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OK, I thought. Six months. March 2020.
Ha.
Come March 2020 on top of my anxiety, depression and self-confidence issues, I was dealing with something that no one had experience with and could give me advice on: parenting an infant during a global pandemic.
Add into the mix that my husband 麻豆精品 S� who I love with my entire being 麻豆精品 S� and I were trying to figure out how to be around each other constantly. That presented its own set of challenges.
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I should be waking up at 5 a.m. every day to run at least a 5K.
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I think that feeling coupled with my devotion to the only podcast I listen to religiously, Armchair Expert 麻豆精品 S� which advocates the benefits of therapy nearly every episode 麻豆精品 S� motivated me to finally take some action. The hosts Dax and Monica made me feel seen and like I wasn 麻豆精品 S檛 alone in needing help; that seeking counseling isn 麻豆精品 S檛 a sign of weakness 麻豆精品 S� a philosophy of which I think our society has a long way to go.
I had heard about UCF 麻豆精品 S檚 Employee Assistance Program (EAP), which offers six sessions of free therapy per topic, but in the past I had always shooed away the idea. I shouldn 麻豆精品 S檛 need that. I have no major trauma in my life to cope with. I just need to suck it up and get through this.
But one day I vowed, today is the day I call. In less than 30 minutes, I was matched with a counselor. I had never done counseling, so I had no clue what to expect.
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My counselor asked me an important question that has continued to help me shape the way I reason with myself when I start to spiral:
If a friend was telling you these same things about herself, what would you say to her?
I realized I couldn 麻豆精品 S檛 extend myself the same compassion that I would give anyone who was in such distress. And I mourned that I subjected myself to such negative self-talk when I would never let a friend talk about herself that way. Why couldn 麻豆精品 S檛 I want that for myself? How many days of my life have I ruined doing this?
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My husband and I have even done a couple of counseling sessions together since EAP covers family members too. We both love each other, and we both are confident in the strength of our relationship, but again it 麻豆精品 S檚 free; what do we have to lose? One of the strategies we 麻豆精品 S檝e adopted from counseling is to set aside time during the week to check in with each other; to hash out anything that might be lingering, address needs that aren 麻豆精品 S檛 being met, or tell each other about the moments we truly appreciated one another during the week.
I plan to continue counseling. I know now that practicing self-compassion and self-care need to be included among what we demand of ourselves.
I resent that our society doesn 麻豆精品 S檛 normalize, prioritize or validate mental health like it does physical health. Maybe if it did, I would have sought counseling sooner.
Nevertheless, I am here now and I am thankful that UCF offers the resources that serve as a reminder that, as Albus Dumbledore said, 麻豆精品 S淗appiness can be found even in the darkest of times, if one only remembers to turn on the light. 麻豆精品 S�
Resources available to UCF students and employees
UCF offers its to all non-student employees. This program provides resources to help employees and their eligible family members 麻豆精品 S� including spouses, dependent children, parents and parents-in-law 麻豆精品 S� to address any personal challenges and/or concerns that may affect personal well-being and/or work performance. The EAP, administered by Health Advocate, provides confidential, short-term counseling at no cost to the employee.
Health Advocate toll-free number: 877-240-6863
Health Advocate website:聽
If you are a student looking for help, (CAPS) is UCF 麻豆精品 S檚 mental health resource for students. You can visit CAPS 麻豆精品 S� website for聽.聽Students can also schedule phone or virtual consultation with CAPS by聽calling 407-823-2811 or visiting聽.
Student Care Services聽continues to work remotely with anyone who needs additional academic or personal support during this time.
Jenna Marina Lee is a features writer for the UCF Marketing and Communications department. She has also worked for the university’s alumni and athletics departments.
