what sticks. The key is to find a study routine that feels natural for you and makes the whole process less stressful. The more you customize your approach, the easier studying will become and the better you’ll do in school. 


6. Download our Free Guide

 
Sometimes the best way you can care for yourself is by getting help! At Thrive, we’re committed to creating resources that help people live healthier lives, physically, mentally, and relationally. If you’re looking for a self-care “guidebook”, consider downloading our free PDF guide,
How to Thrive: 10 Simple Habits for Healthy Living


Self-care can look different for everyone. For some, it’s all about relaxing with a massage or a good book, while for others, it might be about establishing a solid routine or staying connected with friends. Being a student is often a challenging experience, but making the most of your time in school and finding ways to keep stress at bay can make a huge difference. Remember, self-care isn’t one-size-fits-all—find what works for you and make it a part of your daily life.


Download our free wellness guide.

Discover the power of small, sustainable changes with "How to Thrive: 10 Simple Habits for Healthy Living." This guide offers practical, easy-to-follow habits that promote physical, mental, and emotional well-being.

By Erin McGinty Fort, MS, MHA, CPC, LPC-S, CEDS-C December 18, 2025
Sometimes, people need more support, structure, and monitoring than the typical outpatient setting can provide. When this happens, the treatment team will usually recommend that someone be "stepped up" to a different level of care, or program, that can better meet their needs. I like to think of it as being similar to medication dosages; people need different strengths of medications, or dosages, to get better when they're sick. Stepping someone up to a higher level of care is like increasing the dosage of a medication to match the severity of their symptoms. How Are Higher Levels of Care Different from Standard Outpatient Care? At the core of differentiating higher levels of care from standard outpatient care is the intensity and structure of the treatment. Higher level of care programs tend to offer more days of treatment each week and more hours of treatment per day than in the outpatient setting. Those in higher level of care programs may also meet with their treatment team members more frequently each week. There are more staff present to support someone at or after meals and snacks, or to help those who are having urges to engage in compulsions or other harmful behaviors. Clients in our HLOC programs get access to an assortment of treatment modalities tailored to their individual needs, including personalized therapy sessions, group support, medication management, medical nutrition therapy with a dietitian, and check-ins with our primary care providers. We support clients with personalized treatment plans and regular assessments to monitor and tweak interventions as needed. Higher levels of care also offer increased peer interaction and support. Intensive programs incorporate additional group therapy sessions, which can help those in treatment feel less alone as well as create a greater sense of community. For some people, it can be difficult to devote the time and energy needed to recover while also balancing other responsibilities like school or work. Stepping up to more intensive levels of care allows people to fully dedicate themselves to recovery. As they get better and make progress, a person may be stepped back down to a less intensive level of care to start practicing their recovery in their usual home, school, or work settings while also receiving professional support from their treatment team. What Levels of Care are Available? At Thrive Wellness, we offer four different levels of care to help clients step up (or down) in their treatment when needed: -  Outpatient Treatment - weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly meetings with a therapist, psychiatrist, primary care provider, and/or dietitian. - Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP) - A minimum of three hours per day, three days per week. - Partial Hospitalization Program (PHP) - A minimum of six hours per day, five days per week. - Residential Treatment - Coming soon in 2026, The Greenhouse at Thrive will offer residential treatment for eating disorders, anxiety disorders, and obsessive-compulsive disorder. This level of care offers 24-hour support for those aged 12-24 living in our residential treatment center. How To Decide Which Level of Care is Right for You If you're unsure which option is right for you or your loved one, we offer a free assessment that can be completed with our admissions team. In this initial assessment, we'll gather information from you about what you're struggling with, speak with our team of providers, and then make a recommendation for what level of care we feel is the best fit for you and your needs. If you’re experiencing symptoms of an eating disorder, anxiety disorder, or other behavioral or mental health challenges, don’t hesitate to reach out. To get started with our intake process, give us a call at 775-525-8103 or fill out this form . We can’t wait to help you Thrive.
December 2, 2025
