For the past 10 years, I have arranged for the students in my WELL 175-Wellness: Concepts for Health and Fitness course to participate in a walking field trip across campus to meet with the licensed psychologists from the MU Counseling Center.
The 1-mile walking field trip from Pucillo Gym to the classroom on the north side of campus is a rain or shine event that provides an opportunity for students to become more informed about important campus resources (many of which students report they are unaware of).
One of the goals of this particular lesson is to help students understand the real-world applications of what they are learning in the classroom by linking the textbook chapter on emotional health and psychological wellness to meeting with one of the licensed psychologists during our class. Conducting class is this way may help boost a student’s confidence and lesson their anxiety, especially in deciding whether to schedule an appointment themselves or in referring a friend to the counseling center they are worried about.
According to a study presented at the American Psychological Association symposium in 2010 by John Guthman, PhD at Hofstra University, “severe mental illness is more common among college students than it was a decade ago, with more young people arriving on campus with preexisting conditions and a willingness to seek help for emotional distress.”
In fact, several colleagues at the MU Counseling Center tell me that severe psychological problems which include depression, anxiety, suicidal thoughts, alcohol abuse, eating disorders, and self-injury continue to persist, with suicide continuing to be the second leading cause of death among college students.
According to Dr. Saunders, a member of the Counseling Center, “Connecting first-year students with mental health services available on campus is important for several reasons. First, research shows that first year students are the population least likely to know about Counseling Center services. In addition, first years students are generally the population most likely to abuse alcohol, to experience interpersonal problems, and to be a victim of sexual assault. It is critical that students experiencing distress are knowledgeable about the services of the Counseling Center.”
Therefore, given the large percentage of mental health problems on campus, providing students with some useful strategies for managing emotional wellness is an important consideration for success not only at college, but for living a healthy life after graduation.
Shown below are a few photos of my students meeting first in the Pucillo Gymnasium classroom to discuss the objectives for the day. After a brief review of the handout and a discussion about the purpose for the class, students are shown walking across campus to Stayer Hall MPR where we met this day with Ms. Inver, a doctoral intern who answered student questions and provided answers to the assignment. It was essential that we didn’t actually meet in the Counseling Center itself in order to ensure confidentiality for clients.
