Student resources
Resources
Starting your first semester at college can be both an exciting and challenging experience. However, students and their parents can survive the sometimes difficult adjustment.
Most high school seniors are reluctant to leave their old friends and face entering the "real world". The fears of starting over and adjusting to a new way of life are very scary. The important thing to remember is that this is an opportunity to explore new experiences and lasting relationships.
For the beginning student:
It's okay to feel homesick, lonely, and scared during those first weeks on campus.
Bring your favorite things from home; the things that make you feel comfortable and safe in your new surroundings.
Be patient. Remember it takes time to develop new friends and close relationships. Sometimes this doesn't occur until your second semester.
Adjust to your new environment by staying at school for the first few weekends. Don't rush home, allow yourself time to "break in" to your new living arrangement. Invite your family to visit you.
Talk with a student advisor or school counselor if you're really feeling down. You may even find a friend with some of the same concerns.
Most of all -- have a great first year!
None of these coping strategies are new. They are common-sense techniques for reducing stress that we all know, but sometimes like to be reminded of. Circle the ones you'd like to remember. Add your own to the list.
Take deep slow breaths often, especially while on the phone, in the car, or waiting for something or someone. Use this time to relax and revitalize yourself.
Remember, it takes less energy to get an unpleasant task done "right now," than to worry about it all day.
Take time to be with nature, nourishing people, music, and children. Even in cities, the sky, seasonal changes, and noticing people's faces, can be refreshing.
Learn a variety of relaxation techniques and practice at least one regularly.
Organize your life including time for fun, spontaneity, and quiet time. Set a realistic schedule allowing some transition time between activities. Eliminate unnecessary commitments.
If your schedule is busy, prioritize your activities and do the most important ones first.
Monitor your intake of sugar, salt, caffeine, and alcohol.
Exercise regularly!
Create and maintain a personal support system--people you can talk to under stress.
Remember to stop and smell the flowers!
The hectic pace of University life presents unique challenges that can drain us emotionally, mentally, as well as physically too. The following activities are suggestions for self-care practices that can help us reduce stress, relax and recharge.
Creating a collage
Consider creating a collaged picture of what represents relaxation for you – or of your “safe” or “happy” or “peaceful” place. Do this by collecting magazines and snipping images and words that appeal to you. Glue them on a poster board or on the cover of a notebook, which can be used for journaling. Include favorite quotes or copies of photos. Keep it where you can see it and be reminded of rest, relaxation, peace, joy, love and comfort when you need it.
Writing
Morning pages – Try this technique from Julia Cameron’s popular The Artist’s Way book as a way to download worries and “stinky thinking”. Every day (preferably in the morning) write 3 pages in long-hand of whatever is on your mind. Don’t worry about sentence structure, grammar, spelling, etc. Just keep your hand moving across the page. This can also be helpful if you can’t sleep or awaken early and can’t go back to sleep.
Writing prompts – Want to write in your journal but feel stuck or terrified of the blank page? Try responding to prompts such as “I am inspired by…” or “I remember….” or “If only…” or “I am delighted when…”
Descriptive details – Write about your perfect day or a place you really love or the best meal you’ve ever eaten. Use lots of descriptive details that engage all of your senses.
Gratitude journal – Try writing down 3-5 things every day that you feel grateful about (it’s okay to repeat them). Or consider these prompts:“what’s the season you are most thankful for?” or “what are you most grateful for that brings beauty to your life?”or “what challenging experience has ended up changing your life for the better?” or “what act of kindness has made a difference in your life?”
Comfort basket
Create a “comfort basket” for yourself. Include your favorite beverages (herbal teas? cocoa?); snacks; a favorite DVD that lifts your spirits or makes you laugh; a warm pair of fuzzy socks or a polar fleece throw; favorite music; books that inspire you (poetry, anyone?) or make you laugh; aromatic relaxing oils or lotions; puzzle books (Sudoku, crosswords, word search etc.); handwork such as crochet, knitting or embroidery; modeling clay or Play-Doh to squish and mold as you please; a journal; crayolas, marker pens or good sketching pencils and blank paper for doodling; postcards to jot a message to friends; rocks, shells, feathers or other objects from nature; a small photo album of photos that delight/inspire you.
