On Wednesday, Oct. 28, a colloquium titled “Overcoming Limits in the New Normal” was held virtually. Kerry Lassen, a therapist who specializes in meditation and self-help, hosted this event. She guided students through a meditation to ease stress about the pandemic.
The “new normal” is described as life during the current pandemic. Lassen described how college students have been feeling an overwhelming sense of stress while facing school and social life.
“It’s hard trying to maintain a normal feeling when the outside world is chaotic,” said Lassen.
Some of the tips Lassen gave the group were to take each day one at a time and not to get too overwhelmed by schoolwork. She explained that sometimes we get too chaotic and that we should take moments out of our day to slow down and breathe. We should also make a list every week of tasks we must do and focus on our personal goals as well.
“I thought it was really interesting and helpful to use the points she said to adapt to the new normal,” said sophomore Sarah Arcuni.
After explaining the “new normal” and how to overcome it, Lassen walked students through a guided meditation. She played relaxing music and talked everyone through a stress-defeating seminar. She talked about visualizing a beautiful mountain range and seeing all of our problems melt away.
“During quarantine and adjusting to the ‘new normal,’ I actually was suffering, and still do, with depression and anxiety. It was actually a struggle for me to adjust,” said sophomore Amanda Ford. “After the meditation, the instructor pointed out that some people may not have been able to see and picture the mountains. I was unable to picture it because of my anxiety, so my mind was everywhere.”
James Cafran, who is the Recovery Program Coordinator at Sacred Heart, discussed why this colloquium was chosen and what he wanted students to take away from the session.
“This colloquium was picked because I run a Recovery Program here at Sacred Heart University. We wanted to reach out to students who may be struggling with mental health issues and stress during the time that we currently find ourselves in,” said Cafran.
“I believe the importance of this colloquium was to realize, even in a time like we are in now, how much our mind and negative thoughts can prevent us from continuing to grow,” said Cafran. “It shows that no matter what the circumstances are, there are ways to help your mental health and continue to become a better version of yourself.”
Cafran hopes that students benefited from the colloquium and the practice techniques that were discussed.
“I hope students get out of this colloquium the importance of positive thinking and the desire to grow more even in the times that we are now in. I also hope they may find interest in meditation. If they do want something more like this to be added to Sacred Heart, contact me at cafranj@sacredheart.edu,” said Cafran.
