Student Counseling Services – Page 10

Free and confidential counseling services are available to students at Student Counseling Services

I can’t sleep. I’m sad all the time. I don’t have any friends. I’m not sure I fit in here. I worry constantly. I am so overwhelmed. What am I doing here? Does any of this sound familiar? Being a college student is stressful! You don’t have to go it alone: Illinois State University’s Student Counseling Services (SCS) is here to help you succeed.

SCS has experienced psychologists and counselors. Counseling is free, and it’s confidential –what happens in counseling stays in counseling. Except for a few exceptions related to the safety of yourself and others, no information can be released. Your privacy is protected by law!

The impact of discrimination and hate

At Student Counseling Services, we were saddened to hear about the hate and violence that occurred in Charlottesville during the “Unite the Right” rally. Student Counseling Services condemns violence and all forms of discrimination, including intolerance and hate. We acknowledge the psychological, emotional and spiritual impact these events have on our students, faculty and staff. Psychological research has shown that prejudice, stereotyping and discrimination can have adverse effects on both the targets and the perpetrators. These effects include heightened vigilance, anger, anxiety, depression and physical symptoms. Discrimination can create a climate of rejection, fear, anxiety and insecurity, for both individuals and the target group as a whole. We encourage you to seek support in a way that is most beneficial to your own self-care and to support one another. As always, the staff at SCS is available to meet with any student who may need to talk about their reactions. Know that we are here to listen with empathy and to provide support to all students in a way that validates your experiences. During this difficult time, let us continue to affirm Illinois State University’s values of diversity and inclusion.

Body Project seeking student participants

Students at Body Project peer facilitator trainings

Student Counseling Services will hold Body Project implementations throughout the semester. The first will be from 6-8 p.m. Monday, September 18, in the Student Services Building.

A plastic surgery app?

A new, alarming, set of electronic games is starting to take hold among young people. These new games, predominantly aimed at young girls, help children identify “problem areas,” such as wrinkles, skin imperfections, narrow eyes, or identify areas that are in “need” of some Botox. What messages does this send?

SCS affirms all genders

Student Counseling Services (SCS) strives to be welcoming to all students and has been working diligently the last few years to provide inclusive services for any trans* and gender nonconforming students that may want to seek counseling.

Lady Gaga claps back: Body activism and the Super Bowl

It is important for our society to change our perception of what people should look like and focus on who they are as people, writes Samantha Volk from Illinois State’s Body Project.

Increasing belongingness for African-American students at ISU

Two students in Bird Shirts in the Bone Student Center

School belonging, social support, and a healthy developing identity continue to be very important predictors for success among underrepresented students.

Let’s do away with “Spring break bods”

Well. It’s about that time of year again. You’re going to start seeing the advertisements everywhere: “8 Weeks to a Better Spring Break Body!”; “The Ultimate 4-Week Spring Break Workout Plan!”; “Get Spring Break Ready in Two Weeks.”

Appreciating body diversity

Whether it’s a family member commenting on how “she doesn’t have the body to be wearing that,” listening to a friend go on and on about her latest diet so she can lose weight to go on vacation, or the media encouraging us to get “bikini ready,” I’m tired of all of the body shaming and fat talk I hear on a daily basis.

A Presidential look?

Presidential elect Donald Trump recently explained to ABC’S David Muir, “I just don’t think [Hillary Clinton] has a presidential look, and you need a presidential look.” What exactly is the presidential look? How does someone look presidential? Is it the way they dress? Perhaps it is the way they style their hair or do their make-up? Maybe the better question is, does one’s dress, hair, or makeup bear any consequence on one’s ability to run a country? Why is women’s appearance so important?