Relaxation and mindfulness exercises
Easy 5-4-3-2-1 Technique
Great technique for when you are feeling overwhelmed, out of control, and need something to calm you down on the spot. It can be done sitting or standing.
Here is how it's done:
Look around and name 5 things that you see. Name 5 things that you hear. Start over; name 4 things that you see (can be the same ones that you named before). Name 4 things that you hear. Name 3 things that you see and 3 things that you hear. Name 2 things that you see and 2 things that you hear. Name 1 thing that you see and 1 thing that you hear.
"I am relaxed" instant relaxation exercise
With this exercise, you combine the relaxing power of breathing with an affirmation "I am relaxed." This has two instant benefits: 1) through your breath you quiet your body; and 2) with the affirmation you quiet your mind. You can do this standing, sitting, or lying down.
To do this relaxation exercise:
You can keep your eyes open or close. Bring attention to your breath. When you inhale say to yourself "I am". When you exhale say to yourself "Relax". Breathe in - "I am". Breath out - "Relax". Continue breathing and repeating the affirmation for a few rounds. Let your breath move gently through your body. If your mind wanders off, just come back to your breath and the affirmation.
Tense/release muscle relaxation
- Seat yourself in a straight-back chair with feet flat on the floor.
- Cross your arms in front of you, or grasp the arm rests of the chair.
- Beginning with your forehead, wrinkle/squeeze it; hold and release.
- Raise your eyebrows; making your eyes as big as you can; hold and release.
- Purse your lips; then open your mouth as wide as you can; hold and release.
- Raise your shoulders as high as you can; hold and release.
- Squeeze your crossed arms, or grip the chair rests strongly; hold and release.
- Constrict your stomach muscles as tightly as possible; hold and release.
- Constrict your buttock muscles; hold and release.
- Press soles of your feet into the floor and tense your calf muscles; hold and release.
- To end, take 3 slow, deep breaths and release fully.
Simple stress relief with square breathing
Looking for a simple way to soothe away tension during a stressful day? Need a break to refocus your attention? Square breathing is a simple, easy, and effective way to calm yourself and enjoy a few minutes of tranquility.
It’s just four simple breath segments done to a count of four:
Inhale 2 3 4. Hold 2 3 4. Exhale 2 3 4. Hold 2 3 4.
Focusing on the breath and the count of four, repeat the same process until you reach a relaxed state.
If you’d like to give your mind something more to focus on than breathing and counting, consider adding a basic meditation to your square breathing. Use any four-sided object (preferably a square) as a visual guide (such as a window, picture frame, post-it note, or computer screen).
Start by focusing on the upper left corner of the square. As you inhale, move your gaze smoothly to the upper right corner. As you hold, bring your gaze to the lower right corner. As you exhale, move your gaze to the lower left corner. And, to complete the cycle, as you hold, bring your gaze to the upper left corner. Repeat, as needed.
Draw Mandalas and Zendalas
Drawing Mandalas and Zendalas (a Mandala and Zentangle creation) can relax and focus the mind.
Check out these short, instructional videos:
Uplift Your Spirits With Some Inspiring Websites
It is normal for all of us to experience some level of sadness. Grief and loss is also another life experience that all of us go through one way or another. It does not always necessarily mean death; it could be a loss of an expectation, a dream, or a perceived future; it could also be a loss of a job, status, health, significant relationships and other meaningful attachments in our lives. Sadness as well as grief, are both universally experienced emotions and conditions of the hurting soul. However, we do not really know at times, if our sadness or grief is already bordering "clinical depression".
Clinical depression
It is always helpful to learn that there is what we call situational depression that most of us experience, and it is important to be able to distinguish it from clinical depression.
