Student Fabiana Briceno says “As a Hispanic person, my parents don’t really understand why I go to therapy. Yes, love yourself and your culture but… as hard as it can be, we must learn to separate them before we can move forward. We have to break that stigma if we want to succeed in life and our studies. Valencia College student Norma Lauren Gaines says “I’m done being a strong black woman. Screenshot from a Valencia Skillshop By Stephanie Johnson, Ba圜are Behavioral Health Counselor, “Courageous Conversations: Mental Health & The BIPOC (Black, Indigenous and People of Color) Communities.” The lack of education on the medical realities allows for a toxic and judgemental environment. The workshop addressed the reality minorities face as their culture and historical backgrounds can greatly affect their mental health and how society fails to recognize this. BIPOC stands for Black, Indigenous, and People of Color. “Courageous Conversations: Mental Health & The BIPOC Communities” focuses on building the value of mental health in said communities. One workshop is geared towards mental health and minority communities. It provides a great framework for anyone looking to build new and successful habits into their routine, and has application to basically everything we do in life.” I recommend a reading by the author James Clear called Atomic Habits. Simply starting with two-to-five minutes each day with exercise, meditation, or any self-care activity, and then scaling up slowly can lead to great results and benefits. Valencia’s Continuous Assessment and Responsive Engagement, or CARE, counselor Chris Teumer works with holistic support, gives great advice and says, “It’s essential to dedicate time for self-care and to nurture our mental and physical health. Valencia College student Isis Toledo says “I do work full-time and I try to keep everything organized planning my studies and work schedule… but I try to take breaks and take time for myself.” CARE is one such service to help students find that.Ĭhris Teumer, Assistant Director, Learning Support and Advising at Valencia College. These resources help college students deal with not just school, but financial stability, unemployment, time-management, depression, gender issues, etc. Valencia College provides a myriad of activities and skill shops, virtually or on-campus to help keep mental health in check. Not just with the continuing global pandemic but other factors as well have many students struggling to adjust. From the Editor: This article is undergoing revisions at this time.