On Wednesday, February 18 at 5:30 p.m., Barnard College’s Francine A. LeFrak Foundation Center for Well-Being will launch its seven-week “Relationship Toolkit Certificate Program,” a series of student-led workshops that aims to build students’ confidence in navigating the complex issues that arise in interpersonal relationships.
Titled “Practical Skills for Navigating Connection, Conflict, and Change,” the program explores the central question: What if love were something we were taught — with intention, thought, and care? In a digital age, relationships often involve shifting norms and expectations, and it is natural to feel overwhelmed. Through guided discussions, interactive activities, and reflective exercises with peers, the program will empower participants to develop and maintain healthier relationships, both in-person and online.
Among the topics the program plans to cover are boundaries, communication, consent, endings, grief, and digital connections. Barnard’s Clery Interns will facilitate the seven-week toolkit in collaboration with the team at the Being Barnard Violence Prevention Program. The Jeanne Clery Internship, established by alumna Constance Clery ’53 and her husband Howard K. Clery in memory of their daughter, focuses on gender-based violence awareness and prevention.
The “Relationship Toolkit Certificate Program” is just one of the peer health initiatives integrated into the Francine A. LeFrak Foundation Center for Well-Being, which was opened in 2024. The Wellness Spot, Barnard’s longstanding peer health education program, offers workshops and resources to students throughout the fall and spring semesters, opening dialogue on issues like self-care, stress management, and reproductive health.
These efforts are included under the Center’s “Mental Well-Being” pillar of holistic wellness. Together with “Physical Well-Being” and “Financial Well-Being,” the Center serves as a one-stop shop for student health, providing a range of tools and a wealth of information that students can take from college to the rest of their lives.
Register interest in the “Relationship Toolkit Certificate Program” here and email questions to lefrakcenter@barnard.edu.