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Division of Student Affairs Welcome to the Counseling Center
Texas State Division of Student Affairs Welcome to the Counseling Center Self Help & Resources COVID-19 Resources

COVID-19 Resources

Texas State University Counseling Center recognizes that during this time of change many may feel uncertainty and fear, along with a host of other emotions. There may be concerns that affect your decisions about how to best manage your health and the health of those around you. In an effort to support you will find coping techniques, support lines, and support resources to manage stress and anxiety on this page.  Additionally, as updates continue to emerge regarding COVID-19, Texas State University is monitoring the situation and meeting regularly to review local, state, and national health agency reports and assess preparedness plans. Please regularly review the COVID-19 Information website from Texas State University to learn of any updates at https://www.txstate.edu/coronavirus. 

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    • Keep things in perspective. It is totally ok and normal to have some worry about COVID-19 however keeping things in perspective can help to manage this. The fact that coverage is increasing on this issue does not necessarily mean that it presents an increased threat to you or your family. Often anxiety increases when we face new or unknown challenges. All of us have experienced a new or unknown challenge thus we are not alone in this. Reflect on what you have done in the past to support you in times like this and share supportive and resilience building resources with each other via phone and video calls.
    • Manage information sources and get the facts. Look for reliable fact-based sources and decrease engagement with fear-based sources. It is helpful to adopt a more analytical approach as you follow news reports about the coronavirus. You will also want to verify information that you receive from family, friends or social media. A few options are:
    • Communicate with your social support system and promote hope between each other.  Focusing on routines, schedules and preparedness plans can help decrease distress. Communicating with others can foster a sense of normality and provide a valuable outlet for sharing feelings and relieving stress. You can maintain these connections without increasing your risk of getting the virus by talking on the phone, texting or chatting with people on social media platforms. Feel free to share useful information you find on government websites with your friends and family. It may help them deal with their own anxiety.
    • Seek additional help when necessary. The Counseling Center offers a variety of support services for currently enrolled students. Students, faculty, and staff can see a detailed list of our services at our services webpage. Currently, the Counseling Center is offering tele-counseling options for new and continuing clients. The Counseling Center can be reached at 512-245-2208 with questions or for further information regarding our current service offerings. Students in crisis can call the Counseling Center during normal business hours at 512-245-2208 or utilize the following after-hours crisis hotlines (please identify self as a Texas State student):  Hill Country MHDD 1-877-466-0660 (San Marcos Campus) or Bluebonnet Trails 1-800-841-1255 (Round Rock Campus).  If you are feeling you are in immediate danger or crisis call 911 or seek medical assistance. Individuals feeling they are in crisis during this time can also reach out to crisis support services. Please see our Crisis Information webpage for an expansive list of crisis hotline and chatlines. 
    • Practice Patience and Be Kind. Many are experiencing stress during this time and a little extra patience and kindness can go a long way. Using skills from mindfulness and meditation practices (TAO connect has a Meditation Library to help with this and can be accessed through the link on the following site TAO SELF HELP) along with reminding yourself that people are working to respond to concerns as quickly as possible may be helpful.

    (adapted from the American Psychological Association https://www.apa.org/helpcenter/ and Valparaiso University Counseling Services)

     

The Counseling Center has developed a webinar for Texas State students, faculty, and staff. A recording of the live broadcast is now available!

“Students Adapting to Change: Maintaining Your Mental Health and Fostering Academic Resilience in the Era of COVID-19.”

This webinar will provide strategies for psychological coping and wellness, managing various responsibilities, and adjusting to online/distance learning. This information will be helpful for students in fostering academic resilience and success. In addition, this webinar will provide helpful resources for students adapting to academic, social, and environmental changes due to COVID-19.  Hosted by Texas State University’s Counseling Center.

To view this webinar, click here. An option for closed captioning is available.

COVID-19 Support Lines

COVID-19 Coping and Support Resources

Mental Health Self-Help Resources

A full list of our self-help resources can be found at our site: Self Help & Resources. Below are a few highlighted resources.

