By Kaden Boock
Grand Rapids Community College Counseling and Career Development is offering several educational lunch and learn sessions as well as mental health workshops this semester for students. These workshops are designed to help students learn healthy practices that they can enact in their own lives. The mental health workshop and lunch and learn series topics are each focused on a different aspect of mental health, and they’re all free to attend.
Melissa Ware, director of the counseling center at GRCC as well as a leader for the mental health workshops, shared some insight on what students can expect if they’re interested in attending any of these events.
“It’s an educational type of a group, it’s not a therapy group, which is a little bit different,” Ware explained. “People might be thinking that when they hear workshop or group, they think a bunch of people sitting around in chairs looking at each other, and they might be feeling some pressure to talk about themselves and disclose, and that isn’t the case.”
Ware doesn’t want anyone to feel uncomfortable or forced to share in any of these workshops or sessions, but rather be educated and uplifted.
“It’s meant to give and build skills,” Ware said. “It’s really about skillbuilding, education, and being able to take something away after that you can practice throughout the week and then build on again the following week.”
There are four different types of lunch and learn series as well as four different types of mental health workshops being offered January through April. All of the lunch and learn sessions will take place in room 368 in the Student Center, and the workshops are available online or in person.
Lunch and Learn Series Topics
Depression: Overcoming Sadness and Disappointment
This workshop will review various strategies for coping with the things in life that upset you and give you grief.
Tuesday, Jan. 31, noon to 1 p.m.
Building Healthier Relationships
Learn healthy ways to strengthen your relationships with family, friends, co-workers and romantic partners.
Wednesday, Feb. 8, noon to 1 p.m.
Managing Anxiety: Strategies for in and out of the Classroom
Come to this workshop to learn how to recognize anxiety and apply strategies for soothing the anxious mind.
Thursday, March 23, noon to 1 p.m.
Career Planning Basics
This workshop will cover the basics of choosing a major and planning for a career.
Monday, April 12, noon to 1 p.m.
You do not have to register for any of the lunch and learn series events, and there will be a light lunch and beverage provided for you.
Mental Health Workshops Topics: Both in person and virtual formats available
Anxiety Toolbox
Anxiety Toolbox focuses on helping you understand anxiety symptoms and build skills to manage these systems.
Available until the last series of three sessions offered March 30-April 13.
Recognition/Insight/Openness
Recognition, Insight, Openness (RIO) focuses on building skills and creating flexibility in how you respond to distress.
Available until the last series of three sessions offered April 5-April 19.
Getting Unstuck
Getting Unstuck focuses on helping you understand depressive symptoms and build skills to manage these symptoms.
Available until the last series of three sessions offered April 4-18.
Cocoa and Conversation: Self-Care
Connect with others, learn ways to add some self care into your weekly routine, and warm up with a hot beverage.
Available in person, noon to 1 p.m., on Tuesdays in January and Mondays in February.
Registration is not required for the Cocoa and Conversation workshop, but registration is required for the other workshops.