Typical depressive symptoms may indicate the following:
- Persistent sad, empty, or anxious mood
- Loss of interest in ordinary activities, including sex
- Decreased energy, fatigue, feeling slowed down
- Sleep disturbances like insomnia, early morning waking, or oversleeping
- Eating disturbances like loss of appetite and weight, or weight gain
- Difficulty concentrating, remembering, and making decisions
- Feeling of guilt, worthlessness, and helplessness
- Irritability
- Excessive crying
- Chronic physical pain and aches that don't respond to treatment
- Thoughts of death or suicide, or history of suicide attempts;
- Feelings of hopelessness and pessimism
If these symptoms persist on a regular daily basis with increasing intensity, and is prolonged for more than two weeks, without help or intervention, it begins to interfere with our daily lives. It begins to affect the general ability to function. For students, this may mean affecting academic performance, social and relational life, as well as general emotional well being. This condition, if left untreated, becomes clinical depression.
Grief and loss
Distinguishing between grief and clinical depression isn’t always easy, since they share many symptoms. However, there are ways to tell the difference. Remember, grief is a roller coaster. It involves a wide variety of emotions and a mix of good and bad days. Even when you’re in the middle of the grieving process, you will have moments of pleasure or happiness. With depression, on the other hand, the feelings of emptiness and despair are constant.
Other symptoms that may suggest depression, and not just grief:
- Intense, pervasive sense of guilt.
- Thoughts of suicide or a preoccupation with dying.
- Feelings of hopelessness or worthlessness.
- Slow speech and body movements
- Inability to function at work, home, and/or school.
- Seeing or hearing things that aren’t there.
Suicidal behaviors:
Suicidal behaviors are normally observed to be correlated to chronic and clinical depression as well as "complicated grief". Its sheer complexity and sensitivity as well as its critical nature require mental health professional consultations and assessment; it may at times entail law enforcement, legal/court, campus public safety (and at times, school administration) intervention and involvement.
Reporting suicidal behaviors offers more information on where to get consultation, who to consult and examples of warning signs that can benefit from a consultation and a timely and appropriate intervention.
When is it an appropriate time to seek professional help and consultation?
For symptoms of clinical depression: If you notice any (or all) of the above symptoms for depression persisting for more than a week or two, and is now starting to interfere with your ability to function, feel free to call your physician, or the counseling center at 360-438-4371 to consult with our counselors.
For suicidal behaviors: One very important area of concern that requires consultations with mental health professionals involve suicidal behaviors. Refer to reporting suicidal behaviors for more details.
For grief and loss: If you recognize any of the above symptoms of complicated grief or clinical depression, talk to a mental health professional right away. Left untreated, complicated grief and depression can lead to significant emotional damage, life-threatening health problems, and even suicide. But treatment can help you get better.
Contact a grief counselor or professional therapist if you:
Feel like life isn’t worth living
Wish you had died with your loved one
Blame yourself for the loss or for failing to prevent it
Feel numb and disconnected from others for more than a few weeks
Are having difficulty trusting others since your loss
Are unable to perform your normal daily activities
The counseling center will assist in finding referrals in the community that will better address your needs.
The counseling center is dedicated in continuing to provide educational materials that we hope will serve as additional help and benefit to you. Your emotional well-being as well as your academic success are of utmost importance to us!
Seasonal affective disorder, also known as SAD, is a mood disorder which should not be confused with other types of depression. Many people are affected in some way by the changing seasons, but people who suffer from SAD have a greater sensitivity to the lack of light in the winter. This may impact some students who were born and raised or have lived considerably from an entirely different weather/setting (i.e. US states that has normally warmer weather; or tropical, dry and arid countries, etc.) and are now living in a much different location/setting for a considerable long period of time. Some students are able to break this cycle by visiting or going home during breaks and holidays.
The key indicator of SAD is "seasonality". "Seasonality" is when the symptoms are persistent, but tend to come and go year after year at approximately the same time. Usually symptoms will appear sometime in the fall and will remit sometime in the spring. The time when a person's season begins and ends varies with the individual. Some other main symptoms of SAD are a change in appetite (especially a craving for sweet or starchy foods), drop in energy level, change in sleep/wake patterns (especially a tendency to oversleep), decreased creativity, irritability, and inability to complete tasks.
