SANTA BARBARA — The Mental Wellness Center, Santa Barbara City College (SBCC) Wellness Connection, and San Marcos High School Wellness Connection Club are bringing “The Love Effect” to Santa Barbara and the community is invited to join the movement.
The Mental Wellness Center today announced a partnership with the SBCC Wellness Connection, the health education program of SBCC’s Department of Student Health and Wellness, to further promote student health and wellness on high school campuses. Modeled after the successful SBCC program, the Mental Wellness Center-sponsored Wellness Connection will host student clubs on local high school campuses to encourage mental wellness education among students.
Marking the organizations’ first official collaboration, the SBCC Wellness Connection and the Mental Wellness Center sponsored Wellness Connection Club from San Marcos High School will host a special screening of the short film “The Love Effect” on Wednesday, March 1 at the Fé Bland Forum at SBCC.
“We’re proud to help bring the Wellness Connections at SBCC and at the high school level together to bolster local support and peer mentoring among our students at this transitional age,” said Annmarie Cameron, CEO of the Mental Wellness Center. “The Mental Wellness Center is committed to raising awareness of mental health within our community—and that recovery is possible—and The Love Effect does just that; it’s a beautiful story about hope and self-discovery and we look forward to sharing this inspirational film with people of all ages.”
The Love Effect is the story of two men who are both dealing with loss in very radical ways. Tom, a free-spirited surfer, has come to a remote California coastal retreat to cope with the pain of his lost love, while Robbie, a young San Francisco businessman has come to the same spot to take his own life. Two men on different yet parallel paths are shown a way through together, putting forth an emotional message about the healing powers of love and understanding from those around you.
The film screening is open to adults, teens and the community free of charge and will kick off at 5:30pm with an opening reception, followed by the screening at 6:30pm and an interactive Q&A with actor/producer/writer Tyler Atkins and director/screenwriter Drue Metz.
For more information about the event, email wellness@sbcc.edu.
The SBCC Wellness Connection hosts a student club that offers a place for friendship and lends a student voice to all of its programming. Staff work with students from the Club to offer educational and interactive campus events centered around a range of wellness topics, including: Mental & Emotional Wellness, Sexual Health & Relationships, Healthy Eating & Active Living, Substance Awareness, and Bystander Intervention.
The inaugural MWC-sponsored Wellness Connection Club was piloted at San Marcos High School and quickly grew to over 30 members, most of which are high school freshman.
The collaboration of the SBCC and high school Wellness Connection programs are expected to result in cross promotion of campus events, as well as mentoring by the SBCC Clubs of the various high school clubs. Resources and educational materials will also be shared among the two groups. Dually enrolled high school students will have the benefit of programming that bridges the campus experience.
For more information about the Mental Wellness Center, please call (805) 884-8440 or visit www.mentalwellnesscenter.org.
For more information about SBCC’s Wellness Connection, please contact Roxane Pate at pate@sbcc.edu or visit http://www.sbcc.edu/healthservices/wellnessconnection/index.php.
About the Mental Wellness Center: The Mental Wellness Center is a private, non-profit organization that recognizes that mental illness is a community matter that affects us all. The Mental Wellness Center is dedicated to meeting the needs of individuals and families affected by mental illness, through support, education, and direct services.
About Santa Barbara City College Wellness Connection: The Wellness Connection is the health education program of SBCC’s Student Health Services Department. They promote student health and wellness on campus and teach people how to live life to the fullest. The Wellness Connection also has a student club that offers a place for friendship, community & lends a student voice to all of their programming.