One of 麻豆原创 Counseling and Psychology Services鈥� newest strategies in helping students alleviate anxiety and depression can be found on a 4陆-by-5陆-inch slip of paper.
Recently, CAPS mental health clinicians began carrying a 鈥減rescription鈥� pad for gardening at the on-campus Arboretum. The department took a beat from Student Health Services鈥� 鈥淔ARMacy鈥� program, which launched last fall.
鈥淲e want students thinking about their own wellness, health and self-care.”
Associate director Teresa Michaelson, who helped foster the partnership, says it is part of a larger initiative to identify spaces on campus where students can engage in a peaceful environment through activities such as mindfulness, mediation, quality social interaction with a friend or outdoor hobbies, just like gardening.
鈥淲e want students thinking about their own wellness, health and self-care, and that鈥檚 why we鈥檙e calling this 鈥楾hrive with CAPS,鈥� 鈥� she says. 鈥淚nstead of focusing on, 鈥業鈥檓 depressed and sad all the time,鈥� let鈥檚 shift it to, 鈥業鈥檓 struggling right now, so I need to take extra steps to care for myself. What are some things I can do to help me feel better?鈥� 鈥�
After rolling out the idea at a meeting in September, one of the CAPS staff members used a script that day with a student.
鈥淥ur clinician shared that the student was incredibly excited. The student had never thought about it as an opportunity to go out and be involved,鈥� Michaelson says. 鈥淲hen she got the slip, it felt all official. Like she could go to the Arboretum and say, 鈥業鈥檓 here!鈥� It helped legitimize the concept.鈥�
Grow and Thrive
Larry Marks, a member of the CAPS clinical staff, says gardening and being out in nature leads to a number of health benefits and positive feelings, which ultimate contribute to a state of well-being.
鈥淭here鈥檚 something inherent in connecting with nature,鈥� he says. 鈥淚t taps your senses in different ways from seeing the greenery and expansive views, and allows you to get away from the hectic campus life to a more calming atmosphere. You might hear some nature sounds, smell the fresh air, feel the sun and the warmth on your skin. It taps into a lot of your senses, which contributes to a sense of calmness.鈥�
鈥淭here鈥檚 something inherent in connecting with nature. It taps into a lot of your senses, which contributes to a sense of calmness.鈥�
Additionally, the act of volunteering itself enhances those positive feelings. The community garden supplies produce to the Knights Helping Knights Pantry, where students in need can pick up some for themselves for free.
Arboretum coordinator Kelsie Johnson 鈥�16 says the staff helps guide and teach volunteers through the steps of maintaining the community garden, and anyone within the community is welcomed and encouraged to sign up for a 2-hour morning or afternoon volunteer shift.
鈥淲e get a couple hundred volunteers every semester, and we offer all of them the chance to provide feedback through our volunteer log. We have many students who tell us after a shift that they鈥檝e had fun and relieved stress,鈥� Johnson says.
Ways to Live a Better Life
CAPS is the only free-of-charge campus agency designated to provide comprehensive psychological services to university-enrolled students.
Thee department continually sees an increase year to year in the numbers of students served and appointments provided.
It鈥檚 difficult to pinpoint what鈥檚 causing the increase of stress and anxiety among students 鈥� 鈥渢hat鈥檚 the million-dollar question,鈥� Michaelson says 鈥� but they鈥檙e hoping the Thrive with CAPS movement will help provide viable, pre-emptive strategies for healthier coping.
In addition to the Thrive prescription, Marks created a flyer with nearly 100 suggestions for ways to enrich one鈥檚 life, take care of one鈥檚 body and live efficiently. The list includes examples ranging from developing a personal mission statement to deep breathing exercises to arriving to school early.
鈥淭he Thrive concept is a non-stigmatizing way of approaching mental wellness,鈥� Michaelson says. 鈥淲e鈥檙e wanting you to engage in wellness behaviors not because you鈥檙e depressed or anxious, but because this is how you live a better life and learn to better cope with life鈥檚 challenges.鈥�
