LINDSEY FIALA |Culture Editor
Lindenwood’s Student Counseling and Resource Center is currently hosting several different support groups which are available to all students.
While there have been support groups on campus for several semesters now, the Student Counseling and Resource Center has done a better job at getting the information about them to the students this semester, according to Jehan Ganachaud, one of Lindenwood’s counselors in training.
“There is always a need for groups as they provide a different experience and because we have such a large body of students, these groups are an efficient way to be able to see more people at once so they don’t have to be waiting on a wait list,” he said.
There are currently four support groups available to students.
The LGBTQ+ support group is on Mondays from noon until 1 p.m. This group is meant to bring members of this community together to let them know they are not alone, said Ganachaud.
The healthy relationships group meets on Tuesdays from 4 p.m. until 5 p.m. This group talks about what healthy relationships are and how to create and maintain them.
The OCD group happens on Wednesdays from 4 p.m. until 5 p.m. The group is lead by someone who also has OCD “so they can really relate to people who are dealing with it,” said Ganachaud.
These three groups are going on now and happen once a week until the last week of April.
The fourth group, grief and loss, is going on now on Thursdays from 4 p.m. until 5 p.m. and will go until April 11. These groups are open to all students and take place in Evans Commons.
“The main goal of all groups is to have people who are struggling with things to feel like they are not alone and that they can always feel connected and safe,” Ganachaud said. “We want them to know there are other people out there who are going through things as well.”
Ganachaud is interested in creating a recovery group for students who were addicted to alcohol or marijuana.
“It can be really challenging, especially in a college setting, when all of your friends go out on the weekends and drink,” he said. “A group really offers a different experience than individual sessions with a counselor and it’s nice to see other people and not feeling alone.”
Ganachaud encourages students who have ideas for new support groups to reach out to the Wellness Center.
“If people are asking about certain topics then we are more than happy to create one,” he said.
For questions regarding the different support groups, ideas for new support groups or to schedule an appointment for a personal appointment, contact the Student Counseling and Resource Center at 636-949-4541 or at [email protected].
