Counseling and Psych Services talk stress

November is a month of family, great food and mounting homework assignments. It seems to either bring people together or tears them apart. Rowan University’s Counseling and Psychological Services Center attempts to provide students with a realistic way to approach stress this holiday season.

“It’s getting to the time in the semester where we see a lot of students coming into the center,” said CPSC psychologist Sarah Whitman. “Many students are focusing on how to accomplish term papers and handle finals coming up.”

Whitman opened the seminar discussing what stress actually encompasses, focusing on the pressure and tension one feels due to certain circumstances. Stress stems from how an individual thinks and those thoughts will influence how one feels.

Stress can come from financial pressures, returning home to parents and the war affects one’s functioning.

“Just because finals are coming up doesn’t mean that there aren’t other things stressing us out,” Whitman said.

Illustrating how thoughts influence feelings, students participated in an exercise discussing how the term “Thanksgiving” impacts behavior.

“Thinking can influence feeling, thinking about the good food makes you salivate,” Whitman said. “But someone with an eating disorder, how might they feel? After losing a family member, someone might want to cry during the dinner.”

Aside from coming to terms with the holidays, many students face challenging exams and a laundry list of assignments. Whereas some students remain confident due to prior grades, others fight to stay positive in subjects they may have struggled with. She demonstrated the best way to approach stress is through management.

Whitman indicates many times anxiety provides the motivation students may sometimes lack.

“You cannot get rid of stress,” Whitman said. “It’s a part of our life. Sometimes stress is even helpful.”

Yet approaching stress appropriately remains central to success and good health.

The center published techniques to overcome anxiety. Such practices include relaxation exercises, which focus on clearing our mind and breathing cadence; exercise, a balanced diet, time management and evaluating thoughts will also help. Whitman says students should avoid generalizing or “catastrophyzing” experiences such as a poor test grade.

Overall, the Counseling and Psychological Services Center specializes in free counseling, crisis evaluation, consultation and psychiatric testing.

“More permanent ways of decreasing your stress takes focus and a little bit of time,” Whitman said. “The tricky part is staying with a specific goal and setting aside time to commit to it.”

Students can make appointments by calling extension 4222 or at the center located on the third floor of Savitz Hall.