Midterm season can be a stressful time for students to get through alongside the pressure of trying to juggle studying, deadlines, graduation, internships and jobs.
Trying to balance mental health on top of these stressful factors may make students feel even more overwhelmed.
Reaching out for help may seem like a scary process for some. It may be uncomfortable, but the willingness to be open to seeking help could prove to be life changing.
Recently, the University of Miami started a health and wellness program to help students struggling with mental health get consultations to see what resources are available to better their mental health.
Fresno State has a similar program called “Let’s Talk” that was started three years ago to help students combat these factors.
Let’s Talk is a program that provides instant access to informal, confidential and anonymous consultations with licensed mental health counselors from the Student Health and Counseling Center (SHCC) at Fresno State.
Some obstacles preventing students from seeking mental health aid may include calling one’s health insurance, getting in contact with a therapist and then having to go through the process of waiting to get help when an individual is already at a breaking point.
The services are open to students Monday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. located in the Kremen Education Building, Room 334 and also in Industrial Technology, Room 242.
Lets Talk is a brief 20-30 minute consultation appointment where students meet with a therapist to assess the type of support and resources they feel students can benefit from.
The consultation can be beneficial for students who are unsure of the process in therapy, who are willful of seeking professional help but are interested in what perspective a therapist has to offer, and for students who have a specific problem for which they need one to talk through with.
Although Let’s Talk is run by professionally trained counselors, it does not fall under psychotherapy or formal counseling. It is a consultation to the introduction of what is best for students based on the appointment.
After the counselor has collected enough concerns or distress that one is struggling with, they follow up with the appropriate treatment for the individual’s needs.
If the student is comfortable with the counselor’s referral, they may then be referred to Counseling and Psychological Services for bi-weekly 40-50 minute appointments.
If a student feels anxious about sharing, the process of Let’s Talk may provide a safe space for conversations to be kept completely confidential, aside from any threat of danger to oneself or others.
Visits are also never noted under one’s student office university record or in any way that may affect one’s career here at Fresno State.
“Early reports suggest that students are finding our resources, services and therapists to be accessible, helpful and welcoming,” said Andrea Biel, a doctoral intern at the SHCC.
However, the health fee is more than just for physical health; the fee also includes mental health, which provides students with free counseling sessions here on campus that they may benefit from during the more stressful times in their college career.