The Health and Counseling Center and the Recreation and Wellness Center collaborated to host a mini-panel at HCC last Wednesday where speakers answered questions ranging from the stigma of therapy to the step-by-step process for get advice on campus. The panel included Director of Counseling Services Molly Wang, Staff Psychologist Andrea Cervantes and student health educator Amaya Ruiz, a sophomore.
During the panel, Wang and Cervantes identified the importance of prioritizing physical needs. If basic needs, such as eating and rest, are not met, then it becomes more difficult to maintain good mental health.
“Some people have ocean-sized problems, but you can still drown in six inches of water,” Cervantes said.
In addition to basic needs, the panelists addressed common misconceptions about therapy, one being that your problems must be monumental to seek advice and support.
“I think the way they talked about how normal therapy was was really nice,” sophomore Taylor Kerr said. “I feel like, in the world, they kind of put this big bubble around it and make it scary, but they talk about it, how it’s everyday life.”
According to panel moderator Krupa Shah, deputy director of RecWell, mental health and nutrition are closely linked. This month, RecWell is focusing on nutrition education.
“Up to 90 percent of serotonin, considered our feel-good hormone, is produced in the gut,” Shah said. “So this means that food can have a big impact on your mental health. »
The panel took place during Mental Health Awareness Week, which takes place the first week of October. Each year, the university organizes several events to promote mental health knowledge and care; Last year, RecWell partnered with the fitness department to host “Cycle for your Well Being.” Alongside the mini-panel, RecWell also hosted a mindfulness and movement-based meditation event last week.
“Stress and self-care is a health topic we focus on (along with) sleep health, which can also be linked to mental health,” Shah said. “So I feel like our approach to health and wellness is holistic and we focus on the different dimensions, but they all relate to each other. So even if it’s about nutrition or even sexual health, there are so many integrations into different topics that still relate to mental health.
For more education on mental health, Shah encourages students to participate in upcoming RecWell events. Events are promoted on RecWell’s Instagram: @seurecwell.
“Keep coming to our programs,” Shah said. “You can just see what’s happening each week and pop in and out whenever you want.”