When some students are unable to visit or go home, one possible treatment for SAD comes in the form of being exposed to bright light, otherwise known as light therapy (phototherapy). These are also available as full spectrum light bulbs that you can buy in any home fixtures and lighting section at drugstores, grocery outlets or department stores. The person with SAD usually sits in front of a light box, or a lamp that has a full spectrum light bulb, for a given time each day. Generally, light therapy takes about twenty minutes every day during the person's "season".
Feel free to drop by your counseling center and consult our counselors and we will be happy to provide you with more information.
Causes of test anxiety:
Being insufficiently prepared
Trying to meet others' expectations
Letting grades determine your self-worth
Feeling helpless, with no control over what happens
Negative "self-talk"
Perfectionism
Prior negative experiences in test-taking
Suggestions for reducing test anxiety:
Improve preparation -- allow time for several review sessions; study actively with plenty of sensory involvement; fit the review to the specific test; avoid cramming
Set your own goals for your performance
Separate your grade from yourself; realize that a grade is merely a guide to what you need to review
Make a structured test-preparation plan; get advice on effective study techniques; learn and practice relaxation techniques
Tune in to your "self talk." Replace negative messages with realistic ones
Get some perspective; examine the causes of your perfectionism, possibly with the help of a counselor
Realize that test anxiety is a learned response which can be unlearned
Feel free to drop by your counseling center and consult our counselors so that we can provide you with more coping tools and information that would help you manage test anxiety. The Center for Student Learning, Writing and Advising is also another good place to start when it comes to learning ways to manage stress and test anxiety by actually learning more about better study habits and skills. Your academic success is of utmost importance to us!
The Saint Martin's University Student Health Center is here to help you make responsible, healthy decisions about your health and well-being. Its staff can provide information and assist you in finding community resources on subjects that may concern you:
Self-care information for colds, flu and other common illnesses
Nutrition
Healthy lifestyles
Stress management education
Caffeine addiction
Chemical Dependency
Smoking Cessation
Physical fitness
General health issues
HIV, AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases
The Student Health Center can also help refer you to a physician or a clinic for a more specialized or comprehensive care that is not readily available at the student health center.
What to bring with you for medical appointments:
Bring a copy of your insurance card
Your picture ID
Money for your co-payment.
Urgent medical care
Walk-in clinics
Pacific Walk-In Clinic
3928 Pacific Ave SE Olympia
360-455-1350
Westcare Clinic
3000 Limited Lane NW Olympia
360-357-9392
www.westcareclinic.wordpress.com
Hospitals
Providence St. Peter Hospital
413 Lily Road NE Olympia, WA
General Information 360-491-9480
Emergency 24 hours 360-493-7289
Capital Medical Center
3900 Capital Mall Drive SW Olympia, WA
General Information 360-754-5858
24 hour emergency services 360-956-2590
Medical and dental services reduced fees
Neighborhood Clinic
www.neighborcare.org
Sea Mar Community Health
3030 Limited Lane Tumwater, WA
704-2900
Sea Mar Dental Clinic
409 Custer Way SE Tumwater, WA
360-570-8016
Emergency dental
Eastside Emergency Dentistry
220 Lilly Road NE Suite B
360-459-9694
| Topic | Resource |
|---|---|
| Addiction and Alcohol | |
| Anxiety, Stress, and PTSD |
General information on ADD and ADHD |
| Bipolar Disorder | Basic information on bipolar disorder |
| Community Resources | Health and human service information |
| Depression | |
| Eating Disorders | |
| General College and Mental Health Issues | College mental health |
| Grief and Loss | General information |
| LGBTQ+ Resources | Anti-bullying and education network |
| Parent Support Resources | Information and resources for parents of college students |
| Self Esteem | National association for self-esteem |
| Suicide Prevention and National Crisis Line | |
| Violence and Abuse |
Information for specific groups
Get to know more about your SMU Counseling and Wellness Center, in your own language:
Learn more about sexual assault and domestic violence awareness and prevention, in your own language:
Japanese
Simplified Chinese (e.g. Mainland China, Singapore, etc.)
