By: Mariah Culbreath
Since the semester started Lander University’s Student Counseling Services has seen 58 students for a total of 130 sessions. “Counseling sessions are scheduled based on appointment availability, but with one of our counselors leaving it’s currently about a week before students are able to get in for an initial session” stated Justin Brewer.
These sessions typically last between 45 minutes to an hour and are available at no charge . Brewer stated, “Each session is its own unique encounter dependent upon what the student comes in to discuss, whether it’s their personal history, strengths, level of comfort or personal goals.” He also stated, “Working from there to create goals and talk about ways to reach those goals sometimes can come in the form of learning new skills and techniques.”
So far the most common issue that students are dealing with this semester is anxiety. While there are some commonalities for both depression and anxiety, it’s not uncommon for them to effect people in different ways.
“Anxiety can be present in different settings, in different degrees of intensity, and with different physical symptoms for different people,” stated Brewer. He also recommended self-care, which is making sure you’re covering the basics (getting plenty of sleep, eating well, and getting plenty of exercise).
Brewer concluded, if you are a student experiencing anxiety, depression, stress, homesickness, etc, please feel free to call or stop by the Wellness Center and schedule an appointment to speak with a counselor. We are here for you.
