Free On-Campus Counseling Helps Students With Emotional Stress
By: Jase Wanlass
Staff Writer
Sometimes it strikes out of the blue, smacking its victims like a freight train. Often there are causes for it and many times there are not.
However, one thing about depression, anxiety, and stress is that they can be very debilitating. This is especially true for new college students who are often burning the candle at both ends.
Perry Dettling, a former Green river college student from Utah, knows firsthand how depression and anxiety feel. In fact, his symptoms were so intense that they began to affect every facet of his life: relationships, school, work, and even family.
“I was battling anxiety and depression along with some additional things that were holding me back,” Dettling said. Dettling also shared that his condition made even the simple tasks of daily life seem impossible to complete.
According to counselors at the Green River Counseling Services, it is normal to feel down every once and a while, and it can be healthy to feel sorrow and stress periodically. However, counselors say if these symptoms are chronically affecting students’ daily lives, they may need some extra help. Despite efforts to get the word out, many Green River students are unaware of the free services available to them at the Counseling Services, located temporarily in room 111 at the Zgolinski Center on campus.
Counseling Services provides short-term mental health counseling self-care education to Green River students. Counseling Services are provided by licensed psychologists, social workers, and professional mental health therapists.
“Having a counseling center here at Green River is extremely beneficial to students,” said Matthew Cullen, one of the counselors at the Green River College center. “Because we work on a college campus, we have a better understanding of the demands and expectations placed on individuals in their roles as students, the policies that can impact their academic success, and what resources are available on campus and in the community to help them meet their needs.”
Counselors say it is difficult for people who have not battled with depression and anxiety in their lives to sympathize or even understand when others are feeling this way. The staff at the Counseling Services is eager to help students who feel that they do not have an outlet or someone to talk to.
“The counseling services at Green River really helped me realize that I needed more help than I thought,” said Dettling. “They really care about you and are willing to do the most they can to help you.”
According to Dettling, students suffering the way he did should not be ashamed or embarrassed about their condition. Instead, he says that they should reach out to loved ones and let them help carry the weight of their emotional burden.
“Our mental health is a part of our overall health as an individual and can be treated as such. If we break our arm, no one tells us to deal with it on our own. We know we need to go see a professional that has been trained to address the health issue,” Cullen said. “It’s the same with mental health and counselors. We are trained to help people address their mental health concerns and connect them with appropriate resources as needed.”
All the information for the Counseling Services can be found on the Green River College website, by calling 253-833-9111, or by contacting their offices directly located in the Zgolinski Center.
Photo Cred: Wikimedia
