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FINDING A WAY TO HELP OTHERS

Looking back now, as a junior health sciences pre-occupational therapy major, Emma is on a mission to help students recognize depression and other mental health problems early before they find themselves struggling in the same deep, dark place she found herself years ago.

鈥淚 don鈥檛 want anybody to ever feel the way I felt鈥攁lone and isolated,鈥� she said. 鈥淢y whole goal is to make them realize they are not alone鈥� 鈥榯his is hard, and it鈥檚 not going to alleviate overnight. But this is something that we can get through together.鈥欌��

Emma had never given any thought to running for student body president, but last year, when she realized God had provided a platform for her to help promote mental health on campus, she didn鈥檛 waste it. It all started when she was a freshman, and she was recruited to join the Student Government Association (SGA) to serve as chaplain. She loved it, and the following year she stepped up to serve as director of spiritual life. When she entered her junior year, she realized the person running for pres颅ident was running unopposed. She decided to see what God wanted her to do.

鈥淚 prayed about it for a solid week, and that is where God led my heart,鈥� she said but admitted she never thought she would win.

Still in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic, running on the platform of 鈥渂etter mental health and reducing stress鈥� proved popular, and Emma won the vote!

鈥淚 decided to not share my mental health journey during my campaign because I didn鈥檛 want a pity vote,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 didn鈥檛 want to make it about me, but make it about my platform. I wanted students to understand what mental health is and why it鈥檚 important to take breaks and rest.鈥�

Since winning the presidency, she and the other 35 SGA members have continued to carry out her vision with monthly events like 鈥淒onut Stress,鈥� where SGA members stand outside and hand out donuts as students race to class.

鈥淔or me, whenever I鈥檓 stressed out, the first thing that goes is my eating,鈥� Emma explained. 鈥淪o, even though it鈥檚 a sugary doughnut, it鈥檚 still calories鈥攊t鈥檚 still sustenance.鈥�

STIGMA-FREE ZONE

The SGA events this past year have focused on helping students relax and destress. The group has even partnered with Student Counseling Services and the Psychological Science Club to help host events like 鈥淓nd the Stigma.鈥� With bunnies to snuggle, deep-breathing demos, art therapy, and more, the event鈥檚 goal was to bring awareness to mental health and break the stigma often associated with it.

鈥淭here鈥檚 such a stigma surrounding mental health. You鈥檙e looked at as weaker, or less-than, sick, or crazy,鈥� Emma said. 鈥淲ords like that can be so damaging to someone. I know I can鈥檛 fix people鈥檚 mental health over颅night, but what I can do is educate them about it. It鈥檚 OK to have stress, but at high levels of stress, seek help. I鈥檓 getting people connected to resources.鈥�

Since she started on this awareness journey, she has had students admit that her message has given them courage to seek help. She has prayed with at least 15 students鈥攎any of whom were strangers鈥攚ho came up to her suffering in the moment.

鈥淭hey realized they weren鈥檛 crazy and weren鈥檛 alone, and they ended up seeking counseling,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 don't do this through me. I do this because of God, who stepped in and stopped my life from ending. He鈥檚 given me a second chance, and I'm not going to waste it.鈥�

Emma is thankful that God made her passionate about helping other students find help.

鈥淚 don鈥檛 care about having a legacy, but if I do any颅thing on this campus, I want to make somebody feel like they are loved and that they are valued because Christ says they are.鈥�

It鈥檚 also taught her to strive to be more in tune with the Holy Spirit every day of her life.

鈥淚 try to listen and hear what He prompts me to do,鈥� she said. 鈥淏ecause if Don hadn鈥檛 been listening to the Holy Spirit that day, I wouldn't be here.鈥�

STUDENT COUNSELING SERVICES

Coming to college can be highly stressful for some students because they are experiencing so many 鈥渇irsts.鈥�

鈥淚t鈥檚 the first time they鈥檝e been away from their parents for an extended time, the first time they鈥檝e had a roommate, the first time they鈥檝e fallen in and out of love, the first time they鈥檝e failed a class,鈥� said Vice President for Student Life Dr. Brandon Skaggs. He said counselors at the 麻豆视频直播 Student Counseling Center are available to walk beside students during challenging times.

鈥淲e feel it鈥檚 important for students to take advantage of their services,鈥� he said. 鈥淭his is a time of life that is very different, and it鈥檚 OK to come and seek help.鈥�

With two licensed professional counselors and a host of clinical psychology interns, the center offers a free and confidential resource for students as they navigate the stressors of life.

鈥淲e see a ton of anxiety and depression,鈥� said Li颅censed Professional Counselor Karen DuBroc. 鈥淲hen we start talking about some of the things that got them to that place, that鈥檚 where we begin to dive deeper into things like trauma. A lot of students don鈥檛 know to call it trauma. We don鈥檛 just unpack how they鈥檙e feeling right there in that moment, but how they got there.鈥�

With the stress and strain of COVID-19, the counsel颅ing services office has seen a significant uptick in de颅mand for services. In the Fall 2021 semester, the center saw 1,311 appointments; prior to the pandemic, in the Fall of 2019, there were 899 appointments.

鈥淪ome of these students didn鈥檛 get to have a graduation, a high school homecoming, or prom. There鈥檚 just a chunk of their lives where life shut down as they knew it. As they reenter, they are experiencing the real stresses of everyday life, and it鈥檚 a challenge,鈥� DuBroc said. 鈥淚t has created a lot more anxiety and uncertainty, and there鈥檚 a gravity to life that they didn鈥檛 know prior to COVID-19.鈥�

Licensed Professional Counselor Karlie Butterworth said their goal has been to proactively reach out to stu颅dents to make them aware of all the available resources before students are in crisis.

鈥淭here are so many free resources on campus that a lot of people don鈥檛 know about鈥攃areer services, student organizations, fitness classes, etc. to get plugged into. A lot of what we help with is getting students connected to build a community with other students because a lot of students do feel lonely too, and that鈥檚 a normal thing.鈥�

On the other hand, the counselors also encourage students to find balance in all their activities and help them with time management techniques.

鈥淲e teach them about not over-committing and that it鈥檚 OK to say 鈥榥o,鈥欌�� Butterworth said.

The counselors provide short-term counseling for up to six weeks; if long-term help is needed, the counselors get students connected to additional resources.

GIFT OF LIFE

Emma praises the counseling center, which she heart颅ily recommends to students in need. Looking back over her life and the dark place depression had once taken her, she knows God led her to be the student body president for a purpose. She now sees every moment and opportunity as a gift.

鈥淚 know I鈥檓 here because this is exactly where God wants me to be. And it鈥檚 a gift. It鈥檚 incredibly hum颅bling,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 just want to go back in time and hug 15-year-old me and say, 鈥榠t鈥檚 going to be OK.鈥欌��

But Emma insists that her darkest time in life isn鈥檛 鈥渉er story.鈥� It鈥檚 just 鈥減art of her story.鈥�

鈥淚t鈥檚 a little part of what makes me, me鈥� she said. 鈥淚 think the most important thing for me to remember is that I am more than my mental illness and that I am more than my triumph over suicide. I am Emma Wayt, daughter of Christ.鈥