Delta Phi Epsilon

Laura Eckel Hullings is creating a sense of belonging in her role as lead advisor for the Delta Kappa chapter at The University of Florida. As an alumna member of Alpha Chi Omega, Laura volunteers for an organization that is not her own but finds value in the experience. “I think about my sisters and the special parts of my sorority experience in Alpha Chi Omega. Being able to volunteer with DPhiE brings me back to those moments of joy when I was in college.” Bringing her own unique experiences to the table; Laura showcased compassion, sincerity, and integrity through tragedy this year. 

Having to navigate advising in a remote world, she shared that this year has been challenging. “One word to describe my year advising has been independence. I had to let them learn on their own to figure out what’s best for the chapter; while always being one phone call away when they needed it. It’s not holding their hand, it’s leading them from behind so that they grow.” They had to learn how to have virtual chapter meetings, philanthropy events, and sisterhood events through trial and error. “No one has the best answers to anything because no one has experienced this before.” She encouraged the chapter to not be afraid to just try it; it’s ok to fail and try something new. 

Even though she is working remotely, she has developed a close relationship with chapter president Drew McNally. This year they grew together through the tragic loss of a Delta Kappa sister. Laura shared, “Four days into being president, the unimaginable happened and it automatically created a special bond between us. We had to be close, open, and vulnerable together. Seeing each other’s sadness created a space to talk about things more than just chapter operations.” 

They developed a close bond this year and Laura is grateful to be supporting a chapter president that cares so deeply about her chapter and Delta Phi Epsilon. Chapter advisors are often seen as mentors to the leadership team members, giving support and guidance from their life experiences. Laura shared that she often sees Drew as a mentor to her. “In moments where she had to be incredibly strong, I was amazed by her strength, resiliency, and tenacity. She’s handled this year with grace and I look up to her.” 

Creating a space for the Delta Kappa chapter to thrive this year, Laura has been an integral part of their growth. By developing close relationships with the chapter this year, she created a sense of belonging for them remotely through the unthinkable. Reflecting on this year, she shared “It brings me joy when I see growth from the chapter and know that I had a small part in that.”

Maureen Bowie is back in the game, returning to Delta Phi Epsilon as a chapter advisor for the Zeta Lambda chapter at Farmingdale State College. After graduation, Maureen took time to focus on her personal and professional life. She was later on inspired to reconnect to the organization as a volunteer. She shared, “More than anything, I decided to volunteer for DPhiE because of my fond memories from my time in college. I missed that connection. Plus, I am always looking for a way to be involved in my community.” 

As a chapter advisor she empowers the members to be leaders by utilizing her past experiences. Maureen shared, “There’s a lot of life experiences that older sisters can bring to a chapter; especially with sharing our traditions and the importance of our values for a lifetime.” She always encourages the members to create their own experiences but provides valuable insight as a guide post – often reflecting on what worked or didn’t for her chapter. 

Maureen’s favorite part of returning to DPhiE as a volunteer has been getting back to our rituals. “Ritual is the most unifying thing in our sorority as a whole. It’s special to get to experience that again and showcase how important it is to the younger sisters.” 

In her professional life, Maureen is a teacher. The flexible time commitment that advising provides fits perfectly into her lifestyle. She works together with other members of the chapter advisory board to share the time commitment. “By creating a network of other sisters, you can work together and divide and conquer tasks so it’s manageable.” Maureen’s professional experience benefits her as an advisor; utilizing her conflict management skills and flexibility. 

She finds community in the connections she’s created with chapter leaders and other members of the chapter advisory board. “You get to connect with sisters from different backgrounds. Sisters I advised that have since graduated I still maintain a connection with.” 

If you’re considering advising but feel disconnected to DPhiE, she encourages you to just try it! You’ll get to reconnect to the organization all over again and realize that some things never change.

I know the word meditate might sound boring to some but it’s an essential skill that everyone should have. Meditation is a technique used to focus, heighten, and center yourself physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. It’s a jack of all trades! It might seem hard at first but with these easy steps you’ll start your journey in no time.

