By: Olivia Lemke
Hey everyone! It’s Olivia here with another special blog edition. Today, I’d not only like to promote the UWO Counseling Center, but also just promote student mental health in general. I always advocate for this in my tours, as well! The Counseling Center has something for everyone and I’d like to share with you a few of the great services and programs they have to offer! On top of that, I am writing this blog during the month of March and our Counseling Center is promoting it as “Mindful March”, so what better time to write about this topic!
Individual and Group Therapy
UWO has more than one-on-one counseling! Being involved in both individual and group therapy can be extremely beneficial for you, and counselors will encourage you to join both as much as your schedule allows. Taken directly from the Counseling Center website, group therapy helps you to increase acceptance, realize you aren’t alone, and provide you with a safe place to receive feedback. There are many different groups available where a student will be able to fit in and different workshops to be a part of. I encourage you to check those out here. If you are unsure if counseling is right for you, their center has consultations available where you can discuss your concerns over the phone. If you do decide to take that first step in reaching out for help, give them a call at (920) 424-2061.
Biofeedback
Another great service that you may or may not be familiar with is biofeedback. Oftentimes, improving mental health can come with trial and error, so this is of those you can try out! Biofeedback is a computer-based program where you focus on mindfulness sensory awareness with Healing Rhythms and Heart Math programs. Biofeedback is a service that helps improve chronic pain, anxiety, headaches, high blood pressure, ADHD, injury, asthma, and epilepsy.
Calming Rooms
Also available to all students are the calming rooms! On-campus, they are referred to as the Just Breathe and 
Rejuvenation Rooms. If you ever need a safe, quiet space, these are great resources for you. In the Just Breathe Room, pictured on the right, a counselor will teach you how to best utilize the space for regulating emotions and mindfulness practice. On the other hand, the Rejuvenation Room is more of a spa environment with relaxing music and a nice massage chair. This room can also be used for spiritual needs and lactating mothers.
I strongly encourage college students to reach out to the Counseling Center and search for a service that will be right for you. From minor stresses to chronic mental health issues, everyone deserves the time to talk to someone outside of their social circle. If this blog wasn’t enough to convince you, just remember that counseling services get a lot more expensive after college. All of these services are included in your tuition for you already! So definitely take advantage of them and improve your current state of well-being. Again, their number is (920) 424-2061.