The wait is finally over, VITAL is here!
The Veterans Integration to Academic Leadership (VITAL) program is a partnership between the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and UMBC to help veterans achieve their academic goals. The VITAL program is comprised of VA mental health professionals who can help both student veterans and their universities/colleges by providing and/or assisting with services, resources, and support.
VITAL can assist with:
-Enrollment in VA healthcare.
-VA and non-VA resources.
-Academic accommodations.
-Advocacy for student veterans.
-Clinical services for veteran students dealing with various daily stressors, including attention issues, difficulty concentrating, stress, sleep problems, memory issues, anger/irritability, anxiety, depression, relationship issues, and PTSD.
Additionally, VITAL can assist with:
-Trainings for faculty/staff.
-Consultation services for faculty/staff.
Dr. Daniel Koster is our on-campus psychologist for the VITAL program and will be on campus every Monday, beginning March 4, to meet with students, faculty, and staff. To schedule a meeting with Dr. Koster, please email him at Daniel.Koster2@va.gov
For more information about VITAL at UMBC, email Dennis Walker, OCSS assistant director for veterans services and adult learners.
With all the available "healthy" food options out there and all the diets to choose from, how do we know what to eat? Should I eat plant based or animal based? Keto or Paleo? Should I try "intermittent fasting" or Noom? Did you know that 80 to 95% of dieters gain back the weight they've fought so hard to lose? Similarly, chronic dieting can also cause our body's metabolism to slow down making it that much more difficult to lose weight. Our bodies are made for survival, when we starve ourselves our metabolism will slow to protect us. What if instead of trying a new diet, we went back to the basics of letting our bodies determine what to eat? What if we healed our relationship with food and our body? Intuitive Eating can help you. Intuitive eating is NOT a diet but a way of eating that is driven by hunger and fullness cues. It involves being mindful and positive about your food and body. It means understanding and responding to what your body wants and needs, without counting calories or points. It is a personalized and natural process.
Eating Disorders and disordered eating patterns impact people in a variety of ways. Some signs to look out for include:
If you are experiencing some of these symptoms you may need additional support. Retriever Integrated Health (RIH) can help you find the help you need. At RIH, the first step is to schedule an Initial Consultation call with one of our counselors. Schedule this appointment by visiting RIH, located in the Center for Well-Being, by calling our office at 410-455-2542, or by going to the myRetrieverCare patient portal and scheduling online.
RESOURCES
The first step to joining any group is to complete an Initial Consultation appointment. Please call us at 410-455-2542 or visit the RetrieverCare portal to schedule.
For general group questions, or if you need accommodations for a disability, please send a secure message to our Group Coordinator, Lauren Mirzakhalili, LCSW-C, via the patient portal at least one week prior to the start of group and RIH will arrange for services.
All RIH services are LGBTQIA2S+ friendly and are welcoming to all diverse populations.
The first step to joining any group is to complete an Initial Consultation appointment. Please call us at 410-455-2542 or visit the RetrieverCare portal to schedule.
For general group questions, or if you need accommodations for a disability, please send a secure message to our Group Coordinator, Lauren Mirzakhalili, LCSW-C, via the patient portal at least one week prior to the start of group and RIH will arrange for services.
All RIH services are LGBTQIA2S+ friendly and are welcoming to all diverse populations.