Morehead State University Counseling & Health Services has partnered with Pathways, Inc. to create regular support groups to meet the mental health needs of students.
The “Let's Talk About It!” support groups will meet every Tuesday and Wednesday from 2-4pm during the fall semester, beginning Tuesday, September 3. The Tuesday support group will focus on recovery and mental health education, while the Wednesday support group will focus on building skills for recovery and support.
All meetings will be held in Room 320 at the Adron Doran University Center (ADUC) and are open to all MSU students.
Angela Crow, a mental health peer support specialist at Pathways, said she contacted Counseling and Health Services after working with several students who struggled with social skills, trauma, gender/sexuality issues, time management and self-esteem issues. After running support groups at Pathways and helping group members heal and destigmatizing many of these issues, she made it her personal goal to bring similar support groups to Michigan State University's campus.
“I first tried to go to college in my late teens but dropped out due to mental illness and trauma. It took me 20 years to be able to go back to school,” Crowe said. “By running this support group, teaching relationship skills and providing resources and mental health education, I hope to prevent students from being lost to mental health issues.”
Crow then worked with Assia Hundley (Class of 2020), a mental health counselor in the Counseling and Health Services Department, to bring the support group to Michigan State University.
“We want students to be in an environment where they can be their true selves, and we want to better support their well-being, whether they're a freshman or a senior about to graduate,” Handley said. “Students will have the opportunity to talk about any mental or emotional concerns that may be troubling them, which will help them work toward self-growth.”
“We hope that this group will continue annually in perpetuity,” Crowe says. “It will start small and slow at first, but as the benefits of the group become apparent and word of mouth spreads, we believe we will see an overwhelmingly positive response. And together, we will reduce the stigma around mental health and encourage more students to feel confident in seeking help.”
For more information about MSU Counseling & Health Services, contact [email protected] or 606-783-2055.
