New mental health program to help Hood students

By Rachel Sell//

A new program designed to help Hood students cope with academic anxiety held its first meeting on Sept. 29.

The program, called the Academic Anxiety Support Group, will meet once weekly for six weeks. Meetings will take place every Thursday from 1 p.m. to 1:45 p.m.

According to Mental Health Counselor John Slick, the group will discuss a different topic at each meeting such as perfectionism, depression and developing healthier self-talk.

“Academic anxiety is a very common mental health concern on college campus nationwide, and we know it’s something that Hood students are experiencing as well,” Slick said.

According to Slick, the design of a support group allows members to make connections and hear from others who are experiencing similar issues.

“We…want to give students the space to talk about their experience and learn from one another,” Slick said.

Since the Academic Anxiety Support Group is a form of group therapy, registration is required to maintain a comfortable and appropriate environment, according to Director of Wellness Amanda Dymek. To do so, students can email counselingservices@hood.edu, but should do so before mid-October.

“We are getting to midterms, we are getting to the middle of the semester, and we know that this is a stressful time,” Dymek said. “This group is intended to provide support…and help students learn skills that help to manage their anxiety around academics specifically.”

The support group will help to normalize academic anxiety, according to Dymek.

“This is a thing we struggle with on campus… and this is okay, to admit that ‘I have anxiety around my classes,’” she said.

Slick said, Hood College Counseling Services have provided a series of programs this month surrounding academic anxiety. The series has included videos that have been sent out to faculty and staff to share with students, a lunch and learn presentation about performance anxiety and now the support group itself.

“This whole series is a joint initiative between Counseling Services and the NeighborHood Counseling Training Clinic,” Slick said.

Dymek said that Hood College Health and Counseling Services is considering what other groups may be helpful and supportive to students in the future, such as groups for grief or trauma.