Like the fir tree, a symbol of endurance rooted in hope, our Family Inclusive Recovery (FIR) approach reflects the strength that grows when families face challenges together. At our new residential center “The Greenhouse”, FIR is more than a treatment model, it’s a philosophy of healing that places families at the heart of recovery for adolescents and young adults navigating eating disorders, anxiety disorders, and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). We believe lasting healing doesn’t happen in isolation; it’s built with the support of families through perseverance, hope, and compassionate care. What Is Family Inclusive Recovery (FIR)? Family Intensive Recovery (FIR) is a specialized and immersive approach that actively engages caregivers as central agents in their child’s healing process. Rather than seeing families as contributors to a problem, we view them as essential partners in recovery. Drawing from two evidence-based frameworks, Supportive Parenting for Anxious Childhood Emotions (SPACE) and Family-Based Treatment (FBT), FIR helps families cultivate resilience, confidence, and connection throughout the journey to recovery. Grounded in SPACE and FBT Through the SPACE model, parents learn how to recognize and reduce well-intentioned but unhelpful behaviors known as accommodations that can reinforce anxiety and OCD symptoms. By shifting from rescuing to supporting and challenging, parents develop the confidence to guide their child through discomfort, helping them build distress tolerance and self-trust. Simultaneously, Family-Based Treatment (FBT) empowers families to take an active, compassionate role in their child’s nutritional and emotional recovery. Parents learn how to support weight and nutritional restoration, disrupt the eating disorder’s patterns, and reestablish boundaries that promote health and growing autonomy. Together, these approaches strengthen both the individual and family system, allowing recovery to take root within an environment of empathy and optimism. From Blame to Collaboration A cornerstone of the FIR model is removing blame. At Thrive, parents are not viewed as the cause of their child’s struggles, but rather as key partners in recovery. Treatment focuses on joining forces to create a safe, supportive environment where: Families learn to sit with their child's discomfort alongside them without rushing to fix or control it. Parents practice compassionate firmness, setting boundaries grounded in care and safety. Teens and caregivers rebuild trust through open, honest communication. This collaborative framework helps families reestablish a sense of connection and confidence, fostering long-term resilience and open communication that extends beyond the treatment setting. Why Family Matters in Recovery Recovery from eating disorders, OCD, or anxiety isn’t a one-person job, it requires integrated care including the family. When families learn to navigate challenges together, they can model emotional regulation, reinforce healthy boundaries, and create conditions for sustained recovery. Through FIR, we aim to strengthen attachment bonds, reshape family interactions, and empower every member of the family to grow. The result is not only symptom reduction but also a deeper sense of unity, hope, and shared endurance, just like the steadfast fir tree that stands resilient through every season. Moving Toward Hope Family Inclusive Recovery invites caregivers and loved ones to become active participants in change. It’s a journey of learning, letting go, and leaning into love and acceptance. Together, families and clinicians can cultivate the courage in clients to face uncertainty, and in doing so, help them discover that recovery is not just possible, but enduring. If you’d like to learn more about Family Intensive Recovery at The Greenhouse or how we support families in eating disorder and OCD treatment, reach out to our team today.
November 14, 2025
The Greenhouse at Thrive Wellness A New Chapter of Hope and Healing in Nevada On Friday, November 14 , we gathered with our partners at Molina Healthcare to share an important moment for our community. Together, we celebrated Molina’s generous $50,000 grant , an investment that is helping bring The Greenhouse to life. Their support is not only a financial contribution—it’s a statement of belief in the young people and families of Nevada who deserve access to compassionate, evidence-based mental healthcare close to home. This gathering marked the beginning of something we’ve dreamed about for years: a place designed specifically for adolescents and emerging adults to receive the care, connection, and support they need during some of the most vulnerable moments of their lives. Something New Is Growing In early 2026 , Thrive Wellness will open The Greenhouse , Nevada’s first residential treatment center devoted to adolescents and emerging adults navigating eating disorders, anxiety, and OCD . For too long, families have faced a heartbreaking dilemma—send their child far from home for treatment or go without the specialized care they need. The Greenhouse is our answer to that gap. It will be a place where young people can settle into an environment built for healing, where they are understood, supported, and surrounded by a team that believes in their capacity to recover. The Greenhouse represents a natural extension of our mission. It’s a living expression of our belief that recovery is possible—and that with the right support, families can find their footing again. 
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