(Mobile, Ala.) Spring Hill College stresses to students the importance of self-care during Mental Health Awareness Month in May. The core principle of Jesuit education is cura personalis, care of the whole person — mind, body and spirit. In developing future service leaders, we seek to help students grow as individuals, not just academically. College life is a time for self-discovery, which can trigger a mixed bag of emotions for students. However, they do not have to take on this alone as they can turn to our Campus Ministry and Counseling and Wellness Services for resources.
As a faith-based educational institution, we believe in answering to the spiritual needs of our community. The Campus Ministry serves to enrich students’ lives through religious belief and practice. No matter our students’ stance on religion, we are accommodating to all faiths. Those seeking mental guidance through spiritual work can feel at ease with our impassioned Campus Ministry staff, who are located on the second floor of the Student Center.
“Campus Ministry accompanies all students on their Spring Hill journey. We provide opportunities for reflection, vocational discernment, and prayer. Our doors are always open to support students through conversation or to direct them to professional resources,” Director of Campus Ministry Colleen Lee, PhD, explained.
Oftentimes, students get lost in the pursuance of educational success and become overwhelmed with their studies. This could cause them to neglect their spiritual needs and experience an onslaught of negative emotions. Our Campus Ministry staff helps students uncover the root of their faith and strengthen their spirit’s resilience in the face of adversity.
For those in need of a more therapy-focused resource to better their mental health, our Counseling and Wellness Services are available free-of-charge to current students. Counselors aim to help students work on their mental health for a well-balanced life in strict confidentiality.
According to the Counseling and Wellness Services, “We are committed to ensuring that our students’ mental health needs are cared for rapidly and appropriately. Counseling services advocates for our students through use of brief, solution focused therapeutic interventions, psychoeducation, and referrals.”
Students can confide in counselors about family or relationship matters, alcohol or other drug use, eating disorders, depression, suicidal thoughts, etc. Anything weighing on the hearts and minds of our students can be discussed with our counselors. No topic is off the table when it comes to improving the mental health of our students.
You can find Counseling and Wellness Services on the ground floor of the Lucey Administration Center (LAC), next to Public Safety. To make an appointment through a device that’s directly connected to the Spring Hill ethernet, follow this link. Students can also schedule an appointment by calling the office at 251-380-2271 or, preferably, emailing Counseling@shc.edu. Trio program students must request their sessions be booked with the designated Trio counselor, Kelvin Cortez-Herring.
Students must fill out intake paperwork upon scheduling an appointment. Counselors are often in session during the day, so they may not answer calls immediately. So, email is the best way to contact them for services. For mental health emergencies, please phone the National Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988. Students can also call Public Safety to connect them to local resources.
Spring Hill is dedicated to caring for students wholly, upholding that personal and academic growth are of equal importance in forming well-rounded service leaders. But first, they must be of service to themselves in tending to their mental needs. By providing a supportive and nurturing environment that puts the well-being of our students above all, we’re creating emotionally intelligent leaders that can effectively manage stress and inspire others to lead with positivity.
ABOUT SPRING HILL COLLEGE:
Founded in 1830, Spring Hill College is the oldest Catholic college in the Southeast and the third oldest Jesuit college in the United States. Spring Hill combines the Jesuit tradition of excellence in education and a commitment to caring for the whole person — mind, body and spirit — with innovative educational experiences. Located in Mobile, Ala., Spring Hill’s mission is to form leaders engaged in learning, faith, justice, and service for life. As a result, Spring Hill students are engaged, inspired and transformed by their experiences.