Mental health matters. It should be placed on a pedestal along with the other responsibilities that you have in your life. Your mind works the same as your body, and you can’t go far if you’re tired. This is why the University of the South offers the University Advisory Center as an option.
The Center is open Monday to Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and focuses on all points of the trauma spectrum (childhood, emotional, physical, sexual, etc.). The University Guidance Center does not discriminate and is open to all registered students such as graduates and athletes. The length of patient consultation varies as it depends on the situation and the patient, but is generally 12 sessions per academic year. Some services are short term due to high demand, declining staff, and COVID-19 protocols, but they will do their utmost to work with you to ensure that you reach a resolution.
There has been an influx of patients this school year mainly because the students are now familiar with the University Counseling Center, and we are finally back on campus to get back to “normal”. Ms. Stone says, “We try to help them find ways to improve academically, but we like to try to address these underlying issues. [such as anxiety or depression.]”
Ms. Leah Stone, MS, is a Mental Health Therapist, Registered Counselor, and National Certified Counselor at the University Counseling Center. She specializes in trauma of all kinds as well as in crisis management. She has been at the Center since July 2019 and enjoys the care and support she is able to give to students in need.
This time of year is when the counseling center sees a lot of traffic as it is the mid-term period, and the weather changes from sunshine and warm temperatures to cooler temperatures. Ms Stone says she now sees 3-5 people coming every day to sign an admission package, even during COVID. “… The reason we’re seeing an influx is because midterms are kind of when students find out where they stand academically … at that point it’s there that reality “hits” them ”. Students may say, “Oh, maybe I didn’t get it all” when they thought they did, or they realized it at first, but they kept putting it aside. Then they feel like they need some extra help to make the process easier.
Ms Stone also wants to be able to erase the stigma behind mental health and get help in the black community, because that’s completely normal. Getting help does not mean that you are “crazy” or that you are not taboo; it means that you put yourself and your future first. She says, “Mental health is just as important as your physical health… we need to be balanced and make sure we take care of ourselves. And so, working in an HBCU is really very rewarding. Due to the high demand for patients, the Center had to put some students on a waiting list. Stone gives some very important tips for taking care of yourself and for using in everyday life. “… Taking care of yourself, but also having a strong support system … taking care of yourself is of course different for everyone.”
Some students may enjoy journaling, exercising, or taking time for themselves away from others. She also argues that stress can be caused by a lack of time management skills. Accordingly, students should create a routine so that you can prioritize important things over things you can do another time. Make a to-do list for the week or the same day so you can tackle your activities effectively.
“When we think of college, the goal is, you know, getting a degree. Go to class, graduate and have fun, but I think the way you experience things is overlooked. Ms. Stone continues, “While you may feel sad or depressed … it’s not that you’re broken or that something is wrong with you, it’s just the fact that it’s an experience. .so i’m just here to fill your toolkit and teach you how to use these tools for overall good health.
