人妻少妇专区

Peer counseling, mindful practice, therapy dogs, 24/7 care鈥攕upporting the well-being and mental health of college students at Rochester takes many forms.

Content warning: This article about the mental health of college students discusses suicide. If you need help for yourself or someone else, please contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline or call 1-800-273-TALK (8255).

Everything hit Karenrose Kamala 鈥�24 at once last fall. The stress. The anxiety. The feeling that she didn鈥檛 belong in college.

鈥淚 was taking classes online back home in Tanzania due to COVID-19, and it was incredibly difficult,鈥� she says. 鈥淢y sleep schedule was off the rails, and I found it hard to connect to whatever was going on around campus. One economics class was really challenging, and I worried that economics wasn鈥檛 for me. I felt very discouraged.鈥�

A classmate mentioned , a peer-to-peer network run by . It pairs 人妻少妇专区 students who are feeling distressed with an undergraduate or graduate student who has received specialized training in how to support students who may be struggling. The students meet to discuss the issues, and the coach then directs the student to one of the University鈥檚 appropriate mental health resources.

鈥淢y peer coach made me feel validated when it came to my academic capabilities,鈥� says Kamala, an economics and data science double major. 鈥淭he resources I learned about were incredibly valuable, and the program helped me feel more comfortable about speaking out when I鈥檓 struggling. That鈥檚 a big deal, because coming from an African background, speaking out when struggling is seen as taboo.鈥�

UR Connected was so impactful that Kamala is now a peer coach in the program, helping others overcome the kinds of stress and anxiety the sophomore felt a year ago.

鈥淢ental health is often ignored, even though it literally affects every aspect of someone鈥檚 life,鈥� Kamala says. 鈥淚f we are truly about being ever better, we have to do what we can in supporting students when it comes to mental health.鈥�

Coping in the time of COVID-19

The 人妻少妇专区 has longstanding programs to help students who are facing stress, anxiety, or other mental health concerns. These include the CARE Network, a referral program that connects Rochester students with available support and resources, as well as the (UCC).

But the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic created new stressors that affected the mental health of college students: closed campuses, mask mandates, physical distancing, and in many cases, a shift to online learning鈥攏ot to mention concerns about the health and safety of family and loved ones. Amid these disruptions, the University鈥檚 administration has prioritized new programming and outreach to help address the mental health and wellbeing of its nearly 12,000 undergraduate and graduate students.

鈥淢ental health has always been an important area of concern, but now more than ever our students need support,鈥� says Amy McDonald 鈥�99, 鈥�07N (MS), associate director of the UHS . 鈥淚t鈥檚 vital that we recognize how the various traumas our students have experienced over the last 18 months are impacting them. Their feelings鈥攚hether it鈥檚 being overwhelmed, angry, distracted, or less motivated鈥攁re all valid and OK to feel. Our efforts moving forward will focus on rebuilding connections, generating self-compassion, and providing opportunities for creativity and self-care.鈥�

Mental health of college students a national issue

The number of college students seeking help for mental health issues has steadily climbed across the nation鈥攊ncluding at the 人妻少妇专区鈥攊n recent years, according to Susan McDaniel, a clinical and family psychologist and the Dr. Laurie Sands Distinguished Professor of Families and Health in the University鈥檚 Departments of and .

鈥淚t鈥檚 due to many factors鈥攑olitical and social unrest, a greater awareness and willingness to report student mental health issues, and the role of social media in creating unrealistic social comparisons and amplifying problems,鈥� McDaniel says. 鈥淲ith the pandemic came rapid change, remote learning, health anxiety, and social isolation for many. It has definitely been a stressful situation.鈥�

The pandemic heightened the anxieties of college students across the nation, as institutions abruptly switched to remote learning, pivoted to hybrid instruction, then returned to in-person teaching鈥攁mid ever-changing COVID regulations.

A in the Journal of Medical Internet Research looked at the effects of the COVID-19 outbreak on the mental health of college students. A majority of the surveyed students鈥�71 percent鈥攔eported increased stress, anxiety, and depressive thoughts. Many reported experiencing stressors such as difficulty concentrating, disrupted sleep, decreased social interactions, or increased concerns about academic performance.

Similarly, a 2020 National College Health Assessment of 人妻少妇专区 undergraduates conducted by UHS found that 47 percent of students reported moderate levels of stress and 26 percent reported high stress levels. And 42 percent said their academic performance was impacted by their stress. Those numbers were slightly below national averages, but still significant.

Undergraduate and graduate students face different challenges. At Rochester, for example, a typical undergraduate comes to campus as a teenager, living independently for the first time. Choosing a major, being away from home, adjusting to rigorous and demanding academics, and fitting in socially can weigh heavily on them.