1. Be still: Find some place comfortable to either sit or lay down, it doesn’t really matter which one as long as you’re comfortable. (I personally sit cross-legged in the middle of the floor of my room facing the window so I can feel the sun on my face.) You can meditate anywhere as long as it’s a calm quiet place like your bedroom, car, and even at the park. If you’re in school and have a few minutes to yourself you can try to meditate in the library.

2. Close your eyes: But try not to go to sleep! Music can sometimes distract people so I suggest trying it in silence first but if the silence is too boring there are hundreds of guided meditations on YouTube great for beginners.

3. Breath naturally: This isn’t a competition all you have to do is relax. Inhale through your nose for about six seconds then exhale for about six seconds then repeat.

4. Focus: Focus on your breathing and the expansion on your lungs when you inhale and exhale. Pay attention to your body’s movement. Focus your attention at the top of your head and try to imagine energy swelling and circulating throughout your body. As you inhale imagine this energy moving from your head and filling your lungs and chest and as you exhale imagine the energy dispersing throughout your body to your arms, stomach, legs, and even toes until it reaches every part of your body.

5. Recenter: If your mind begins to wander just refocus your attention back to your breathing. When I realize my thoughts begin to wander I open my eyes and adjust however I’m sitting and restart my meditation steps. If that doesn’t work, taking a break and coming back can help.

That’s it! See how easy that was! If you do this for about 5 minutes every day I’m sure you’ll start to feel more relaxed and positive and after some practice you can try to meditate for longer periods of time. For more information you can check out https://www.mindful.org/how-to-meditate-3/

Christina Fenton, Delta Iota

Hello everyone my name is Christina and I’m super excited for this wellness journey we’re all taking together. I am a recent graduate in the areas of Psychology and Anthropology. My main focus currently is Spiritual growth, meditation, and yoga.

All my life I’ve enjoyed helping others working with young adults and children but I’ve recently uncovered a treasure trove of information that has the potential to strengthen your bond with not only others but with yourself as well. Learning about Spirituality is a fun and enriching experience that I hope you can enjoy.

As the Lead advisor for the Beta Omega chapter, Amora Laucella often reflects on why she joined Delta Phi Epsilon: to inspire passion and purpose to her sisters. She shared “When I was going through recruitment I didn’t know exactly where my place would be but the second I saw DPhiE, the motto, and learned about our Founders’ I knew it was the organization for me. An organization that helps sisters use their voices and lead!” After graduating, she knew she wanted to  volunteer and give others the same sense of belonging she received. 

Since taking on a volunteer role, Amora’s love for Delta Phi Epsilon has only deepened. Because of her volunteer role she’s connected with sisters across the country and Canada through advising meetings, committee work and the International Leadership Forum. “Being a chapter advisor gives you an outside perspective. You get to building meaningful relationships along the way and  it truly shows you what it means to be a sister of DPhiE.” 

As an advisor, she continues to live by our values and motto and uses them as a guide point in leadership. “After graduation, you will always carry the motto with you but as an alumna you bring a whole different perspective to it. We’re more than just meetings, this is a true sisterhood where we love and accept each other. I get to share what it means from my perspective to show that there’s purpose behind it all.” She loves watching sisters live our mottos and values from the time they join DPhiE until their graduation. Seeing herself as their big sister, she takes pride in having a hand in helping the next generation of sisters find their place in the world and use their gifts to make a difference. She is always there to love and support them and provide a sense of mentorship. “I feel so lucky to be a step in their journey to help them get there and recognize their full potential.” 

Amora encourages sisters everywhere to volunteer for DPhiE to reconnect with the organization all over again. She shared, “As a volunteer you have to put in the time, love and care to help DPhiE grow. Volunteering is a labor of love – you have to have a great love for DPhiE and what we stand for to help sisters become the best they can be. You’re joining a team that’s bigger than just you”

This year marks Amora’s 10 year anniversary since joining Delta Phi Epsilon. Reflecting on her commitment to DPhiE as an alumna she shared, “I think about our Founders’ a lot and how they would feel if they were around today. I hope that I am making the DIMES proud.”

