Are you stressed? Are you having relationship problems, trouble sleeping, or difficulty handling you academic workload? Do you feel as though you can’t handle college life?
If you can answer “yes” to any of these questions, then perhaps a visit to FCC’s Psychological Services is in order. Psychological Services is the campus support network for students who are experiencing difficulty of any kind. According to their mission statement, they are “committed to enhancing and supporting the intellectual and personal growth of FCC students.”
Through individualized therapy and a commitment to ensuring holistic wellness, the staff of Psychological Services works to assist students through life’s hardships. Dr. Brian Olowude, Coordinator of Psychological Services, said, “Change is never easy for anyone, and we are kind of like the coaches in people’s change process.”
Psych Services welcomes any student who is experiencing any difficulty. “Our job isn’t to judge a person’s difficulties – it’s to help them with it,” said Dr. Olowude.
This semester, the Psych Services staff is preparing for an unusually high number of appointments after consistent increase in past years. According to Dr. Olowude, the number of appointments last year rose to 1,139 from 977 in 2009. These numbers do not include “crisis” appointments, in which the client requires immediate attention. The number of crisis appointments rose to 113 last year, opposed to 65 in 2009.
A factor that is partially responsible for this rapid increase is the level of stress at FCC. Last year FCC completed the American College Health Survey, which collected data from more than 30,000 students at 39 college campuses across the country. “And we did find that the level of stress for our students on our campus is unusually high,” said Dr. Olowude.
These results prompted Psych Services to enact a “Stress Less, Achieve More” initiative, which according to Dr. Olowude is “to help people recognize and understand what stress is.” He added, “We’re hoping to help them manage their stress, which will also help them manage their studies better and ultimately be more successful in their college careers.”
To help students be more successful, Psych Services has posted several resources on their website, which can be accessed under the “For Students” tab of the FCC homepage. Information regarding several mental health issues such as stress, depression, ADD/ADHD, and grief are available. Also available is a “Relaxation and Wellness Center.” This feature provides free lessons in relaxation via downloadable MP3 files, brochures on stress management and sleep habits, and a PowerPoint presentation on stress.
Psych Services also partners with other campus services to provide thorough, individualized treatment for each student. “We work collaboratively with all of our partners including Student Services, faculty members, and our staff members, because students come in contact with all of those people and we want to make sure that we are providing the best services possible,” said Dr. Olowude. He added, “We want to be able to serve the entire student. We may not be medical professionals, but we have medical professionals on our campus, that is, our college nurses, that we work collaboratively with to figure out how can we best serve this student.”
Ideally, every FCC student would experience such individual care. Dr Guadalupe Vasquez, Clinical Supervisor, said, “I think it would be a great experience if everyone would try therapy at least once, but we can’t force people to do it. We’re here for them if they want to try it.” Dr. Olowude added, “Being open to our services is always a benefit because you don’t know what you can learn by just being still for a while and focusing on where you want to be in life.”
College students have times when they feel tired, frustrated, and unmotivated. During these times, the staff of Psychological Services is here to help. Dr. Olowude said, “It’s a unique experience to have someone focused just on you and really listen to what you’re going through. And people are surprised at how much strength they have when they’re able to move some of the other stuff aside. Then they can realize ‘I can be healthy. There is a way for me to achieve and be successful.”
Psychological Services is located in Room 216 of the Student Center Building. Simply walk in and ask someone for an appointment, and they will help you begin the scheduling process.