by Aaron Schantz, MA, LLP, CAPS Staff Counselor In the CAPS office, we have been thinking about an article by Tara Haelle, an infectious disease journalist who, in her professional life survived a 8.0-magnitude earthquake in Peru. She begins her article with a realization that life today is harder for her than surviving that earth-shaking […]
Author Archives: Aaron Schantz
Dear Hope community (a letter from CAPS)
Dear Hope community, As we return to campus (both physically and virtually) from the summer recess, we join the community in welcoming students back, and look forward to the ways in which we will serve the mental health needs of our campus. We strive to deliver appropriate and effective services to all of our students, […]
Finding peace through expressive writing: An old method for a new challenge!
Journaling is form of writing that is not new, but many people find helpful. Expressive writing is a specific kind of journaling, and this blog post links you to a new, guided COVID-19 resource for coping through writing out your thoughts and feelings.
A Brighter Hope Lies Ahead (Guest Blog with Tim Koberna)
Take time to reflect on what we are learning from COVID-19 and be encouraged by what lies ahead for all of us–a brighter Hope.
A Time for Mindfulness Meditation
by Dr. Kristen Gray, Licensed Psychologist, Associate Dean for Health and Counseling, Director of CAPS It seems as though mindfulness meditation is mentioned in almost all recommendations for coping with COVID-19. But just exactly what is mindfulness meditation? Is it right for you? Are you willing to give it a try? According to Jon Kabat-Zinn, […]
Coping with the Anxiety of Living in a COVID-19 World? Try this!
A free workbook is available through The Wellness Society’s website that has good, sound exercises for people who are looking for some self-help guidance in this time.
Mind, Body & Spirit Wellness during COVID-19 (Guest Blog with Tim Koberna)
Head Athletic Director Tim Koberna shares some collected wisdom about ways to stay well–mind, body and spirit–during the COVID-19 outbreak.
Try “Distant Socializing” vs. Social Distancing: Honor our human nature of connection while physically apart
Review by Bonnie VanderWal, Ph.D., LLP, CAPS Staff Counselor –Article by Melissa DeWitt: https://news.stanford.edu/2020/03/19/try-distant-socializing-instead/ This short article (linked above) lists strategies for staying connected, a basic human need, while we stay safe amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Stanford psychologist Jamil Zaki suggests changing our language about being together while remaining apart, and ways to combat loneliness […]
The Pain of Loss (Guest Blog with Tim Koberna)
Tim Koberna is the Head Athletic Trainer and an Assistant Professor of Kinesiology at Hope College. He is passionate about student resiliency and grit, and approached CAPS about ways to collaborate to support all Hope students–in particular, the approximately 600 student-athletes–during this time. In that spirit, he writes the following to the Hope community in […]
DISCUSSIONS WITH DASH (Coping Skills during COVID-19 Response)
KJ Boyd, staff counselor in Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS), shares a TIPP for remembering four skills to regulate yourself in times when you are feeling overwhelmed. Dash is her canine co-worker and scene stealer.