I’m sure most of us can relate to the intense feelings of stress and anxiety that emerge as we progress through the quarter. Midterms, homework, projects, and presentations start to stack up, and even when all the work has been completed, there’s not much room to slow down and focus on what we need to take care of ourselves. Thankfully, Foothill is very much aware of this and offers numerous resources all across campus. One of these amazing resources is the Mental Health Center in Room 2120, which has three full time therapists, one part time therapist, and three graduate mental health interns. They offer counseling drop-in hours Monday through Friday, from 12 to 1 p.m.
In 2024, Foothill added an invaluable new resource to its arsenal: the Wellness Lounge (Room 2313). As soon as you enter through its doors, you’re transported into an oasis of sorts; a space offering a welcome respite from whatever stressors might be plaguing the mind. It is clear that organizers have really put themselves in the shoes of a student because for every disquieting feeling one might encounter, there seems to be at least one tool here to address it.
For the eyes that have been glued to Canvas modules for hours on end, there’s a projector displaying boats lazily floating along calm, azure water with lush green islands and a cloudless sky in the background. For the ears that have been listening to lectures all day, there’s the sound of a real waterfall feature nestled near the back of the room, as well as soft, soothing music. For the muscles that have been storing that post midterm tension, there are two luxurious massage chairs offering 10 minute massages. To top it off, there’s fresh tea available, weighted pillows and fuzzy blankets, and a plenitude of encouraging messages all around the room.
In terms of the services that the lounge offers, there are many fantastic options designed to accommodate the needs of any visitor. The ‘menu’ includes VR headsets that allow students to participate in virtual meditation and/or sit back and enjoy a simulated vacation. Students can also utilize books and mindfulness activities like jigsaw puzzles, mandala coloring, acupressure rings, and ‘Sticker by Number’ books. Finally, the lounge provides community referrals, one of which is a wellness app called Flourish. I myself had the opportunity to use the app in a psychology course and found the emotional check-ins, mindfulness strategies, and supportive words from Sunny to be incredibly helpful.
Before any of this came to fruition, Foothill staff at the Mental Health and Wellness Center noticed a serious discrepancy between the student body as a whole and those who were actively seeking mental health services. Alexis Donato, the Department Chair of the Mental Health and Wellness Center spoke on this saying, “we took some preliminary data and noticed that we were only serving one percent of our students.” That is, only about one percent of students were coming in to seek individual therapy, crisis support, and other forms of mental health assistance.
The alarmingly low numbers could be attributed to a variety of things, such as lack of awareness or busy schedules. However, it is highly likely that mental health stigma plays a major role as well. Many might feel as if there’s something inherently wrong or flawed within them when it comes to their psychological well-being, and they believe seeking services would be confirmation of that belief. They might even go as far as to blame themselves for whatever struggle they are going through, and will consequently deem themselves unworthy of help.
This stigma doesn’t necessarily stop at the self. It can extend to family, friends, healthcare providers, and even society as a whole. More specifically, when the values of a group of people are centered around stoicism, toxic positivity, and success at all costs, taking time for one’s needs could be seen as a lack of mental fortitude or even weakness. Unfortunately, such notions only serve to exacerbate the skyrocketing rates of depression and anxiety that we see amongst the Gen Z population.
To reverse these stigmas, action must first be initiated at a personal level. Once one student begins their wellness journey, others are likely to follow suit. In other words, the more such actions are propagated and normalized, the more stigma will be reduced. This was Ms. Donato’s goal from the beginning. She wanted to “create a space where everyone can take care of their wellness and well-being without necessarily having to come in for individual therapy.” Ideally, the lounge would act as a safe environment for students to acknowledge and work through any obstacles while in the company of others working through similar issues.
Overall, Ms. Donato and her team have big plans for this new community space, including the addition of a bamboo-shrouded outdoor seating area and monthly programs. As part of the monthly programming in January, visitors came and practiced mindfulness through rock and easel painting. At the moment, there is a DIY Gratitude Card Station where students can express gratitude towards others as a way of supporting their own wellness. Coming up in March, the plan is to hold a pajamas and movie day where students can come and relax while they watch Inside Out 2.
Regardless of why you end up visiting the Wellness Lounge, it’s important to remember that it takes a lot of courage to acknowledge your feelings, and even more courage to acknowledge your own mental health. Furthermore, even if you’re just going in for yourself, you’re still inspiring others to do the same. That means that every action taken for self care is a step towards building a community in which stigma is replaced by growth and healing.
