(Photo: Emily Schneider)
By: Ellie Mulligan, Staff Reporter
It’s no secret that many college students face mental health issues. When balancing studying, maintaining a social life and other responsibilities, stress can easily become overwhelming. Many students chalk up their anxieties to their course load, or the adjustment period to college that so many people talk about-- if everyone else seems to be handling it by themselves, why can’t I?
The truth of the matter is that dealing with stress and anxiety is taxing, especially for people with mental health issues. However, here on campus, there are plenty of outlets and resources to rely on if that load becomes too heavy to bear. The best place to go on campus when experiencing mental health issues, or simply going through a rough patch, is the Office of Counseling and Personal Development, or the OCPD, located in the Coors Life Direction Center.
The OCPD offers counseling sessions, workshops and therapy groups which all work toward creating a safe environment for students. The staff, consisting of licensed counselors and psychologists, provide both short- and long-term counseling and referral to psychiatric consultants when necessary. Not only are these services beneficial to those experiencing problems, they are completely free to full-time, traditional undergraduate students.
According to their web page at regis.edu, the OCPD is designed to “promote development in the areas of communication skills, dating and relationship issues, adjustment to college life, assertiveness training, and other relevant topics upon request.” In addition, Regis offers a 24-hour hotline which students can call to speak with a licensed mental health professional.
One freshman, Mariellen Burke, describes how Regis’ Office of Counseling and Personal Development helped her through a rough first semester. “I was going through a tough time with anxiety and depression. Once it began affecting my schoolwork and overall attitude, I knew I had to reach out. Seeing a counselor and reaching out to my professors made all the difference. Not only were they understanding, they helped me get back on my feet and catch up on everything that I missed,” said Burke “If your mental health starts getting in the way of you living your life, definitely reach out to the resources here on campus.”
The OCPD works to ensure that each student who needs it has the resources and community support to seek help or work through their problems. Thanks to these resources, students like Burke don’t have to feel alone in their times of need. Though mental health and other issues are stressful and may leave students feeling hopeless, Regis ensures that nobody has to go through these issues alone.