The Weber State Counseling and Psychological Services Center in the Student Services building is hosting an educational group called the Anxiety Toolbox. Anxiety Toolbox is a student-facilitated group that educates students on anxiety, stress and different coping mechanisms. It is not considered counseling or therapy, but it can aid in learning how to deal with these complicated emotions.
Amy Blunck, supervisor of the group and its facilitators, feels it is a good thing the group is student-run because they can relate more to the students who attend.
“There is this middle ground where there is a student who understands pieces of mental health and how to be supportive, there’s something really powerful about having people on campus who are able to offer that help,” Blunck said.
The meetings are a three-part seminar in which the student facilitators read off scripts from the Cal Poly Counseling Center to ensure they are relaying accurate information in the meetings. Students are given a “toolbox,” hence the name, with tools for coping when experiencing anxiety or stress.
A workbook is also given to the attendees, with optional assignments for them to do at home for more understanding of breathing exercises, ways to be more cognitive about personal behaviors, behaviors of others around you and how to react to those conducts.
Another aspect of the meetings are the Wildcat Chats, which are more one-on-one talks for students to vent.
Brianna Shipley, a student facilitator for the group, explained how they’ve been navigating the group meetings through COVID-19.
“There is a lot less of handing out papers or talking to everyone in general and a more one-on-one focus,” Shipley said.
Due to the significant changes the virus has made to social settings, all meetings are being held virtually.
Before the pandemic, there were peer support groups located around campus that offer help to students.
“COVID-19 really pushed us to strategize how to better reach students directly,” explained Amanda Jones, past student facilitator for the peer mentoring groups before the fall semester of 2020.