The challenges can be much different for graduate students. 鈥淕raduate students can feel very isolated,鈥� says Melissa Sturge-Apple, vice provost and University dean of graduate education. 鈥淭hey鈥檙e often living in an apartment off campus, or spending most of their time in a lab. It鈥檚 a very intensive, focused path. They come to a place like Rochester and don鈥檛 necessarily have roots here. They can feel alone.鈥� Other graduate students are pursuing their degrees while juggling a career, family commitments, and finances.

Meanwhile, in addition to coursework, students鈥攗ndergraduate and graduate鈥攁re often balancing music lessons, practice sessions, and performances. And dual degree undergraduate students take classes at both Eastman and the River 人妻少妇专区.

鈥淧erforming artists are under a microscope for much of their day-to-day learning while in music school,鈥� says Gaelen McCormick 鈥�92E, program manager for , an adjunct professor at Eastman鈥檚 , and the liaison between UHS and Eastman. 鈥淏etween lessons, rehearsals, and daily practice, they鈥檙e in a state of self-examination that is quite intense. Despite the appearance that music always happens in a group setting, our musicians spend a lot of time alone in solitary work. It is important to maintain relationships and to allow time for fun, relaxation, self-care, and, of course, sleep.鈥�

University鈥檚 student counseling expands hours, staff

The University Counseling Center has been at Rochester in some form since the 1960s. Today, UCC provides comprehensive initial assessments and individualized treatment plans鈥攕uch as group therapy (including themed drop-in sessions for students of color or international students, for example), short-term therapy, medication management, case management, and support for off-campus referrals鈥攆or full-time students. Therapists are licensed professionals from a variety of mental health disciplines, and there are also about 25 graduate students, interns, and post-doctoral fellows in training from psychology, social work, and psychiatry.

Anxiety has been the main mental health issue facing college students for years鈥攁nd the pandemic exacerbated those feelings. In response, UCC launched its in September. Trained and supervised by UCC-licensed staff, the counselors-in-residence provide mental health support during evenings and weekends when UCC is closed, accompanied by Department of Public Safety officers.

While the University鈥檚 CARE Network takes referrals from University community members who are concerned about one another, UCC requires students to make their own appointments.

鈥淪tudents are open to seeking services,鈥� says UCC director Brigid Cahill, 鈥渁nd, in fact, often have been in therapy before coming to Rochester, or have friends and family in therapy. Therapy is viewed as an accepted way to deal with problems.鈥�

In fact, Cahill estimates that UCC sees 15 to 20 percent of Rochester students each year. One such student was Caitlyn Ascencio 鈥�20, 鈥�23W, who is pursuing a master鈥檚 in school counseling at the .

Five years ago, she was 鈥渁n overwhelmed, culture-shocked鈥� first-year student who had just spilled water on the brand-new Apple laptop her parents had saved up to buy her. The New York City native says the incident spurred feelings of fear, anxiety, and worry. 鈥淢y error consumed me and led me into a downward spiral I had never experienced before,鈥� says Ascencio, a first-generation student who majored in cultural anthropology and religion. 鈥淚 felt so incredibly helpless as I broke down in my room alone. I sobbed uncontrollably as I spoke to my mom on the phone, apologizing profusely.鈥�

She took the laptop to a local Apple store, paying for the repairs herself. But for three weeks, she had to use a University computer lab, which added to her stress.

Ascencio鈥檚 roommate grew concerned and recommended she visit UCC, beginning a therapeutic journey that lasted through her undergraduate career. 鈥淢y therapist took on a cognitive-behavioral approach, which caused me to come face-to-face with many childhood traumas, life-altering events, and toxic thought patterns meant to be replaced with wholesome thought patterns and behaviors,鈥� she says. 鈥淚t furthered my understanding of myself and how my past experiences shape the way I respond in the present.鈥�

Ascencio also took part in group therapy sessions and says 鈥渢he UCC provided me with a support system I had never gained exposure to before, and sparked a passion in me to provide that same support to other unhealed, systemically underserved individuals like myself.鈥�

Active Minds encourages student advocacy and awareness

College students play a key role in helping to change the conversations about mental health concerns and issues.

Rachel Chen 鈥�23, a neuroscience major from Seattle, Washington, is the president of the , a national student organization geared toward increasing awareness of the mental health of college students.

鈥淚 joined my first year because I cared about destigmatizing mental health but wasn鈥檛 sure what I could do about it on campus,鈥� Chen says. 鈥淏eing part of Active Minds and getting to work closely with UCC and the administration has taught me what advocacy can look like. It鈥檚 also made me think more critically about my own mental health, and how I can support friends and family.鈥�

Chen chose her major because she believes 鈥渦nderstanding the brain is essential to helping individuals with mental health disorders.鈥� She鈥檚 particularly interested in how people process difficult events and respond to challenging circumstances.

