By Abby Miller
The constant balancing act of school, relationships, friendships, hobbies, clubs, work, and on is nearly synonymous with the college experience.
With finals season now here, a seemingly endless number of tests, assignments, and essays make the scales on this balance of life as uneven as ever.
Often accompanied by heightened levels of stress, anxiety, and overwhelm, this time, and feelings which come along with it, can often feel too daunting to overcome alone.
Which is why reaching out for help can be key, and where the mental health services offered by FRCC to students can come in.
Headed by Kathleen Strong, the services offered to students include individual and group counseling, either in-person or virtually.
“We also meet with students to assess their treatment needs and explore referrals to community services.... [or] for things like classroom presentations, campus events, or student organization meetings,” says Strong.
As for Strong herself, she has been “working as a mental health counselor for about 13 years,” her practice taking her from work as a therapist at Summit Stone Health Partners, to practicing within the CSU Health Network, and now to Front Range.
“My role at FRCC is to provide individual and group counseling services to any Front Range student and to provide outreach and support to the campus community," says Strong, describing her current position at the Larimer Campus.
Academic or relationship stress, grief, loss, anxiety, and depression are the most common concerns that students seek help regarding, according to Strong.
“The number of sessions varies from student to student,” says Strong “[and] if the need falls outside of the scope of our services, we can assist with identifying the needed services and referrals...there is never any cost associated with our services.”
Students looking to access any services can book appointments (both online and in-person) by calling 970-204-8210 or by visiting this link.
“We can usually get students in pretty fast,” says Strong, “we are familiar with the college system and the student experience...and are located right on campus and can work with a student’s class schedule to make appointments accessible.”
For immediate concerns, Strong recommends Colorado Crisis Services (1-844-493-8255 or text “TALK” to 38255) or the Suicide and Crisis Hotline, which can be accessed by dialing 988.