Stress at College Reaches a Fever Pitch

Stress is an inescapable part of college life: probably of life in general, too. Stress can be good: it can be a motivator, it can bring out the best in us, but too often it becomes a burden. Being stressed stresses us out! Sometimes, stress is a product of biting off more you can chew, poor time management or an unlucky schedule. Other times, stress can be caused by relationship troubles, family issues or health concerns.

Finding ways to alleviate stress is very important and can often be a trial-and-error process: what works for some people may not work for others. But one great way to reduce stress, no matter the cause, is to talk to someone. Many times, talking to a friend can be a great way to let it all out. But other times you might need some extra help: after all, our friends are often just as stressed out as we are! Luckily, people at the College are here to help.

One of the functions of the Counseling staff at Parton Center for Health and Wellness is to help students who are feeling overwhelmed by stress. Some people may assume the counseling center is only for students having “serious problems,” or something requiring a diagnosis, but the counseling center is there for you for much more than that: homesickness, relationship problems, sleep problems, stress, adjustment to college – these are all things the counselors at Parton can help with.

“All students who are registered at Middlebury College are eligible to seek support from counseling without a fee. The majority of students who seek counseling are going through a developmentally appropriate crisis such as family or relationship conflict, adjustment to college, questions surrounding individual’s identity, grief, stress management, etc,” Director of Parton Counseling Ximena Mejia said.

Mejia estimates that students usually meet with a counselor at Parton for 4-5 sessions; for more long-term concerns, therapists in town can be of help.

Some students may come to Parton seeking psychiatric services.

“About 15 percent of students who come to counseling seek psychiatric services and Counseling provides referrals to Counseling Services of Addison County who manage all students who need psychiatric services. There is a wide range of psychiatric diagnosis but among the top are generalized anxiety disorder, depression, trauma, and substance abuse, ” Mejia said. She points out that the College’s rural location and the condition of Vermont’s mental health services in general means that, “we have limited specialized mental health resources in the area.”

Within Addison County, Counseling Services of Addison County is the only psychiatric service. More resources can be found further away in Burlington, in Chittenden County.

“There are very good psychotherapists in town and their availability varies throughout the year depending on the clinical loads … with the latest substance abuse epidemic, most mental health resources are saturated,” Mejia said. “We encourage students to maintain psychiatric support at home due to the State’s limitations.”

In addition to talking with a counselor, Parton Counseling offers the opportunity to cuddle with Lily, a therapy dog, on Fridays from 1:30 to 3pm. Parton also holds a variety of support groups every semester, including a Grief and Loss support group as well as an Introduction to Mindfulness and Self-Compassion group and a Sexual Violence support group.

“Please join a group as it is a great way to get support and relate to other students who are perhaps going through similar circumstances,” Mejia said. She also noted the availability of sobriety support groups through Center Point, located in Marbleworks. More information on support groups can be found online at the Counseling at Parton website.

Students can also talk to their Commons Dean if they’re feeling overwhelmed by stress – Commons Deans are able to help with academic, personal and housing issues. Students can also go to the Chaplain’s Office for pastoral counseling . If the problem is academics-related, students can go to the Center for Teaching, Learning, and Research in addition to their Commons Dean – the CTLR offers tutoring and time management resources that can help reduce stress. In addition, students can participate in stress-reducing activities – the Yoga Club offers a variety of weekly classes, there are meditation classes weekly around campus and opportunities to work on arts and crafts in McCullough’s Craft Corner.

Being stressed out may not be avoidable, but it can be manageable. If you’re feeling overwhelmed by stress and are at a loss for how to manage your stress, try meeting with your Commons Dean or heading to the Counseling Center. The College has resources available to help you deal with stress and mental health issues – don’t be afraid to use them.