The chapter鈥檚 Active Minds membership鈥攁bout 25 College undergraduates鈥攎eets weekly. 鈥淲e want to create a community where help-seeking is encouraged, and students feel comfortable speaking about mental health concerns,鈥� Chen says.

Nationally, comprises nearly 600 college and high school chapters. It was founded in 2003 by University of Pennsylvania junior Alison Malmon following the suicide of her brother, Brian, a popular student who struggled with depression and psychosis while a first-year student at Columbia University.

Brian wasn鈥檛 alone. Suicide is a major public health concern, and it was the second most common cause of death among young adults ages 15 to 24 in 2019, based on Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data . In recognition of this stark reality, the Rochester Active Minds chapter plants a Garden of Hope each September during National Suicide Prevention Month. The 1,100 pinwheels dotting the Wilson Quadrangle represent the estimated number of US college students lost to suicide annually. It鈥檚 a visible reminder to the Rochester community about the mental health struggles faced by so many young people.

Faith-based emotional and mental health support for all college students

Not all mental health resources come from University Health Service. The University鈥檚 is staffed with chaplains ready to meet the needs of students鈥攅ven those who are not religious or don鈥檛 belong to faith groups affiliated with the chapel. Students who are stressed, upset, or in a crisis can stop in without an appointment.

鈥淲e offer a place of compassionate listening to anyone who walks through the door,鈥� says Denise Yarbrough, director of religious and spiritual life at the Interfaith Chapel. 鈥淚鈥檝e counseled students dealing with the emotional trauma of a romantic breakup, students who have just learned of the death of someone close to them, and students wrestling with the aftereffects of sexual encounters. Given the intense stress that many students experience, the chapel offers a place to relax and be nurtured.鈥�

The chaplains offer meditation walks on the labyrinth several times a month, and this year a fully certified chapel therapy dog named Sasha is in the building twice a week for students to visit, pet, and cuddle. 鈥淎 view of the river when you walk the labyrinth is a calming and restorative practice,鈥� Yarbrough says. 鈥淎nd the therapy dog usually has a stream of students who visit her and will remark, 鈥楾his was the best part of my day!鈥� I love listening to the laughter that being with Sasha evokes in even the most stressed out of students.鈥� Other therapy dogs regularly visit the University鈥檚 campuses as part of Paws for Stress Relief, a service coordinated by the Health Promotion Office.

Faith-based options are also available through the Interfaith Chapel. When he needed a support system,聽Michael Chavrimootoo 鈥�20, 鈥�21 (MS), a doctoral student in computer science from Mauritius, an Indian Ocean island nation, turned to the聽.聽鈥淏eing an international student in a new country, with a new social environment and academic setting, I was quickly overwhelmed,鈥� he says. 鈥淚 joined Newman my first year鈥�2016鈥攁nd it really helped.鈥�

Now, he鈥檚 helping others who seek help or guidance through Newman. 鈥淲e鈥檙e not therapists, and we make that clear to students,鈥� he says. 鈥淏ut we鈥檙e trained in recognizing when a student might benefit from professional help, and then we refer them to relevant resources.鈥�

Joy Getnick 鈥�06, executive director of Hillel at the 人妻少妇专区 (Jewish life on campus), says she is far more likely to hear from female students needing support. According to her, male students are more likely to worry about the stigma associated with experiencing a mental health issue.

But a robust support network鈥攁longside changing cultural norms about men and mental health鈥攃an make a positive difference. Getnick recently heard from the parent of a first-year male student who was having trouble adjusting to his roommate and finding a social group. The student had always been outgoing but became depressed and withdrawn after arriving on campus.

鈥淲e did some additional outreach to the student, helped make some social connections, and provided support and encouragement,鈥� Getnick says. 鈥淲ithin a few weeks, he鈥檇 gotten into his groove and is now doing really well. We would not have heard from that student on his own.鈥�

McDaniel says this reaction among men is not uncommon.

鈥淭raditional male socialization鈥攖he view that men need to be tough, independent, and unemotional鈥攊s indeed a barrier to men seeking services for mental health issues,鈥� she says. 鈥淢en are less likely than women to seek help, even though they experience problems as much or more than women. Fortunately, this stereotype has become less common, so that many men do seek help now, and talk about it on social media platforms and with their friends.鈥�

McDaniel says she has 鈥渇ar more鈥� male clients in psychotherapy now than in the early years of her career. 鈥淭hese men realize that becoming more self-aware and knowledgeable about emotions is a sign of strength rather than weakness,鈥� she says.

Toward a more mindful campus culture

The Mindful University Project was created in 2018 with the financial support of two Rochester alumni. The project works to foster safe and inclusive spaces for members of the University community through mindful practice鈥攊ntroductory and advanced meditation classes, relax and renew retreats, yoga, and educational workshops.

