With spring break over, the stress of midterms now upon students, and finals looming, many students are starting to feel burned out.
Thankfully, Salt Lake Community College has many resources available that can help students unwind and refresh to help finish the closing semester.
Whitney Ockey, health promotion manager with the Center for Health and Counseling, wants everyone to know about a valuable resource for students needing some therapeutic help: counseling services.
“It is easily accessible,” said Ockey. “It’s useful, and every student can benefit from it.”
Licensed mental health professionals provide an array of mental health services.
“The counselor will help students with whatever it is troubling them in their lives,” Ockey said.
Mental health professionals can assist with a variety of concerns, including anxiety and depression, relationship conflicts, grief and loss, academic challenges, social skills and confidence, as well as many others.
The counseling service can be done individually or with a couple or group. Although, due to COVID-19 there currently is no in-person counseling; current options are via phone session or video meeting.
Ockey said to call 801-957-4268 to make an appointment for counseling.
“It is super simple to get connected to a counselor, and right now our counseling services are 100% free for students,” Ockey said.
Another great resource for students is massage therapy, also provided by the CHC. Ockey cited many benefits students can receive through massage, including a way to destress and recharge.
“If a student holds lots of stress in their body, massage therapists can help release that tension,” Ockey remarked. “We just get into these routines where it’s the same thing every day and our brains are going a hundred miles an hour. Even when we get home, we are bombarded with social media, screens, or whatever else it might be, and our brains never really get a break. I think there’s something powerful in going somewhere quiet and just giving our brains some time to recharge, and massage therapy can help us do that.”
In addition to counseling and massage therapy, the CHC provides health education and promotion services. According to Ockey, the main aim for the program “is to be advocates and educators in order to give students all they need for them to live the healthiest lives possible.”
The program provides campus outreach, interactive trainings and skill-building demonstrations on a variety of health topics, including nutrition, exercise, sleep hygiene, safe sex practices and stress management.
Ockey also said that the material is always changing based on what the community needs.
“We receive data every two years that pinpoint what areas of health students are struggling with, and we utilize that information to give them the most relevant information,” Ockey said. “I really think it helps students to know just that they’re being thought of.”
SLCC students looking to help unwind or just have fun have many different recreation options available to them.
Campus Recreation “promotes health and wellbeing through inclusive dynamic, collaborative and transformative quality experiences and facilities.” Currently registered SLCC students with an activated OneCard can use the facilities at Taylorsville Redwood, South City and Jordan campuses.
“With students as our highest priority, Salt Lake Community College will transition the Lifetime Activities Center [at Taylorsville Campus] to permanently being accessible only to current students, faculty, and staff for general use starting March 1, 2021 with the only exception being community members who have outstanding memberships,” SLCC Athletic Director Kevin Dustin announced in a statement.
Other COVID-19 precautions include a new mask mandate. Students must always wear masks. Students also need to make a reservation for all classes.
The Taylorsville Campus also offers drop-in fitness classes in room LAC 176. Students must check in at the LAC desk on the day of class; the attendant will confirm the reservation and issue a class card to give to the instructor.
For students who want to manage their health from home, SLCC offers free access to the F45 Training Challenge App, which will offer daily workouts, nutritional advice, healthy recipes and even goal tracking. Students can use the app by logging in with their email address.
