Mount Holyoke is a beautiful campus that pushes us to reach our academic and leadership potential. However, along the way the campus is intentional to remind us that grades aren’t everything. With so many events to destress us during the year and finals, it’s hard not to feel the love. One of the resources on campus that tries to help us students is the Counseling Center. Laura Mackie works as a counselor there, and I got to discuss with her what the counseling center can do for us, her work at the center, and other self-care resources on campus.
What is counseling in your opinion?
The experience or process of counseling varies depending on the individual I’m sitting with. I can serve as a sounding board, a witness, a listening ear, a source of guidance and support or a collaborator in solving problems. My hope is that counseling feels like a safe space for individuals to speak freely about what’s going on in their lives, in order to explore ways that they can experience better health or fulfillment. Sometimes it’s also a place to name and express feelings, process the hard things, or a space to see alternative perspectives and figure out next steps.
Some people may think that Counseling Services is only for people who have been diagnosed by the DSM. What reasons might someone come to the Counseling Center? What goals might they want to meet?
I must admit I’m certainly not neutral on the subject, but I think that anyone could benefit from counseling! How often do we get to have a space where the main focus is to think about and nurture ourselves, and to talk about things in an unfiltered way? I meet with students for so many different reasons, and a diagnosis is often a minimal part of the focus. Students might come to counseling for support around stress, which could be connected to academic concerns, relationships (friends, family, dating relationships), transitions or other life circumstances. Sometimes it’s a space to explore identity, experiences of the environment, or to talk about what would help that individual lead a healthier and happier life. Many big things can happen during the college years, including loss, break-ups, and new experiences including achievements and disappointments, and it can sometimes be helpful to reflect on and speak about these things. Students do sometimes have concrete goals around understanding and changing the impact of issues such as anxiety, depression, disordered eating, substance use, unhealthy relationships and low self-esteem, and it can be helpful to establish a clear sense of what this might look like for them.
What other vehicles are there to reach those goals, on and off campus?
The first thought that comes to my mind is the importance of community and connection with others. I try to talk with students a lot about their support system, and how they are accessing support in a variety of ways. We have so many great resources on campus that can support different aspects of a student’s self. Connecting to student organizations, the cultural centers, academic supports, and Religious and Spiritual life are a number of ways that students can find a sense of connection and belonging. A favorite spot of mine is the Wa-Shin-An Japanese Tea House and meditation garden, and I encourage students to check that out for a quiet contemplative space which is located right on campus!
Additionally, I try to think “outside of the box” with students about their specific needs. I try to think about things in terms of emotional, physical and personal needs. If a student is passionate about a particular thing, I try to talk with them about how they can break down the steps to be intentional about connecting to that interest. I often encourage students to get off campus when they can. I also like to talk about simple/more easily achieved self-care ideas. Random examples might include taking a dance break with YouTube, doodling, sitting still to breathe and notice our beautiful campus, or checking out some of the amazing museums in our area.
What advice would you give to students feeling stressed or overwhelmed about finals?
Having a plan or strategy can be key. Putting this down in a concrete way can help to reduce some of the worry about whether everything will get done. This can both be overwhelming but also grounding for students once they’ve put all the puzzle pieces into place. I often encourage students to put study breaks into their planners and to be thinking about what their needs will be so that they can get through this period in a sustainable way. Many students let sleep fall to the wayside or neglect their body by stopping their regular exercise or eating routines during this period, but it’s really important to remember to fuel and take care of your body because that will in turn take care of your mind, too. Being a student requires optimal cognitive functioning so it’s very important that you’re thinking about managing stress and taking care of yourself! I also think it’s important to remember that it’s a time-limited period, and to try to take perspective whenever possible. Stress can often influence catastrophic or “tunnel-thinking,” so it can be helpful to reframe the way we’re approaching this period. Lastly, students sometimes forget about their own histories, and I try to remind Mt. Holyoke students that they can look into their own pasts to find evidence to suggest that they can handle this time. Being encouraging and patient with oneself can be an important part of getting through to the other side of finals!
What might you say to someone who is interested in counseling?
I’d say, why not give it a shot? Our first meeting is considered a consultation, so students can talk about themselves and their experiences and ask any questions they might have. There’s no pressure to commit to counseling, so I think coming in a curious way can be helpful to someone who is wondering whether counseling might be helpful. Oftentimes people have ideas of what counseling is like, sometimes based on the media that may or may not be accurate, so I think “trying it on” can be a way to gain a better sense of what it’s really like, and to have a better sense of what it might be like for you specifically.
What’s a counselor?
In college counseling centers, “counselors” are often clinical social workers or psychologists, and we may call ourselves counselors, therapists or clinicians. In my office we also have a psychiatrist on staff. This means that we have completed either masters or doctoral work which includes academic and clinical training, and obtained licensure from the state to practice in our respective fields.
As a counselor, what’s the most challenging and the most rewarding aspect of your job?
One of the most challenging parts is sometimes not knowing what the next chapter is in someone’s life, or having to end our work together in a way that can feel incomplete. That’s part of the nature of the work, and part of the college experience which includes so many transitions. I have been able to work with some folks who come in during one of the most difficult times in their life, and I’ve been able sit through it with them and to see them through it. That can be very rewarding, to watch the process of healing and recovery. I also enjoy being able to see students over a period of a couple of years, as it can be exciting to see all of the growth and learning that occurs. It’s important to me to be there for others when they’re really suffering and need support; however, I also love to be able to witness their victories and to celebrate resilience and thriving as well.
Are there any myths you’ve encountered about your work? False expectations or assumptions?
Stigma in general is a huge issue that I have encountered. Many people have either inherited certain beliefs themselves about mental health/wellness, or are facing their own experiences in larger contexts that have an impact on their lives. Sometimes I try to gently challenge language such as “Am I crazy?”, or “Is this normal?”, because there is such a huge spectrum of experience and I try not to pathologize or judge people’s responses. Sometimes people are having an understandable response to a really unhealthy situation (sexual assault/violence, “isms” such as racism, sexism/dynamics of oppression, other trauma). I’ve heard a quote before that says “Insanity is a sane response to an insane world,” which is attributed to Psychologist R.D. Lang. Sometimes it’s important to understand the context of functioning or response by looking through a sociopolitical lens, and that can really shift the way we’re thinking and talking about an experience.
When I work with folks from other countries or cultures that have perspectives on mental health that may be different from my own, I try to hold the students’ perspectives/beliefs first while also offering my own knowledge and perspective. I am a huge fan of narrative therapy, and a term used in that framework is the idea of “co-constructing” narratives. I prefer to work with students in a collaborative way, however sometimes when stigma or misinformation may be hurting an individual I am curious about it with them if they’re open to this.