Student Counseling Services – Page 10

Not sick enough?

The media usually portrays what an eating disorder looks like by one image: an overly skinny girl. There are countless examples of this, like To the Bone, a Netflix movie that displays an underweight woman going through an eating disorder, and Starving in Suburbia, a movie about a dancer that obsesses about being thin. When television, movies, and the media portray an eating disorder as this, people may assume that to have an eating disorder, you must look a certain way—underweight. Women who are average weight or overweight might not get the help they need if others do not believe they are “sick enough.”

Sign up for Voices of Discovery

Voices of Discovery is a program to promote awareness of diversity and expand the opportunity for cross-cultural and inter-group interaction on campus.

Men also struggle with body image

check out the Male Body Image Workshop on Wednesday, February 28th from 6:30-7:30 p.m. in SSB 376. This one-hour workshop, co-sponsored by Student Counseling Services and Health Promotion and Wellness, is designed to help men learn how to combat the unrealistic, ultra-muscular ideal portrayed by the media. Participants will learn about male body image and eating disorder myths while also exploring ways to combat unrealistic ideals.

One-click perfection and what it does to body image

Student Counseling Services Body Project facilitators

While editing a photo in two minutes with a free app doesn’t seem like it’s doing much harm, the image of perfection, the message of image perfection may make someone else feel as if they’re not doing enough to manage their image or to look good.

The feared ‘freshman 15’

Illinois State students walk on the Quad

The problem with the term freshman 15 is that it comes with added pressures to ensure the weight gain doesn’t happen.

Student Counseling Services offers a group specifically for students of color

Students of color on predominantly White college campuses often face unique difficulties and challenges while navigating a university setting. The Student of Color process group (SOCPG) at Illinois State University provides a safe and supportive space for students of color to make sense of and give voice to the wide range of concerns.

Free and confidential counseling services are available to students at Student Counseling Services

I can’t sleep. I’m sad all the time. I don’t have any friends. I’m not sure I fit in here. I worry constantly. I am so overwhelmed. What am I doing here? Does any of this sound familiar? Being a college student is stressful! You don’t have to go it alone: Illinois State University’s Student Counseling Services (SCS) is here to help you succeed.

SCS has experienced psychologists and counselors. Counseling is free, and it’s confidential –what happens in counseling stays in counseling. Except for a few exceptions related to the safety of yourself and others, no information can be released. Your privacy is protected by law!

The impact of discrimination and hate

At Student Counseling Services, we were saddened to hear about the hate and violence that occurred in Charlottesville during the “Unite the Right” rally. Student Counseling Services condemns violence and all forms of discrimination, including intolerance and hate. We acknowledge the psychological, emotional and spiritual impact these events have on our students, faculty and staff. Psychological research has shown that prejudice, stereotyping and discrimination can have adverse effects on both the targets and the perpetrators. These effects include heightened vigilance, anger, anxiety, depression and physical symptoms. Discrimination can create a climate of rejection, fear, anxiety and insecurity, for both individuals and the target group as a whole. We encourage you to seek support in a way that is most beneficial to your own self-care and to support one another. As always, the staff at SCS is available to meet with any student who may need to talk about their reactions. Know that we are here to listen with empathy and to provide support to all students in a way that validates your experiences. During this difficult time, let us continue to affirm Illinois State University’s values of diversity and inclusion.

Body Project seeking student participants

Students at Body Project peer facilitator trainings

Student Counseling Services will hold Body Project implementations throughout the semester. The first will be from 6-8 p.m. Monday, September 18, in the Student Services Building.

A plastic surgery app?

A new, alarming, set of electronic games is starting to take hold among young people. These new games, predominantly aimed at young girls, help children identify “problem areas,” such as wrinkles, skin imperfections, narrow eyes, or identify areas that are in “need” of some Botox. What messages does this send?