The Maureen Hamilton Wellness Center at Sacred Heart University is a free, confidential service providing mental health support including both individual and group counseling for all students.
The Wellness Center is composed of licensed mental health providers and graduate-level interns, dedicated to providing students with goal-oriented, solution-focused counseling. The Wellness Center also houses Collegiate Recovery for students dealing with substance abuse and addiction, as well as the Center for Family Justice which provides confidential support for students that are impacted by sexual abuse, harassment, or violence.
Source: Tracy Deer-Mirek, Sacred Heart University
Source: Tracy Deer-Mirek, Sacred Heart University
“The goal for the center is to support our student’s diverse range of mental health needs. Mental health is a broad concept. It engages so many aspects of our lives. It is something every single person will be impacted by,” said university counselor Suzanne Christoferson.
“When considering your mental health, you are examining the stressors of life, the impact of relationships, identifying our greater purpose in life, our impact on the planet, and the impact in our communities. In acknowledging the impact of mental health, we are recognizing that our well-being impacts the way we act, feel, and think.”
These services are open to all students as the center provides grief groups for people coping with loss, individual counseling, group counseling, a group for students who are dealing with family members struggling with addiction, and students struggling academically.
“The mission for the center is to empower students to health and wellness,” said Director of Counseling Jeffrey LaBella.“The Wellness Center has helped students navigate difficult and challenging times as we support them in making decisions and openly talking about their problems,”
LaBella said the kinds of issues that he sees when students come to his appointments are students seeking support from different relationship issues whether it’s with their roommates, professors, coaches or family members. Many students also struggle with stress and anxiety, but academic stress has become a more frequent concern.
“When I’m stressed, I try to clear my mind as much as possible. I will go for a walk and just take deep breaths to calm down. Staying active like going to the gym also makes me feel better when I’m stressed. Talking to loved ones and explaining to them how I feel and having their support makes me feel better,” said freshman Emily Lupo.
Another resource students can access is the Yale New Haven Health Clinic located down the street from campus at 5520 Park Avenue in Trumbull. Transportation is available through the SHU West/Yale shuttle service. All visits to the Clinic are by appointment only and walk-in hours are Monday through Friday, 8:30-11:30 a.m.
Access to the Wellness Center is available by appointment only, and to schedule, you can simply reach out by email at conselingcenter@sacredheart.edu.
