As flannels and sweaters come out of storage, physical sickness is not the only illness impeding students. The reduced sunlight can hinder individual’s circadian rhythm, causing Seasonal Affective Disorder.
With this transition and stress of midterms manifesting in students’ lives, it is important to know the resources available around Manhattan. One of those resources is K-State Counseling Services.
Located in the basement of the Lafene Health Center on the far west side of campus, Counseling Services saw 1,296 students over 5,182 sessions during the 2017 fiscal year. The facility offers individual therapy, group therapy, couples therapy and biofeedback training for currently enrolled students.
“Biofeedback is when they hook you up to the computer and it senses things such as respiration, perspiration, body temperature, muscle tension, body responses to stress,” Wendy Barnes, online programs outreach coordinator, said. “You learn by watching your stress levels and working with mindfulness exercises, [so] you can learn to control your stress reactors.”
The first four sessions are free per academic year, while sessions five through 10 are $15 each. Any sessions after that are $25 each.
Counseling Services also offers online programs with topics such as stress management and academic anxiety. These programs are free and self-paced.
The Counseling Services-partnered student organization, P.A.W.S., started a podcast this week called PAWScast, which the organization will use to spread awareness of mental health and give more information on it.
“The first episode that came out [Monday] is an interview with the Specht family,” Barnes said. “They are an [alumni] family whose son took his life by suicide last June. We are co-sponsoring a tailgate event with them on Saturday at the homecoming game.”
The crisis hotline, (785) 532-6927, is always available for students in dire situations. Someone will always be on the other line to get a student the help they need.
“Our line is staffed 24/7,” Barnes said. “When we’re here, 8 [a.m.] to 5 [p.m.], there’s always a counselor on duty. When anybody calls our number, and they don’t have [an] appointment and they’re in a crisis, then they’ll see our counselor on duty.”
Other resources available in Manhattan include the Marriage and Family Therapy Clinic in the Campus Creek Building, Pawnee Mental Health Services and Katie’s Way. Couples who go to the Marriage and Family Therapy Clinic do not both need to be currently enrolled students. The clinic also offers a sliding fee scale to make services more affordable.
