Out of Isolation: Applying the Healing Spirit to the Social Determinants of Mental Health
This Health Praxis Lab explored the systemic barriers to mental well-being—such as social isolation, stigma, and mistrust—and examined their impact on communities. Through experiential and community-engaged learning, students investigated the socioecological factors influencing mental health, worked to reduce stigma, and co-created interventions aimed at fostering a more inclusive and just society.
Guided by an interdisciplinary team of University of Utah faculty and community leaders, participants developed self-reflection and relational skills essential for building stronger communities and driving systems-level change. Their work contributed to rethinking mental health systems and promoting equity, connection, and justice.
Instructors:
Shawna M. Sisler
Michelle Vo
More Praxis Labs
Infectious Disease on the Run
Margaret P. Battin, PhD
Wendy Hobson-Rohrer, MD
This Praxis Lab examined the history, science, and ethical implications of pandemics, from the Black Plague to COVID-19. Students analyzed how diseases spread, the social and political responses to outbreaks, and the ethical considerations of public health interventions.
How We Die
Margaret P. Battin, PhD
This Praxis Lab explored the evolving landscape of death and dying in the modern world, examining the shift from infectious disease mortality to prolonged battles with degenerative illnesses like cancer, heart failure, and dementia.
Education, Incarceration & Justice: Punishment and Opportunity in an Era of Mass Imprisonment
Erin Castro
Roberto Garcia
This Praxis Lab examined the deep connections between education, incarceration, and justice in the United States, a country with the highest incarceration rate in the world. Students explored the historical and systemic forces that have expanded the carceral state, disproportionately affecting low-income communities and communities of color.