KYLEE LARY
PHOTOGRAPHER
BRONWYN MCALINDON
STAFF WRITER
10/23/2023
Wilcox Health Center offers a wide variety of services to students on campus, ranging from an on-site nurse practitioner to multiple mental health services. A number of these services might be ideal to help relax stressed-out college students.
Every day students deal with constant stress from involvement in classes to extracurriculars. Wilcox offers a range of resources that can be used by students in order to help improve their mental health. These resources include options for light therapy chair sessions, talk therapy and “recess.”
Light therapy has been used historically to help treat a variety of issues but new research has found that it could be an extremely valuable tool. Light therapy uses a light box that mimics outdoor sunlight. It has been proven successful for many symptoms college students could suffer from.
“Light therapy was effective in reducing depressive symptoms among college students with non-seasonal subthreshold depression, and this effect was observed in both the high- and low-intensity light therapy groups,” said researchers at the National Library of Medicine.
Light therapy is a tool that can help students cope with the blues and stressors that come with the winter season. Studies have also found that light therapy can significantly improve sleep which can also improve mental health and boost energy. Light therapy can now be signed up for through the Inside Alma portal.
Talk therapy is another tool used at Wilcox. “Let’s Talk” sessions are available every day for similar hours to the light therapy chair. Appointments can be made online through Inside Alma. Longer talk therapy sessions are also available with licensed practicing counselors.
“College students in particular if they are feeling distressed talk therapy can be quite helpful, I think in general you know people can benefit from talking about their concerns with other people,” said Jacob Sawyer, Assistant Professor of Psychology.
“Recess” is another offering from Wilcox that gives students the ability to learn more about practicing mindfulness while on a busy campus schedule. They offer programs that allow students to learn yoga and practice different types of meditation.
“RECESS! programming is a great way to be intentional about making downtime in your day and having students take a break for active rest. Mental health is not just therapy or medication it is about people as a whole and rest and fun are a large part of that,” said Molly Pocsi, Licensed Professional Counselo.
It is important for a student to have the ability and resources to take care of their mental health.
“Data shows that college students are stressed as stressed out now as they’ve ever been so I think having the awareness or students having the awareness that these resources are available can certainly be beneficial,” said Sawyer.
As finals creep closer, it is important that every student has the support to do well during this busy season. If you are struggling to find the support you need to succeed this term, Wilcox is able to help you prioritize your mental health in order to be more productive and satisfied.
