Seeking mental health care often feels like a journey with no end. Whether pursuing professional therapy or better self-care practices, it can seem like a hopeless road to walk down. Southern Utah University Health and Wellness exists to connect students with campus resources and support individuals as they strive to become the best versions of themselves.
Serving as the Health and Wellness coordinator, Madison McBride cares that students find support at SUU. As a student-athlete for the Flippin’ Birds gymnastics team back in 2016, McBride was often too busy to engage with campus resources. “I was kind of in my own little bubble,” said McBride. “I wasn’t super aware of all the resources.”
McBride understands a particular kind of dynamic when it comes to mental health in the athletics community. “There is still a little bit of a stigma because there is a lot expected of our athletes, and so any quote-unquote ‘weakness’ is seen as negative when really that’s just how it goes,” she said. “We all experience these struggles.”
However, in dealing with this stigma, McBride found support from her coaches and teammates, along with the sports psychologists available to the team. “We have people checking in on us. We have a built-in community, which is a protective factor for mental health,” said McBride.
It is in part due to these experiences as an athlete that McBride excels at her job and as a mental health advocate with Health and Wellness. There is a great need for support since students’ lives change throughout college in conjunction with the stressors of school.
Health and Wellness aims to fill that role. “We like to call it a resources hub,” said McBride about the center, which is located in the Sharwan Smith Student Center near the Living Room. Though they serve their own purpose in supporting the mental health journey of every student, they also act as the switchboard operators of campus, connecting students to the people and places best suited to help them.
McBride’s job mainly includes planning campus events that address prevention and education of mental health topics. The Health and Wellness team and she work to bring awareness to important topics such as suicide prevention and domestic violence prevention. Creating ways for students to connect with the center, McBride aims to ensure that students are aware that they have an open door policy.
The center is a comfortable space where students are often found resting between classes while enjoying the free snacks in their office, located in the Sharwan Smith Student Center, Room 175. Their self-care station contains first-aid equipment, pain medication, cough drops, menstrual products, personal hygiene kits and more. In their anti-stress cabinet, students can check out self-care equipment like sun lamps that assist with vitamin D production and Bi-Tapps, which create rhythmic pulses that are used to calm the nervous system.
Anyone can also utilize a private space called the Wellness Room when it is not in use. Equipped with a desktop computer and a comfortable place to sit, the room is often used for virtual therapy appointments or telehealth. “Anything you might need a private space for, it’s there for you,” said McBride. Students are also welcome to use the room for prayer, meditation, phone calls or yoga. “If you think you’re the first person in there to take a nap, you’re not,” McBride added.
“We really just try to promote holistic care. So many resources for your mental health externally, outside of school, can be so expensive,” said Chloe Copeland, a senior in the psychology program who has worked for Health and Wellness since her freshman year.
Focusing on ways to support students without professional intervention doesn’t have to be complicated. Often, it just looks like a conversation. “People come in, and they just start to chat. I always think after they leave, they probably really needed that … I think that’s super important for your day-to-day to just get those things off of your chest,” Copeland added.
Health and Wellness has recently obtained their own webpage on suu.edu that helps students navigate the resources available to them. Coordinated with red, yellow and green sections, the website helps students assess their level of need and gives them a comprehensive list of their options, both in person and online.
CAPS
SUU offers free appointments with professional therapists through Counseling and Psychological Services. Located in the Bennion Building, CAPS exists for students without insurance to get psychological care without the hassle of traveling off campus or paying for the help they need.
Staff members pair students with a therapist that can best address their needs and help them schedule appointments. Often, students will see their counselor for six to eight sessions per semester. Although receiving professional help may be intimidating, CAPS provides an approachable space to ask questions and receive advice.
Student Health Clinic
The Health Clinic opened its doors in the spring of 2023, filling a much-needed role. Also located in the Benion Building, the Health Clinic is run by FourPoints Health and does not require insurance or co-pays for SUU students. They accept appointments and walk-ins and can write prescriptions that can be filled off-campus.
TimelyCare
Virtual therapy is accessible for free through TimelyCare. This service often has more availability than CAPS, and users are paired with a professional counselor who can see them by appointment or through virtual office hours.
“It fills the need for students who might now want to meet in person and if they want to meet virtually,” said McBride.
Togetherall
Copeland described Togetherall as the “Reddit of mental health.” This platform connects college students on a discussion board about mental health and campus life. Users can post anonymously to boards to receive advice or ask for support. The forums are monitored by mental health professionals who can step in if a user needs immediate help.
TAO Connect
TAO stands for Therapy Assistance Online. This website contains a myriad of classes and programs that help users improve their mental health through guided support. These workshops vary in topic, all addressing an area of mental health that people often struggle with.
This list just scratches the surface of the resources available to SUU students. McBride emphasizes that there are places all over campus that are designed to help. There are ACES, academic advisors and professors who all want to see their students succeed.
Although mental health can be a sensitive subject, Health and Wellness exists to provide help in any form for all students. McBride concluded, “[We] at Health and Wellness — and everywhere else on campus — are so eager to help. That’s why we’re here.”
Author: Lily Brunson
Photographer: Chloe Copeland
Editor: Kale Nelson
This article was originally published in the December 2023 edition of the University Journal.
