By Kim Lamb GregoryWhen COVID-19 was declared a global pandemic, Psychology and Chicana/o Studies senior Monica Hurtado was living on campus, attending classes and holding down a job. Nursing student Rachel Holst was living with her family, attending classes and working as a professional chef.
Their circumstances were different when the pandemic struck in the winter of 2020 but both Hurtado and Holst were hit hard and sought help from 华体会 Counseling & Psychological Services (CAPS).聽
鈥淚 will be forever grateful for CAPS,鈥� Hurtado said. 鈥淚 want to tell everyone 鈥榯his is a resource you should utilize. And it鈥檚 free.鈥欌�澛�
CAPS offers short-term therapy for students who want to talk about anything from homesickness to anxiety to a recent breakup. The professionally trained therapists can help with substance abuse, suicidal thoughts, poor academic performance, or even painful, abusive life experiences they have never talked about before.聽
And there鈥檚 no cost to students as it鈥檚 all covered by Student Health fees.
鈥淲ith the pandemic, there are now layers on top of the usual stressors of relationships, loss of a job, depression or anxiety,鈥� explained Director of CAPS and clinical psychologist Kirsten Olson, Ph.D. 鈥淎bruptly, students had to move home. They might have been put in the role of teaching school or caring for younger siblings while they鈥檙e trying to learn online themselves. People were losing jobs, there was lots of financial distress.鈥澛�
Associate Vice President for Student Affairs Cindy Derrico, Ph.D. said common themes among students were isolation and a sense of feeling deprived of the full college experience.聽
鈥淭his two-dimensional online connection has created some flexibilities for students, but also contributed to students feeling isolated,鈥� Derrico said. 鈥淢any of their friendships were formed in class. And they were really sad when we had to cancel (2020) in-person commencement.鈥澛�
鈥淐OVID hit me hard because I lived on campus and I really depended on housing,鈥� Hurtado said. 鈥淚 couldn鈥檛 move home because there is mental illness in the family and it鈥檚 not a safe environment. So, I packed all my things and was able to move in with my older sister.鈥澛�
鈥淲e are there in a professional role to really hear you and allow you to hear yourself.鈥澛�
鈥揔irsten Olson
The catering part of Holst鈥檚 job disappeared with the pandemic, she was caring for her terminally ill mother-in-law, and struggling with her diagnosis of adult Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). 聽
鈥淚t was like I got hit by a truck. I was overwhelmed,鈥� Holst said. 鈥淭here was nothing I could do to control it.鈥澛�
The usual 700 students CAPS assists yearly remained steady despite the fact that CAPS had to offer services virtually, and there were not the usual walk-in appointments. But confidential sessions using Zoom for Healthcare did enable CAPS to offer after-hour services, instead of the customary 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. office hours.聽
Holst was able to get medical referrals for her ADHD and learn coping skills to combat feeling overwhelmed. Hurtado鈥檚 therapist gave her tools such as journaling, walking and meditating. Both said non-judgmental, compassionate, confidential care from CAPS was critical for weathering the pandemic. 聽
鈥淲hat is unique and special is we鈥檙e not your siblings, we鈥檙e not your professor, we鈥檙e not your roommate,鈥� Olson said. 鈥淲e are there in a professional role to really hear you and allow you to hear yourself.鈥澛�
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漏 Spring 2021 / Volume 26 / Number 1 / Biannual