  • TAO is an interactive, dynamic, easy-to-access online program that provides support for anxiety, depression, and other common concerns. It is available 24/7 from your computer, tablet, or smart phone and consists of videos and skills-based exercises. You can read more about the program and how to sign up at: TAO

  • Sanvello is an app for iphone and android phones that offers clinically validated techniques and support modules to help with stress, anxiety, and depression. Sanvello is offering free premium access through July 15, with several eligibility options to continue the free access post this date . You can learn more and sign up at: Sanvello

  • The Counseling Center has created a resource webpage listing a collection of mental health related podcasts, audio tracks, and Youtube channels that students and the university community can utilize as a form of self-help.

  • The Counseling Center has created a resource webpage listing a collection of mental health related smart phone apps that students and the university community can utilize as a form of self-help.

  • The COVID Coach app was created for everyone, including Veterans and Service members, to support self-care and overall mental health during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

    Features include:

    • Education about coping during the pandemic
    • Tools for self-care and to improve emotional well-being
    • Trackers to check your mood and measure your growth toward personal goals
    • Graphs to visualize progress over time

    You can read more about the free app here. 

Veterans Resources

  • The Warriors Research Institute

    At the Warriors Research Institute, we strive to improve the quality of care available to military veterans and emergency responders. Over the last few years, we've focused on delivering the best in evidence-based psychological treatment via telehealth. With the current COVI0-19 situation, we understand that telehealth is not only convenient, but also a necessity and a way to overcome challenges to receiving in-person care.
    Telehealth uses technology to deliver care, overcoming barriers such as time, transportation, and costs. Telehealth enables us to provide free mental health treatment using secure, confidential, video calls, meaning you can receive private counseling from the comfort of your own home and phone. We offer a menu of evidence-based treatments to treat the most mental health challenges (i.e. anxiety, depression, posttraumatic stress, relationship/parenting issues, and alcohol and substance use).

    HOW TO MAKE AN APPOINTMENT
    We encourage Texas Veterans, service members, and their families to contact us if you are interested in receiving treatment during this time. Please follow the steps below and know that we are in this together and we are here to serve you.

    1) Email WRl@JBSWHealth.org or call 254-716-6208 to sign up

    2) Complete online screening information/ assessments & electronically sign a consent for treatment

    3) Schedule your first therapy session

    4) Pick a comfy, private spot with internet connection

    5) Grab your phone or laptop, open your email, & select the link to "join'' your therapy session

     

Counseling Center Recorded Presentations for Students

The Counseling Center has posted the following recorded presentations for students and the TXST community.

  • Presentation recording is posted here

    Intended for: graduate students

    This quick webinar presentation will provide graduate students with some ways to cope with social isolation and online/distance learning, as well as manage complex responsibilities from home. Mental health professionals from the Counseling Center discuss Q&A at the end of the presentation. This presentation was a collaboration between the Grad College's Shop Talk series and the Counseling Center. 

    Presented by: Dr. Erica Mathis - Postdoctoral Resident, Counseling Center and Colleen Conklin, Katie Rainer, and Uriel Navarette, Counseling Center

    Closed Captioning option is available for this presentation.

  • Presentation recording is posted here

    Intended for: students

    Attend this one-hour session to learn several mindfulness exercises (e.g., grounding, meditation) that will help ease your anxiety and stress. Attendees will have time to practice the exercises during the session and ask questions about mindfulness. This presentation was a collaboration between the Grad College's Shop Talk series and the Counseling Center. 

    Presented by: Dr. Erica Mathis - Counseling Center

    Closed Captioning option is available for this presentation.

  • Presentation recording is posted here

    Intended for: graduate students

    Wondering how to attend to your mental well-being in graduate school? This Shop Talk will address factors that impact mental well-being in graduate school (e.g., work-life balance), as well as briefly cover skills for coping with common mental health concerns faced by graduate students (e.g., anxiety). This presentation was a collaboration between the Grad College's Shop Talk series and the Counseling Center.

    Presented by: Dr. Erica Mathis - Counseling Center

    A Closed Captioning option is available for this presentation.

  • Presentation recording is posted here

    Intended for: students, faculty, and staff.

