To help Grand Valley students with challenges that come from a new academic year and the ongoing pandemic, Grand Valley's University Counseling Center has developed a series of virtual workshops.
The self-guided Healthy Lakers Virtual Workshops share information and resources on topics such as anxiety, depression, nutrition, adjustment to COVID-19, stress management and grief.
Abraham Eapen, coordinator of group services for the University Counseling Center and a licensed clinical psychologist, said one of the goals with developing the workshops was to offer flexibility for accessing mental health resources.
“We know students experience lot of significant changes, navigating social and academic life,” he said. “We wanted self-guided workshops so students can go at their own pace in accessing resources for their personal and emotional well-being.”
Healthy Laker Workshops content is divided into weekly segments and introduced by a University Counseling Center staff member. All of the content can be accessed at any time.
The workshops are not intended to be used in place of therapy or treatment for personal or mental health concerns. If while reading through the workshops a student feels as though they need additional help, Eapen said they may call the University Counseling Center to schedule an appointment with a clinician to discuss options available to them.
In addition to the Healthy Laker Workshops, the University Counseling Center offers virtual support groups, which require meeting with a clinician first, and drop-in outreach that can be attended by anyone. Drop-in outreach and virtual groups meet via a secured Telehealth platform to ensure confidentiality and privacy.
Topics for the drop-in outreach include COVID-19 quarantine and isolation support, along with first-year success. Anyone interested in attending must contact the University Counseling Center to receive the link. Groups meet via Telehealth to maintain privacy.
“We know the drop-in outreach and virtual groups are helpful for students to share and connect with others experiencing similar concerns,” Eapen said.
For more information on the University Counseling Center and services offered, visit gvsu.edu/counsel.
