New Wellness Program "Blue Steel: Building Resilient Trailblazers" Launches Soon

An innovative new program aims to ensure UNT Dallas students are mentally healthy, focused, and productive.

Blue Steel: Building Resilience in Trailblazers is a collaboration between The University of North Texas at Dallas (UNT Dallas) Counseling and Wellness Center and the Center for Depression Research and Clinical Care (CDRC) at The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas (UT Southwestern). The six-week course will run from Sept. 4 to Oct. 9. Some participants may be able to receive academic credit.

“We are introducing the Blue Steel concept here at UNT Dallas as a proactive, preventative approach to depression and anxiety,” said Teresa Parnell, Director of the Counseling and Wellness Center. “Some of the stressors students experienced during and after the pandemic still exist. We want to promote mental health self-monitoring.”

Anxiety, stress, and depression grip many students, affecting not only their grades but also their relationships and performance in other areas, such as jobs and extracurricular activities. Whether you are a first-year student, a graduate student, or somewhere in between, the demands of the university experience can take a toll. Research shows that when resilience goes up, anxiety goes down.

The UNT Dallas School of Behavioral Health and Human Services first brought Blue Steel to campus during the Spring 2024 semester as a pilot program funded by a grant from the Communities Foundation of Texas. It consisted of peer support for educators, who included UNT Dallas undergraduate and graduate students.

Acknowledging that students usually talk to other students about their mental health before they speak with adults, the program trained individuals who could become facilitators among their peers, according to Dr. Constance Lacy, School of BHHS Dean. It included instruction in Blue Steel, Youth Mental Health First Aid, and QPR, a suicide-prevention technique.

A previous Blue Steel pilot program at the University of Texas at Dallas (UTD) in 2023 resulted in rich data from more than 300 student-athletes.

“The Blue Steel mental health training was an enlightening experience, blending interactive sessions with practical exercises seamlessly to understand the importance of mental health practically,” said a UTD student who took the course last year. “I appreciate how it equipped me with techniques to maintain my mental well-being. Thanks to this training, I now make it a habit to reflect on my mental health regularly, fostering a healthier mindset.”

Since then, the program has agreed to collaborate with several other local colleges and universities – some with cohorts of student-athletes and some with general student body population – including UNT Dallas, Parker University, Texas A&M Caruth School of Hygiene, Texas Woman’s University, and The University of Texas at Arlington.

“We want to expand our reach to students who may not have support, help them take advocacy for themselves, add to their resilience and show them how to bounce back from adversity,” said Dr. Adrienne Mays, Supervisor of Learning at UT Southwestern’s CDRC. “We are especially concerned about first-generation students, students with families to support, and early college high school students.”

Citing an ongoing need for mental health education on campus and a chance to cooperate on research, Parnell and Mays collaborated to offer Blue Steel at UNT Dallas. Their goal is to teach students how to:

• Start a conversation, even with a stranger, especially if they are feeling overwhelmed
• Resolve conflict before it escalates
• Identify their emotions to affect outcomes
• Manage their time so that they can prioritize tasks and responsibilities
• Practice mindfulness and express optimism to help with focus and concentration
• Form connections with others, especially other students with whom they share things in common
• Reduce the stigma surrounding mental health

Blue Steel will be open to all UNT Dallas undergraduate and graduate students who want to enroll. It is an educational program—a class—that will meet in person on six consecutive Wednesdays with the same cohort and facilitators. Participants can choose either noon or 5:30 p.m. sessions. Click here to register.

Consistency is key and so is the data collected at the beginning and the end of each course cycle. It includes a survey asking students about their stress levels, how they handle their emotions, whether they proactively seek mental health support, and their use of drugs, alcohol, or other substances.

“We don’t judge them,” Mays said. “We teach them the brain is moldable and help them develop strategies for success.”

The survey feedback helps Blue Steel instructors fine-tune their programming, which means the training, support, and advice they share with students is relevant, timely and, most importantly, beneficial.

“I believe that the Blue Steel mental health training taught me more about how my inner thoughts work and how I can use them to my advantage. Furthermore, it was a good bonding experience for me and much of my team as we were able to laugh together at some of the silly things we did,” said another 2023 UT Dallas participant.

The impact of Blue Steel promises to grow beyond Dallas and the state of Texas. Even the State University of New York (SUNY, Plattsburgh) is embracing the program this fall. But for UNT Dallas, the priority is right here, close to home and close to the hearts and minds of our students. They face countless challenges and opportunities, and we will be here to help them every step of the way - they will be as strong as steel throughout their journey.

If you want more information or have questions about Blue Steel, a program designed to build resilient Trailblazers, contact the UNT Dallas Counseling and Wellness Center at 972 338 1816, stop by Suite 1085 in the Student Center, or click here to complete a registration form.

About the CDRC:

Built on more than a quarter-century of research in mood disorders, the Center for Depression Research and Clinical Care (CDRC) was established within the Department of Psychiatry in 2015. Through its three-pronged approach towards ending suffering using depression research, dissemination, and training, the CDRC has established evidence-based programs that enhance the ability to treat depression. The CDRC always strives to build bridges to better mental health and well-being for communities in Texas and beyond; accomplishing this means addressing the needs and levels of community involvement that make success possible.

The CDRC has many exciting platforms for youth and families to participate in research that will help to understand resilience, depression, and substance use. If you would like to learn more about our research or participate in our programs, please complete our interest survey by scanning this QR code: