Due to the ongoing pandemic and the need for remote and Hyflex classes, FAMU’s counseling center has developed weekly workshops or groups for students needing a little boost for the spring semester.
The various workshops were implemented to improve student morale for their courses, personal life and overall well-being. With workshop topics ranging from decision making, stress management, and self-esteem, students can expect a thought-provoking discussion including helpful advice for everyday troubles.
The Office of Counseling Services’ focus is to increase academic success by encouraging self-awareness and capturing the personal growth of students during their college years to bring out their full potential.
With the use of mental health counseling, outreach and prevention; counselors and therapists are able to serve the schools mission:
“We exemplify, and seek to foster within those we serve, the values of courage, diversity, ethics, excellence, respect, scholarship, service and social justice. Being responsive to the needs of our students, we are charged to cultivate and nurture an environment that is safe, confidential and professional,” according to the Office of Counseling Services’ mission statement.
With a handful of committed licensed professionals, counseling services director Anika Fields believes that these workshops will shed some light on presenting issues, but also allows students to think critically in regard to their personal life or academics in comparison to other students who are likely under the same circumstances.
“We want students to understand who they are but also be OK with who they are now and/or becoming. Growing into yourself and finding your way in life is all a part of college. We are here to help students navigate through those challenges, and identity the solutions,” Fields said.
The workshops will be held weekly online through Zoom meeting sessions. Although the majority will be done each week, there is also a 4-week interactive workshop titled, “Rattlers In Focus.” The objective for this workshop is to identity the use of substance abuse, risk reduction and prevention. Participants will be introduced to educational advice such as healthy coping mechanisms, ways to avoid using, and even community resources available for treatment.
In addition to this specialized workshop, there will be informative group discussions for males and females that focus on issues faced by both genders beyond just the collegiate years. Mental health counselor Dougla-Khan Stancil hopes the participation of male students for “Man Talk” allows for more discussions among young Black men to express their feelings without feeling the stigma of mental wellness.
“Our purpose is to have an open dialogue in a real and candid way with men, with hopes to improve young men’s ability to be emotionally literate, express those emotions and obtain support from peers as they navigate the social terrain here at FAMU and in the world,” Stancil said.