Welcome Back Students, Faculty and Staff !
Wishing you all a great semester at Hudson Valley Community College!
As we continue to navigate these stressful times and start a new semester, taking care of our emotional well-being and mental health is more important than ever. Counseling and Wellness Services is here to help.
Counseling Services
Our licensed mental health counselors are available to provide individual counseling, consultation and referral information for students via telecounseling (phone or video sessions) and in person (masks required). To speak with a counselor or schedule an appointment, call us at (518) 629-7320 or email us at counseling@hvcc.edu. A counselor will schedule an appointment with you to address your concerns. When leaving a voicemail or sending an email, please be sure to include your full name (preferably spelled out as well), date of birth, your Hudson Valley ID number (H00…..), the best phone number for us to reach you and your email address. Services are available during our normal business hours (Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.).
Virtual Campus Chronicle Resources
Monday’s Minutes of Meditation
Each Monday, our office will post a guided meditation from The Honest Guys Channel on YouTube in Student Announcements and the Campus Chronicle (faculty/staff). Meditation is a wonderful coping skill that allows one to relax, de-stress and be more present in the moment. These meditations cover a range of topics and are five-minutes to one-hour long.
Wednesday’s Words of Wellness
Each Wednesday during the semester, our office will provide information about a different topic related to one’s wellness, in a post found in the Student Announcements and Campus Chronicle. These wellness-related topics can include information and interactive tools about emotions, relationships, self-care, mindfulness and many more!
Friday Feels
Every Friday, Counseling and Wellness Services will provide a motivational, inspirational, upbeat song for the campus community to enjoy. Sometimes music can provide the words and rhythm to what we are feeling when we can’t express it ourselves. Music can also help us to process our thoughts and feelings and even motivate us to make positive changes in our lives. Music has so many benefits. So why not check the Student Announcements and Campus Chronicle on Fridays and have an upbeat end to your week?
Action for Happiness
Each month, our office will provide students a monthly calendar and information from Action for Happiness — a movement of people committed to building a happier and more caring society. These monthly calendars provide daily prompts focused around the 10 Keys to Happier Living that allow each of us to take time to engage in healthy positive activities each day.
Virtual Anxiety and Adjustment Peer Support Group
Beginning Tuesday, Sept. 28 at 10 a.m., Counseling and Wellness Services will be facilitating an eight-week Virtual Anxiety and Adjustment Peer Support Group that provides psychoeducation about how to effectively manage anxiety, as well as providing a space for students to process their anxiety and difficulties with adjustment and support one another. Students will need to sign up to secure a spot in the group by contacting our office at counseling@hvcc.edu. Spots are limited. More information will be provided in Student Announcement posts. If you have specific questions about the group, please don’t hesitate to reach out via email or by phone at (518) 629-7320.
Wellness Tips and Resources
Here are some Wellness Tips and Resources that may help. And check Student Announcements regularly for additional mental health and wellness-related offerings throughout the semester!
Crisis Information
In the event of a life threatening emergency, call 911. If you or a loved one is experiencing a mental health crisis, here are some resources that can help:
NATIONAL SUICIDE PREVENTION LIFELINE:
1-800-273-8255
(1-800-273-TALK)
NEW YORK STATE COVID-19 EMOTIONAL SUPPORT HOTLINE:
1-844-863-9314
VETERANS CRISIS LINE:
Call: 1-800-273-8255 (1-800-273-TALK) and Press 1
Text: 838255
Chat: https://www.veteranscrisisline.net/get-help/chat
Support for deaf and hard of hearing:
Chat and text message (838255)
For TTY users: Use your preferred relay service or dial 711 then 1-800-273-8255. Or chat with us.
Online Resources
Mental Health Screenings
As a subscriber to MindWise Innovations, we offer our campus community access to free, anonymous online screenings for various mental health concerns. Everyone experiences stress, sadness and anxiety from time to time — it’s part of life. But if you are feeling overwhelmed, depressed, or unable to do the things you once enjoyed, it may be time to assess your emotional well-being and mental health. It only takes a few minutes to complete a self-assessment. Click here to take a Mental Health Screening.
Academic Waivers
Students receiving federal financial aid must meet good academic standing and satisfactory academic progress requirements in order to maintain eligibility for aid. However, the college recognizes that extenuating circumstances (such as severe illness, injury or death in the immediate family) may prevent an otherwise successful student from meeting these requirements. In such cases, students can request a one-time only waiver which is initiated by contacting Counseling and Wellness Services. Counselors can assist students with the process and address their concerns. More information, including a downloadable copy of the Waiver Application form, is available on our web page (Academic Waiver).
SUNY Resources for Students
SUNY Crisis Text Line
Students looking to engage with a trained counselor can find support on SUNY’s Crisis Text Line. The 24/7 service provides a confidential way to reach out when you are experiencing difficult feelings such as loneliness, stress and depression, or having thoughts of suicide.
Counselors are trained to build rapport and trust. They can help texters explore their issues, determine their goals and come up with solutions.
To reach out, simply text: Got5U to 741-741.
Peer-to-Peer Assistance Hotline: Middle Earth
Middle Earth is a secure, student-staffed hotline that connects students in need with peer counselors who are trained to help. Peer counselors can assess a caller’s well-being, and if necessary, link students to appropriate mental health services. Students do not need to be in crisis to use this hotline.
The hotline is open 1 p.m. through midnight, Monday to Thursday, and Fridays at 1 p.m. until midnight on Sundays during the academic year.
Call the hotline: 518-442-5777.
Email the Middle Earth Assistance Program: midearth@albany.edu
Remember, Counseling and Wellness Services is only a phone call or click away. From an appropriate physical, but not social or emotional, distance – we wish you all the best.
Be well,
The staff in Counseling and Wellness Services
Siek Campus Center, Suite 270
(518) 629-7320
counseling@hvcc.edu
Published: Mon, 30 Aug 2021 11:40:36 +0000 by k.weeks