    This webinar will provide strategies for psychological coping and wellness, managing various responsibilities, and adjusting to online/distance learning. This information will be helpful for students in fostering academic resilience and success. In addition, this webinar will provide helpful resources for students adapting to academic, social, and environmental changes due to COVID-19. Hosted by Texas State University’s Counseling Center.

    Presented by: Richard A. Martinez, Ph.D, Colleen Conklin, M.A., Katie Kainer, M.A., and Uriel Navarrete Jr., M.A.

    Closed Captioning option is available for this presentation.

  • Presentation recording is posted here

    Intended for: students

    This presentation provides students with the necessary tools to manage stress in their personal lives. The topics that are covered include prevention tools, signs of stress, assessing stress in your personal life, self sabotage, and approaches for letting go of stress. The presentation uses a practical approach to promote mental wellness.

    Presented by: Elijah Miller, B.S., Counseling Center Graduate Assistant

    Closed Captioning option is available for this presentation.

  • Presentation recording is posted here

    Intended for: students

    This presentation focuses on the impact social media has on our mental health.  Students will be able to identify how social media is valuable in their life, how their mental health can be affected by social media and ways to practice and maintain good mental health while continuing to utilize social media.

    Presented by: Erin Griego, B.A., Counseling Center Graduate Assistant

    Closed Captioning option is available for this presentation.

  • Presentation recording is posted here

    Intended for: students

    The purpose of this presentation is to help viewers identify sources and signs of stress, as well as learn self-care, coping, time-management, and online distance/learning strategies to cultivate academic resilience, especially in times of change and uncertainty.

    Presented by: Uriel Navarrete, Jr.,M.A. & Katie Kainer, M.A. - Counseling Center

    A Closed Captioning option is available for this presentation.

A full list of the Counseling Center's recorded presentations can be accessed on our Recorded Presentations page.

Webinars for Students

Active Minds has hosted the following recorded webinars for students.

  • Webinar recording will be posted here

    Intended for: young adults, parents, remote workers, neighbors/community members

    All over the country, families, communities, schools, and workplaces are facing feelings of isolation and challenges with communicating with others as a result of students returning home after school closures; individuals balancing multiple responsibilities in a shared space with each other and other family members or roommates; colleagues, students, faculty, and administrators continuing their work through online formats; and members of the community working to support their most vulnerable neighbors while practicing physical distancing. This webinar will share easy, practical ways we can start supporting each other better right now through active listening.

  • Webinar recording will be posted here

     

    Intended for: Student Mental Health Advocates

    In an unprecedented moment for higher education, students continue to lead the way with innovative, creative, and impactful ideas to support the mental health needs of their peers. This interactive meeting and discussion, led by Active Minds, will share strategies students have employed to maintain connection, educate and support mental health and wellness, and build community at a time of increased anxiety, isolation, and instability among students. This special event is limited to 100 student participants.

  • Webinar recording will be posted here

    Intended for: Students

    Millions of students have been displaced due to COVID19-related school closures and are curious about practicing self-care, creating a productive, healthy indoor environment, talking to their parents about mental health while quarantined and more. In this special event, Dr. Jennifer Hartstein and Dr. Kristen Lee will share their best tips for all of these questions and more during this free, interactive discussion with up to 500 student participants.

Webinars for Faculty and Staff

Kognito has hosted the following recorded webinar for faculty and staff regarding supporting students during COVID-19.

  • Webinar recording is posted here

    Intended for: faculty and staff

    Campus closures are requiring faculty and staff to rethink how they interact with students, both as instructors and as mentors. Join Dr. Teresa Hurst and Dr. Glenn Albright of Baruch College for a discussion on tips and best practices to support student mental health during COVID-19. The panelists discuss:

    • What schools are doing to support their students academically during this time
    • How to create a connected and supportive learning environment for students
    • How faculty and staff can recognize student signs of distress remotely
    • What institutions can do to support at-risk students

Tips for Students Adapting to Online Classes

Virtual Field Trips & Live Cams

These sites can be a source of education, entertainment, and relaxation during social isolation.