Vashtina Boyce’s time as an undergraduate was short; being an active member of the Alpha Epsilon chapter at Kennesaw State University for a year and a half. After a short but rewarding experience, she knew she wanted to continue to give back to DPhiE. She started advising as a chapter in her area and helped them flourish. 

After advising two chapters over the span of five years, she moved to the Pacific Northwest. An area without any DPhiE chapters, Vashtina was unsure of what she would do next. She shared, “I knew that I wanted to get involved again in some way but I did not exactly know how.” She looked around for opportunities on the website and connected with other sisters to see how she could give back. 

Around the same time, DPhiE began recruiting volunteers for the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion task force. With her education leaning towards social justice work, she knew that the DEI task force was the perfect volunteer role for her to thrive in. This allowed her to use her education and further develop her skills in an area that DPhiE needed critical support in. With three years on the committee behind her she looks back on her experience with gratitude. “Some days are hard – especially in the DEI space where nothing is perfect and there’s so much work to do. It can be discouraging but at the same time gives me the motivation to continue.” 

She attributes her time volunteering to providing her valuable professional development skills to help her grow in her career. “Volunteering has helped me to learn how to better work with others as well as how to manage conflict, both skills I did not have as much experience with in college given my short time being active.” The committee work has also helped her to move along in her career. Since joining she aimed to lead by example and showcasing how DPhiE helped her grow to inspire young leaders. 

If you’re on the fence about volunteering for DPhiE, find a role that works best for you, your skill set, and your time commitment. “Don’t be afraid to stretch and try something new – ask questions and plug in your skills where you can!” 

The Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee is at an all time high membership count including undergraduate and alumna representation. We are excited to see all that they accomplish this year as they continue to put the Anti-racist Resolution into action. Read about all of our committees here to find a space for you to thrive in.

By: Hailie Addison

This year, Delta Phi Epsilon created the Kindness Committee to create training materials and programs that sustain a culture of empathy, trust and compassion. For Beta Tau chapter alumna, Misha Brahmbhatt, these traits come naturally. 

In 2019, Misha started her instagram page @misha_inspires, hoping to spread positivity and motivation. “My instagram page is all about inspiring others and motivating people to be the best version of ourselves,” Misha said. She initially made her instagram page to take her followers with her through her journey of becoming a physician. Nearly 8,000 followers later, Misha’s weekly posts have become an inspiration to many. 

In February, Misha partnered with bold.org to create her own scholarship, the “Misha Brahmbhatt Help Your Community Scholarship, for students who are active volunteers in their community. On top of this, Misha recently launched her new Instagram TV series, “What’s your story?”, featuring people from all over the country, her goal being to interview one person from every state by the end of the year. 

When the opportunity arose for Misha to join DPhiE’s kindness committee, Misha felt like it was the perfect way for her to give back to DPhiE and help other sisters be leaders in kindness.

“Incorporating kindness into our everyday lives is something that is really important to DPhiE,” said Misha. “The main thing with that is really taking what we’ve learned in DPhiE and applying it to the outside world. There’s a huge difference between being kind and being nice and we want all of our members to live out kindness on an everyday basis.” 

Even though Misha is a new kindness committee member, she’s “really looking forward to seeing how much the committee is going to grow and impact so many different people.” 

Misha noted that, “DPhiE has taught me how to be adaptable in every situation and that there will always be a light at the end of the tunnel,” and she wants to continue to inspire others in the same way DPhiE has inspired her. 

By: Amanda Landry, LMHC, CAP, NCC

Part of being in a sisterhood is being there for your sisters.  Helping a sister with her depression and/or anxiety can seem challenging.  Part of helping anyone out with depression and anxiety is understanding what it is and how it can impact them.  Here are some guidelines you can use to learn about how to best support your sister in need.