Traditional Chinese (e.g. Hong Kong and Taiwan)
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Japanese translation by Erika Wada, BA Psychology
Saint Martin’s University, Fall 2008
Chinese translations by
Florence Sin Ping Kwong, BA Psychology
Oi Chung Janice Li, BA Psychology
Ka Yin Frances Kong, BA Psychology
Saint Martin’s University, Spring 2009
10 tips for students transferring or returning to school
- Develop a network
One key to successfully returning to study is to develop a network of friends and acquaintances on campus. Although it may seem that the campus is entirely inhabited by fresh faced 18 year old students, there are many older students studying here.
Non-traditional aged students frequently fit their classes and study time around work and family commitments and may not spend a great deal of time on campus. Those who are studying part time may spend even less time on campus. Apart from the pleasant social aspects of having friends on campus, you need to develop a group of people with whom you can discuss lectures and assignments, collaborate on difficult problems, share references or borrow or swap notes if you miss a class. Colleagues can also be an important source of support when you don't understand concepts and need extra help or reassurance.
Make a positive effort to meet new people and develop a list of phone numbers in the first two weeks of semester. Attend faculty welcomes and other orientation activities. Greet people whom you recognize from your classes when you meet them on campus.
- Explore
Important information about course structure, organization and assessment issues is given in early lectures. The first few weeks are the best time to meet other people in your course and academic staff in your area.
Find the location of your faculty office. Find a place in the library where you feel comfortable to work.
Check out the sports teams, the Student Union Building, the cafeteria, the fitness center, and Student Support Services offices.
Don't just come to SMU to go to your class and then go home. Use the facilities, enjoy the atmosphere. The more time you spend on campus, the more you will start to feel a part of the place. Remember, campus is your place too.
- Plan your time
Time Management is a crucial issue for all students, but particularly for non-traditional aged students who are often juggling study with work and family commitments.
A day planner or schedule can be a useful aid to help keep track of your time. List work commitments, other important commitments, and classes. Then determine what time is available for study. Whatever course you study, there are routine tasks which need to be completed every week: preparation for lectures, preparation and/or completion of labs or assignments, required readings, and review of lecture materials. Ideally, you should list all of these tasks on your weekly timetable. Assignments, essays, and time spent studying for exams are extra tasks which need additional time.
Spend a similar amount of time each week on each subject. Diaries or weekly and daily "to do" lists are also useful aids to help you stay on track and stick to a plan. Whatever system you use, listing tasks in writing is a form of commitment to completing them.
Think about how you learn best. Do you prefer to work early in the morning or late at night? Are you happy to juggle several pieces of work at one time or are you more comfortable working on one essay at a time. Be realistic about your preferences. Don't plan to get up early if you know you'll never get out of bed and don't plan to study after dinner if you always fall asleep on the couch by 8.30.
Rather than wasting small chunks of time, use them for completing minor study tasks. There is a common perception that you need a large spread of uninterrupted time to achieve worthwhile study, but there are many tasks which fit quite well into the spaces between your classes. You can use this time to read, study, or even complete one problem. Break large tasks down into segments which are easily achievable. Suit the time to the task. Always be ready to make the most of good quality time -when you know you will concentrate well and be able to work. Save this time for thinking and writing or focused reading.
Learn to prioritize. You can't do everything, but you can always do something. Think about what is the most important task you need to get done, in the time available. Set private deadlines for assignments which are ahead of the true ones. This way you have some leeway if family emergencies, work deadlines or illness strikes.
You can't work flat out on your studies all semester. Studying for a degree is a long haul and you need the support of your family over that time. Although study may appear to take over your life when assignments and exams are imminent, at quieter times during the semester your family deserve more priority. Allocate time to spend with your family, and make sure that there are times you can relax without feeling guilty. If you are well organized, it is possible to fit in several study blocks over the weekend while still including family time.
