CIAC 2023 Virtual Conference
Caring for Ourselves as we Care for Others:
How to Nurture Self- and Collective Care During Uncertain Times
Presented by:
Nikita Gupta, MPH, CHES, RYT
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Campus professionals are the gatekeepers to student success and thriving. In order for students to thrive, it is imperative that campus professionals are offered the same opportunities for care, belonging, respect and value that we strive to instill in others. This session will focus on the well-being of Articulation Officers as we examine the trends of burnout on college campuses since the pandemic and how pervasive secondary trauma and the demands of a high-paced environment can impact our body, mind and sense of well-being. Participants will learn and practice accessible strategies for personal healing, restoration and resilience that are rooted in our body and nervous systems. In addition, we will explore how, as an institution, we can do more to make space for greater collective care across campus communities.
Nikita Gupta
MPH, CHES, RYT
She/Her
Nikita's Bio:
Nikita Gupta, MPH, RYT specializes in Transforming Trauma through Healing and Resiliency in educational and service-based settings. She is a nationally recognized facilitator, author and leader who has partnered with diverse communities, students, educators, administrators and helping professionals for over 25 years to enable pathways for somatic healing, collective care and transformation from the inside out.
Nikita has created and implemented numerous evidence-based, inspirational programs to support mental health and thriving for all members of the organization, while countering the effects of systemic oppression, fragmentation and burnout that so many are experiencing. She is the founding director of the innovative UCLA GRIT Coaching Program which served thousands of unique, often marginalized students with personalized peer coaching centered in resilience and embodied well-being. Nikita was instrumental in creating the UCLA RISE Center, one of the first dedicated healing-centered spaces on a college campus that provides students, staff and faculty with meaningful mental health education and opportunities for restoration and well-being. As a 2020 Fellow of the National Center for Free Speech and Civic Engagement, Nikita designed a responsive educational Toolkit for College Professionals to be used in effectively navigating conflict situations, which are rooted in Trauma-Informed Practice and Embodied Leadership. She continues to share this work with audiences widely, delivering a TED Talk in 2021 on the topic of helping others without burning out in the process. Nikita’s methodology is experiential and interdisciplinary, drawing from principles of neuroscience, mindfulness, coaching pedagogy, and healing justice.
Nikita received her Master’s in Public Health from UCLA. She is also a long-time Yoga Teacher and Meditation Facilitator. She is a proud first-generation Indo-American, born in Texas and raised in Kentucky. Nikita has lived in Los Angeles for over 24 years. She enjoys spending time with her husband and cat, crafting and being in the garden.
Through training, coaching and collaboration with schools, colleges and service-based organizations, she aims to foster a culture of resilience as we bravely move through the unknown, while finding joy in each day. Learn more about Nikita's work: www.linktr.ee/ngupta.