With everything that is going on in the world today, it can be easy to get overwhelmed. When college classes are thrown into the mix, things can be even more difficult to manage. This is why Sinclair hosts workshops, completes studies, and gathers feedback regarding student mental health. Among the college’s most recent efforts is an event entitled “Minding Our Mental Health: Coping Through Times of Uncertainty.”
The Clarion spoke to Amaha Sellasier, one of the facilitators of this event, about the vision for “Minding Our Mental Health.”
Sellasier said that since the pandemic began, the levels of stress and overwhelm on campus and at home have been on the rise. He reported that he has also seen an increase in the number of emails from students who are in stressful situations, whether it be contracting COVID or having to look after children. Sellasier also recounted his own experiences with mental health during this time, adding that there is “not just one of us – there are a ton of us [who are struggling].”
A question that Sellasier posed was, “How can we see ourselves as more interdependent?” In other words, he hopes this event will help to emphasize community care and looking after each other – something we have been disconnected from for the last two years. He also wants to bring attention to the kinds of conversations we have about mental health. Rather than asking each other how we are doing and “accepting the ‘I’m good’,” Amaha said, we should be willing to ask deeper, more genuine, and thoughtful questions.
Sellasier sees this event as a way to “normalize mental health” and “provide a space for people to talk about it.” He also wants people to be proactive about mental health and have the tools to help both themselves and others.
“We need to be the protagonist in our own story,” he said. “This is a time to heal.”
While he is unsure what sort of impact the event might have on the morale at Sinclair, Sellasier does see this as a “starting point” to a “sustained dialogue.” For people to know and be educated about mental health, the conversation must start somewhere, however small.
Anyone who wishes to attend must register at the links designated here. The event will take place on March 18 from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. via Zoom, so feel free to join from anywhere!
Carley Webster
Reporter