Southeast to hold seminar for mental health and self-care

College is an exciting time with new experiences around every corner. However, it is also a time of transition, and many students experience large amounts of stress while navigating through university life.

To help students learn how to deal with stress, Academic Support Centers will hold a seminar on Wednesday, Feb. 19, to discuss stress and emphasize the importance of practicing self-care.

According to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America, 80% of college students report feeling stressed sometimes or often and 34% report having feelings of depression.

John Nimmo, a substance abuse counselor at Southeast, will be the speaker at the event.

The seminar will focus on the stresses students face with college and how resilience can help overcome these stresses.

Nimmo said stress can “certainly be a concern for college students” and resilience is “a quality in all of us that can help us better cope with stressful situations.”

Nimmo hopes to show students the power of resilience to help them better deal with the stress that comes throughout life.

Resilience is defined as “the process of adapting well in the face of adversity, trauma, tragedy, threats or other significant sources of stress” according to The American Psychological Association.

The American Psychological Association also stated when becoming more resilient, people are better at “getting through difficult circumstances” and “growing and improving their lives.”

The seminar will be held at noon Wednesday in the Indian Room of the University Center.

Students struggling with severe stress or other mental health issues can contact Counseling and Disability Services by phone at (573) 986-6191.