Healthy relationships

We define relational well-being as the ongoing development and practice of intimacy, communication, and community with the people in our lives to foster belonging and connection.

LiveWell offers services, events, and resources to support healthy relationships and your relational well-being:

Services

Peer Health Education Workshops

We offer educational workshops, facilitated by Peer Health Educators, on topics including:

  • Healthy Relationships
  • Redefining Sex
  • Supporting Survivors

Peer Wellness Coaching

Meet with a Peer Wellness Coach if you are interested in a 1-1 space to help you strengthen your relationships, self-awareness, skills and tools, and empower you to do what’s best for YOU.

LiveWell Confidential Advocacy

Make a 1-1 appointment or learn more about LiveWell Confidential Advocacy. Confidential Advocacy provides a safe and confidential space to help students, faculty and staff identify what they want or need after an incident of sexual assault, relationship violence, or stalking has occurred.

Events

LiveWell offers events throughout the year in support of your relational well-being and we recognize Sexual Assault Awareness Month (SAAM) each April. Stay connected via our event calendar, email list, and LiveWell Instagram.

Resources

Sexual health

LiveWell’s understanding of sexual health is well represented by the following information from the American Sexual Health Association (ASHA):

Sexual health is the ability to embrace and enjoy our sexuality throughout our lives. It is an important part of our physical and emotional health. Being sexually healthy means:

  • Understanding that sexuality is a natural part of life and involves more than sexual behavior
  • Recognizing and respecting the sexual rights we all share
  • Having access to sexual health information, education, and care
  • Making an effort to prevent unintended pregnancies and STDs and seek care and treatment when needed
  • Being able to experience sexual pleasure, satisfaction, and intimacy when desired
  • Being able to communicate about sexual health with others including sexual partners and healthcare providers

FREE safer sex supplies

Sexually transmitted infections (STI’s)

STI’s have been increasing steadily in the college student population the past several years, especially as more people rely on oral and LTR contraception, leading to lower utilization rates of physical contraception and protection like dental dams and condoms. Remember that using multiple types and forms of protection are advised to keep all parties healthy and protected from unplanned pregnancy and STI’s.

Most people who have a STI do not know it because most people are asymptomatic and do not get tested regularly. STI testing can be scheduled at Husky Health Center (Husky Health Center offers sexual health services) a medical office of your choice, or Planned Parenthood.

Boundaries

When deciding on “safer sex” boundaries, people may consider such things as:

  • religious beliefs
  • cultural standards
  • personal desires and comfort levels
  • type of relationship in which one is involved
  • level of trust, communication and commitment within a relationship
  • physical, emotional, spiritual benefits of sexual choices
  • physical, emotional and spiritual risks of particular sexual choices
  • emotional perceptions of actual physical risks

Some questions to consider:

  • What are your reasons for choosing to have sex? What are your goals and why? What are hoping for? (Pleasure? Emotional connection? Fun? Spiritual connection?)
  • When and how often will you be tested for STIs? When and how often will your partners be tested?
  • Which sexual activities are you willing to try? Which are you unwilling to do? Which might you be willing to try in some situations and/or with some partners but not others? How will you communicate these boundaries with your partner?
  • Which barrier products do you want to use? Under which circumstances?
  • Which barrier products and other precautions do you want your partner(s) to use when being sexual with others, if you are in a sexually non-monogamous relationship?
  • Are you willing to risk a possible pregnancy? If not, what method of birth control will you use?
  • Do you have a plan of action that you intend to follow if, in spite of precautions, you are faced with an unwanted pregnancy, or an STI?

Once you have decided on your own boundaries, you will need to gather the tools you will need to stick to your decisions.

Consent

Consent is an agreement that is willfully given without any external pressure or factors. Communication is key. In order for someone to consent to sexual activity participants must continuously communicate before, during, and after sexual activity—this is the only way to establish clear boundaries between participants and allows for a healthy experience.

Consent must be given:

  • Voluntarily, without coercion
  • Clearly, while sober
  • Continuously
  • With confidence and enthusiasm
  • With awareness

Sexual coercion

Sexual coercion is when someone pressures, uses drugs or alcohol, or forces sexual contact with a person against his or her will. More info about consent and examples of sexual coercion.