- Embrace technology
If you're not comfortable using computers or surfing the internet, then returning to school provides a wonderful opportunity for you to upgrade your skills. Computer technology is used extensively throughout the SMU for teaching, learning and accessing resources. Many departments now put much of their course materials and handouts on-line and e-mail is becoming a preferred method of communicating with academics within the university. Increasingly you will also be expected to access on-line research sources to support your essays and some subjects require you to complete on-line tutorials.
Take time to practice using the library search engines for any literature reviews you will need to do for papers. Consider the following:
- What are the most commonly used search terms within your area of study?
- What are the main journals or books in your area?
- What data bases are most relevant to your area of study?
- Learn to bookmark the most important on-line journals and sites for your area of study.
- Adjust expectations
Returning to study is a wonderful opportunity to think, learn and expand your knowledge. As a non-traditional aged student, you will typically have very high expectations of yourself and want to get high grades.
At the same time, you need to be realistic about what is expected of you, what you expect of yourself and what is possible. Most students undergo a transition process in adjusting to university life. You may initially feel frustrated by a lack of direction or explicit expectations or with limited contact with faculty. At the same time you may be grappling with the discourse of a new discipline.
Learn to value your own achievements and don't judge your progress solely on the basis of the grades you receive. Non-traditional aged students generally have more life experience and are willing to take risks and contribute to discussion.
Allow yourself time to settle into your new study regime and learn new skills. Don't try to write the definitive article or produce your life work when 1000 words are all that is required. High expectations and goals are great, but being a perfectionist and having unachievable goals will very quickly demoralize you and bring this exciting process to a halt.
- Stay focused
Rather than becoming anxious and getting lost in the detail of your course, try to see the "big picture" of how your course fits together as a whole.
Focus on the objectives for each of your subjects. Examine your course outlines very carefully and try to determine how the topics fit in with the course objectives.
- What are you expected to be able to know or do, at the end of the course?
- What are the key issues or content areas in this subject?
- What is the logic of the way the classes are organized?
- How do the different topics link together?
- What assessment tasks will be required of you?
- When are assessments due?
It's not unusual to lose motivation at some stage during your studies. Everybody gets bored with study and with putting the rest of their lives on hold while they complete their degrees. At such times it is useful to revisit your reasons for deciding to study. Focus on why you are doing this course or subject. Writing a list of your goals and current problems can sometimes help you to regain perspective.
- Acknowledge changes
Attending SMU will potentially bring changes to your life. Talk to your family, partner or others you live with and let them know what attending school will involve for you. Let them know about your time schedules, your busy times, your need for quiet times, and your need for support (or even the occasional nagging). If they are fully informed, they are more likely to feel part of the process and will be in a better position to support you.
The timetable already mentioned is a good way to share your study with those close to you. Point out the changes it will involve and the times you will meet commitments, join with them and still be the same person they know and love!
- Reward yourself
In college it can be hard to gauge your progress. You may work for long periods of time without any feedback from faculty. In some subjects, there may be little assessment apart from the end of semester exams. At times you will undoubtedly feel frustrated by this apparent lack of structure, guidelines or feedback and with the limited contact with faculty.
Reward yourself for adhering to your time schedule, submitting work on time, understanding a complex theoretical concept, participating in an oral presentation or simply for keeping on top of your work load, balancing work commitments and your family life and coping with the demands of a university course.
Take the opportunity to share your successes and achievements with the people who are important to you. Make the completion of a difficult study task the basis for a family celebration. In many ways, you are not competing against the other students, but striving to find your own time and space to make progress in your chosen course of study. Recognize the progress you make and remember to give yourself credit for your achievements.
- Stay in touch
Faculty, although busy with teaching and administrative commitments, are interested in your progress through the course. It's important to let them know if you are having problems or need an extension or special consideration. If you fail to submit work or stop attending classes, they will have no idea what has happened to you, and may assume you have dropped out. If you need to contact one of them it is best to a make an appointment either directly by phone or e-mail, or through the departmental office.
