In light of the recent attack on our democracy and associated concerns of safety, University Health Services and the Counseling Center extend our support to those affected. University Health Services and the Counseling Center completely denounce the deplorable acts committed in the U.S. capitol on January 6, 2021. These violent, threatening, and racially and culturally intimidating acts are disturbing, and we must not normalize this horrifying behavior. It is not lost on us that the nature of the response to this insurrection compared to law enforcement response to peaceful protests in the past may be triggering for many. We acknowledge the impact on our community and recognize that direct or indirect exposure to such events can be troubling, concerning, or traumatizing and result in many emotional reactions, included but not limited to those of fear, astonishment, frustration, hopelessness, anger, distrust, and distraught.
Counseling Center Resources:
As always, if you are in distress, please know we are here to help. Students may contact the Counseling Center between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday – Friday at 410-455-2472. If you have mental health concerns outside of regular business hours and wish to speak with someone from our After-Hours Support Line, please call 410-455-3230. As such events can have a significant impact on our ability to self-regulate and feel safe and at peace, please utilize the self-care techniques and strategies that can be found on our Instagram and Facebook platforms at @umbccounseling.
Additional Resources:
UMBC Together Beyond Election 2020/Support and Care Resources
Managing stress related to political change
How To Cope With Trauma In A Time Of Civil Unrest
During these challenging times with navigating physical distance, managing classes exclusively online, and adjusting to new living situations, now might be the time to sharpen your resiliency reserves.
Resilience is one’s ability to recover from difficulties which is certainly being challenged for most of us. It is thought that resilience can be learned and includes being aware of, and changing how we think about events from initially negative to more positive appraisals. For example, “the pandemic is going to make it impossible for me to find a job, why even try!” While it is true that it might be more challenging to find a job after graduating, another way to look at this challenge is “While I may not be able to find the exact job I was hoping for, I have skills in being able to work online, and can add a lot to a company. I am going to apply to a wide range of positions!” The first statement might leave you feeling defeated and not wanting to do anything while the second statement validates the difficulties and invites creative action.
The Counseling Center has a few resources to support your cultivation of resilience:
You’ve Got This: Four-Week Resilience Building Webinar - for more information and to register go to myUMBC
Topic 1: Mindfulness and stress management (5/6, Wed. at 2 p.m.)
Topic 2: Thought as Thought (5/12, Tues. at 11 a.m.)
Topic 3: Emotion as Emotion (5/20, Wed. at 2 p.m.)
Topic 4: Interpersonal Effectiveness (5/27, Wed. at 2 p.m.)
WellTrack - free app for UMBC students with materials to address depression, anxiety/stress, and public speaking with the very new addition of resilience materials to tackle overwhelming feelings. It includes a new course on resiliency to help you understand your feelings during this time of crisis, and helps teach techniques and perspective to apply when these feelings can seem overwhelming.