1. Know the symptoms of depression and anxiety
   According to the National Institute of Mental Health, here are the symptoms of depression:

• Persistent sad, anxious, or “empty” mood
• Feelings of hopelessness, or pessimism
• Irritability
• Feelings of guilt, worthlessness, or helplessness
• Loss of interest or pleasure in hobbies and activities
• Decreased energy or fatigue
• Moving or talking more slowly
• Feeling restless or having trouble sitting still
• Difficulty concentrating, remembering, or making decisions
• Difficulty sleeping, early-morning awakening, or oversleeping
• Appetite and/or weight changes
• Thoughts of death or suicide, or suicide attempts
• Aches or pains, headaches, cramps, or digestive problems without a clear physical cause and/or that do not ease even with treatment

According to the Mayo Clinic, here are the symptoms of anxiety:  

• Feeling nervous, restless or tense
• Having a sense of impending danger, panic or doom
• Having an increased heart rate
• Breathing rapidly (hyperventilation)
• Sweating
• Trembling
• Feeling weak or tired
• Trouble concentrating or thinking about anything other than the present worry
• Having trouble sleeping
• Experiencing gastrointestinal (GI) problems
• Having difficulty controlling worry
• Having the urge to avoid things that trigger anxiety

2. Encourage them to seek out professional help
   Getting a professional opinion and treatment recommendations is an important step towards management and recovery.  For collegiate members, most campuses have free counseling services that students can access.  Most insurances cover mental health services and there are organizations out there that help make mental health more accessible.  A great resource is called Open Path Collective.  They link people up with therapists that offer a sliding scale.  You can find out information about them here: https://openpathcollective.org/.

3. If you are worried about suicide or self-harming behaviors, connect with them the suicide hotline.  
   In the United States, you can reach the toll-free, 24-hour hot line of the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (1-800-273-8255) to talk to a trained counselor.  In Canada, you can reach the toll-free, 24 hotline at 1-833-456-4566.

4. Recognize your limits
   It is important to be a support system for your sisters; however you also need to remember your limits.  When you have a family member, friend, sister or partner with any mental health issues, it can come with a toll on your own mental health.  Be sure you are taking care of your mental health and engaging in regular self-care.

5. Support them by being there
   One of the best things you can do is just be there for someone.  When depression hits, people often feel lonely.  By having a friend they can go to may help them feel less lonely and isolated.  Being isolated may be what they want to do but it’s the opposite of what they need to do.  Encourage them to participate in pleasurable and fun activities, even if they don’t feel like it.   For those who struggle with anxiety, let them know you will sit with them when they feel anxious.  Learn some breathing exercises you can do with them.  A great tool for anxiety is distraction.  Help your sister out by distracting them with an interesting story.

Be patient if your sister does not seek help right away or continues to struggle.  Depression and anxiety is not something that simply goes away without appropriate treatment and support.  For more information about how to help, check out the resources below.          

Resources:

https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/depression/index.shtml
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/anxiety/symptoms-causes/syc-20350961
https://openpathcollective.org/
https://www.crisisservicescanada.ca/en/
https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/

Name: Amanda Landry
Chapter: Beta Tau

I’m Amanda and I’m excited you have found me. I love working with young adults to find their passion in life, remove blocks that are keeping them from being their most awesome self and learn to live a life they have always dreamed.

I practice therapy in a beautiful and comfortable office in Davie & Wellington Florida at my own private practice called Caring Therapists of Broward & Palm Beach. I’m a Licensed Mental Health Counselor, Certified Addictions Professional and National Certified Counselor. I’ve been a therapist for more than 8 years and absolutely love what I do. I’ve worked with teenagers overcome addictions, young adults go off to college and become successful, and young adults overcome depression and anxiety. I have helped couple’s save their marriages and relationships.  Find out more at www.caringtherapistsofbroward.com