Winter days often roll out like the rest of the year, a mix of good and difficult times, positive and challenging experiences, moments of motivation and moments of relaxation. However, what can make the experience of winter more difficult for our mental and emotional health is the expectation or anticipation we tend to hold around […]
The holidays carry a lot of pressure and expectation, no matter what age you are. But, due to common developmental stages and changes, going home for the holidays can be tricky for a college student. While breaks from school are a welcome respite in a warm, restorative environment for some, we know that is not […]
This semester has been particularly difficult on college campuses as we seek to guide and support students impacted by the global unrest and atrocities happening in many areas. From central and north Africa to rising tensions in the Middle East, students with personal connections to those areas, and even those without, are navigating discussions, media […]
When it comes to mental health terms, we sometimes use them in ways that are common in our cultural vernacular but may not be clinically accurate. While the intent is not harmful, the impact may be so if someone’s experience is marginalized and/or someone who is suffering doesn’t have an accurate way to assess what […]
I’ve spent a lot of time in college. Undergraduate. Graduate. Graduate again. It was partly because I enjoyed school and partly because I couldn’t figure out what I wanted to do with my life. Later, I worked for a college in a college counseling center. Interestingly, after all those years in a college setting, it […]
Beginning in 1992, the World Health Organization (WHO) designated October 10th as “World Mental Health Day.” As with many prevention efforts, they choose a theme or focus each year. In the past, themes have ranged from broader measures like inclusion and equality to more focused topics such as young people and mental health, mental health […]
College is a time often full of “mistakes.” At least, that is what the media portrays and how many of us think about some of the things we did during those years. But, what if we framed that conversation differently? What if some things are mistakes but, many more are a reflection of the developmental […]
The media-driven image of a student going off to college is often one of happiness, even elation, leaving home to make new friends and have wonderful experiences. However, what we know to be true is many college students struggle, at least to some degree, with the transition to college. In addition to homesickness, many students […]
Suicide Prevention Month comes with a lot of public health information on suicide prevention as well as statistics and education about new resources aimed at reducing the incidence of suicide. However, despite best efforts, sometimes we still lose people. As the twelfth leading cause of death in the general population, the second for people aged 10-14 and […]
The media image of students heading off or returning to college is full of youthful exuberance and independence. “Finally! I’m out of the house and on my own!” “I am so excited to be back with my friends again!” However, as a former college counselor, I can share with you that not only is homesickness […]