News Center

Published April 9, 2020

5 ways to help cope during stressful times

As the University of Louisiana Monroe continues to adjust to its transition to online-only instruction and remote learning, students should know they are not alone. The ULM Counseling Center personnel are available 24/7 to help students deal with the disruptions to life as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The service is free to ULM students with ID.

Karen Foster, LPC-S, Director of the ULM Counseling Center, says, “Most importantly, students need to remember they have access to mental health professionals to assist them during this challenging time. Telephone or video chat appointments with a member of the Counseling Center’s staff can easily be scheduled.”

Foster offers five suggestions on prioritizing mental health and effective coping mechanisms:

• Limit the intake of news. Stay informed, but take intentional breaks from consuming news.
• Have a routine. Students need to maintain their structure. This includes getting up and going to bed at the same time each day, finding a time and a place to do work, and creating leisure time to connect with friends. Even taking a shower and making their bed every morning or eating lunch at the same time every day can be helpful.
• Move your body. Even without access to a gym, it’s important to engage in exercise for both physical and mental health. Walk, run, bike, or use at-home video workouts.
• Do activities you enjoy. Some of the activities students typically enjoy may not be options right now. However, students can still read, listen to music and podcasts, make art, watch movies, and more. Try to engage in one activity each day that brings joy.
• Process your feelings. Students have not only been from friends and classmates, but they also feel as though the world has changed – and it has. This loss of normalcy causes feelings of grief. It is vital for students to remember they are allowed to feel sad, anxious, fearful, and even angry about it. Name the feeling, and give yourself permission to feel it. Understanding the stages of grief and allowing the feelings to happen can help students move toward acceptance and a sense of control. I can wash my hands. I can keep a safe distance. I can learn how to work virtually.  

“Students need to continue to look out for one another and prioritize their own well-being,” says Foster. 

During regular business hours, students may call 318-342-5220 for crisis support. A counselor will return the student’s call immediately. After normal business hours and on weekends, students may call University Police at 318-342-5350 to arrange support from a counselor. If the student is unable to participate via video or phone counseling, he or she should go to the nearest emergency room or call 911.

For more detailed information on scheduling an appointment, click here.