- Know where to get help
One of your first tasks should be to find the location of the various Student Support Services offices to check out what they have to offer by way of assistance.
Many students run into difficulties at some stage of their course. At SMU you are expected to be an independent learner, but that does not mean that you have to handle all of your problems on your own. There are lots of people on campus who can help you, but it's up to you to ask for assistance.
Other students in the course can often be a source of help and support if you are having problems with your work. Working collaboratively with others to solve problems or brainstorming ideas can benefit all members of the group.
If, after trying some of these strategies, you are still experiencing real difficulties with course content contact your lecturer or supervisor in the subject concerned.
Personal, emotional, health and financial problems can also impact on your study and affect your ability to keep up with the workload. Contact the counseling center at ext. 4371 for free, confidential, counseling services.
This information was adapted from information provided by the University of Queensland and the University of Melbourne.
DVA - The VetCorps aims to aid in your success by providing support, resources and information that meet your unique needs as a veteran making a transition to civilian life. This web site provides information on getting started with veterans’ benefits and various resources.
IAVA - The first and largest nonprofit, nonpartisan organization for Iraq and Afghanistan veterans. The programs empower the community both online and offline, including health, employment, education, and community resources.
National veterans foundation - Helps veterans and their families by serving their crisis management, information, and referral needs through the lifeline for vets, outreach, and public awareness.
PTSD combat - Online journal of Ilona Meagher, a veterans daughter and author of moving to a nation to care: post-traumatic stress disorder and Americas returning troops.
PTSD anonymous - A nationwide network of community based, non-clinical, veteran lead support group meetings for those suffering with military trauma seeking the fellowship of their peers.
Remind - Helping to heal the physical and psychological wounds of war. The Bob Woodruff Foundation is the national nonprofit that helps ensure our nation’s injured service members, veterans and their families return to a home front ready to support them.
The soldiers project northwest - This resource offers information on free counseling and support to military service members who have served or who expect to serve in the Iraq and/or Afghanistan conflicts and to veterans of those conflicts. The service provided is not only for active duty but also for activated reserve and guard units. In addition, their services are available to the families and other loved ones of services members. Specifically, they assist in helping navigate the overwhelming issues of cycle from pre-deployment to deployment to homecoming and re-entry to civilian life. This online resource consists of almost over 70 therapists in state of WA, primarily in the Seattle/Tacoma area.
TA online - Careers for the transitioning military as well as information about transition, finding jobs, and which companies are military friendly.
Toolkit for veteran friendly institutions - this online resource is designed to help institutions of higher education build effective programs for veteran students and share information. It highlights a variety of best practices and includes video clips, profiles of student veterans programs across the U.S., and a searchable database of tools and resources
U.S. department of veteran affairs - To fulfill President Lincoln's promise “to care for him who shall have borne the battle, and for his widow, and his orphan” by serving and honoring the men and women who are America’s veterans.
Welcome back veterans - Committed to transforming the lives of veterans through ongoing support, treatment, and research.
Wellness resources for the military community - This site provides general information when it comes to finding support network as well as wellness resources specifically geared towards service members, veterans and their families. Specifically, It includes self assessments covering wide variety of topics and issues as well as unique experiences commonly shared within the military community. It also offers peer-to-peer support and linkages to community resources.
Some of the featured video clips are the following:
- Voices of Vets: eight college students provide an inside look at life as a returning veteran.
- Lecture Hall: an important part of talking openly with student veterans is asking respectful questions.
- Common Area: transitioning from combat to college can be challenging, but supportive friends can help make it easier
- Today’s Student Vets: From Combat to College: Rich, a student veteran, talks openly about the challenges of adjusting to college life and how civilian students can play a role in easing the transition
- Student Veterans: Student Vets Speak Out: Students who served in the Iraq War speak out about the emotional challenges of adjusting to life back at home and the importance of finding support.
Presentation workshops
Learn more about fear, worry, stress and anxiety effects you as a college student. Walk through our presentation workshops at your own pace and revisit them whenever you need.