Students can attend live or recorded meditations on the project鈥檚 and , as well as participate in popup events around campus. Koru Mindfulness, a four-week program specifically designed for college students, teaches participants mindfulness through breathing exercises, guided imagery, and body scan meditations to manage stress and anxiety. The University currently has seven certified Koru teachers on staff and is training 10 students to be mindfulness facilitators.

鈥淲e recognize the stress that our students are facing鈥攖he pressure to do more, to excel academically, and to be ever better,鈥� says Rebecca Block 鈥�18, a health educator at UHS who oversees the Mindful University Project. 鈥淩esearch has consistently reported many benefits of meditation and mindfulness practice, including reductions in stress levels and worrying, enhanced self-compassion, as well as improvements in working memory and cognitive function. These benefits can lead to improvements in students鈥� academic performance.鈥�

A large part of that academic performance hinges on the relation between student and teacher. The pandemic has tested that connection. So, this past summer, the Mindful University Project launched a series of workshops for faculty and staff geared toward improving and supporting the mental health of college students. Although voluntary, 166 people took part in the workshops, which are being offered throughout the year.

Katherine Schaefer, an associate professor in the , says it was helpful to share experiences with other faculty members facing new challenges in the COVID-19 era.

鈥淚 absolutely found that the pandemic forced me to be a more accessible teacher,鈥� says Schaefer, who has been at the University since 2005. 鈥淣obody who is stressed learns as effectively as they could. The reality of dealing with online teaching, sudden illness, and internet outages caused me to build in a lot of alternate ways for students to participate and catch up. Many students adapted quite well to the Zoom situation, but others really struggled. I knew I had to be flexible.鈥�

Robert Loughridge, an instructor in the , also took part in the workshops. 鈥淪tudents seem more anxious these days,鈥� he says. 鈥淭he pandemic brought restrictions and cancellations of basic life structure, like attending class in person and graduation ceremonies. The losses resulted in a lot of grief.鈥�

Loughridge says the workshops provided a review of the research literature and posed case studies for breakout room discussion as a way to refine strategies for mindful communication, including self-reflection, emphatic listening and allowing for supportive space and dialogue.

鈥淭he pandemic has presented many challenges,鈥� he says, 鈥渂ut the Program of Dance and Movement has always provided students with support throughout curriculum, which focuses on active engagement and personal development through artistic expression, mind-body contemplative practices, and wellness exercises.鈥�

鈥楤e the best we can be鈥�

In May, the University Coalition for Student Mental Health was formed at the recommendation of University President Sarah Mangelsdorf and Sturge-Apple to assess the current state of mental health among Rochester students and make recommendations for improvement. A preliminary report is due to Mangelsdorf by December.

The coalition鈥檚 members, including two students, represent key administrative and academic units with the goal of enhancing both the mental health resources available on campus and students鈥� knowledge of them. That awareness is crucial.

鈥淲e have a lot of good things going here, and people don鈥檛 always know about them,鈥� says McDaniel, who serves as coalition chair. 鈥淲e want to make sure people can access us and know what their possibilities are.鈥�

According to McDaniel, Rochester is ahead of the curve compared to other institutions in terms of addressing the mental health of college students.

鈥淪ome schools have limited mental health services and very little in the way of wellness services,鈥� she says. 鈥淩ochester is much more well-developed, though we need to do a better job at informing students of what is available.鈥�

Mangelsdorf鈥檚 mission for the coalition is clear, McDaniel says. 鈥淲e need to do our very best to understand students鈥� needs in our current challenging environment鈥攚hat services are meeting students鈥� needs, where are the gaps, and where can we do better.鈥�

With virtually all University students vaccinated against COVID-19, McDaniel hopes the stress and anxiety posed by the pandemic will ease. 鈥淜indness and connection with each other, and a significant dose of self-care, can result in resilience as we move through this challenging period and learn all we can from it,鈥� she says. 鈥淲e want to be the best we can be.鈥�

Student mental health resources

If you鈥檙e experiencing a mental health crisis or need to speak to someone immediately, call the at (585) 275-3113. A UCC professional is on call 24/7.

If you鈥檙e concerned about the mental health of someone on campus, you can submit a referral to the CARE Network.

Feeling stressed or homesick? coaches can help. The team of undergraduate and graduate coaches have received specialized training in active listening. Visit the UR Connected website to review coach profiles and schedule a meeting with them online.

To learn how to meditate, register for Koru Mindfulness classes.

If you need someone to talk to, chaplains are available in the Interfaith Chapel for all students鈥攔egardless of faith or affiliation鈥攐n weekdays, evenings, and Sundays. Call (585) 275-4321 during business hours, or stop by the chapel anytime. You may also contact any of the individual chaplains.

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