This week, through Saturday,
Oct. 10, is Lawrence’s Mental Health
Awareness Week. During the week,
Counseling Services and Student
Wellness Committee put on a variety
of events to raise awareness of
Mental Health issues.
The week got off to a great start
with the National Alliance on Mental
Illness 5K Walk, put on by NAMI Fox
Valley. According to the Lawrence
Counseling Services team, about 10
Lawrence students took part, winning
the “most spirited” award.
Sunday, Oct. 4, Wellness Committee
screened the movie “Prozac Nation,”
a movie based on a book about
a teenager who battles depression
while at college.
Students had the opportunity
Wednesday to hear a panel comprised
of student, faculty and staff
speakers talking about their own
experiences dealing with health
issues.
National Depression Screening
Day took place Thursday. The
Lawrence Counseling Services team
met with students on the second
floor of the Warch Campus
Center from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.,
and then again from 5:30 p.m. to
7 p.m. During these meetings, the
Counseling Services team handed
out surveys and pamphlets. After
taking the survey, students received
a free, five-minute confidential consultation
to go over the results of
the survey.
Counseling Services itself is
located in the Landis Health Center,
and counseling is available free of
charge for any Lawrence student.
“We’re really about taking care of
yourself beyond your grades,” said
Assistant Director of Counseling
Services Paul Valencic, who is also
Lawrence’s alcohol education coordinator.
“Wellness and balance” are key
components of student health,
Valencic stressed. Counseling is confidential.
In the 2008-09 school year,
17 percent of Lawrence students
received counseling services at some
point. Among the most commonly
listed issues were stress and relationships.
Students can reach Counseling
Services at 920-832-6574, or by walking
over to the center. The team is
available for walk-in appointments
Monday through Friday, while the
center is open.
In addition, the Lawrence
University Wellness Committee
meets Mondays at 8 p.m. in the
Kraemer Room of the Warch Campus
Center to discuss wellness and health
at Lawrence. If you are searching for
information on mental health, stress
relief, sexual health, nutrition, body
image or a variety of other wellnessrelated
topics, the group is always
looking for new members.
Wellness Committee raises mental health awareness
