38 / BACK TO SCHOOL / MONDAY, AUGUST 16, 2010 / THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN / KANSAN.COM
---
---
HEALTH
Group therapy can help students alleviate anxiety
BY MEGAN RUPP mrupp@kansan.com
Engaging smiles and Justin Nguyen seemed to go hand-in-hand for students he met his freshman year. Few would have guessed a life-impeding psychological disorder hid beneath his shy-b-friendly exterior.
"I was excited to leave home to go to KU," Nguyen, a senior from Kansas City, Kan. said. "I was ready to leave my social anxiety disorder zone in K.C. and start a new life. I never expected it would catch up with me."
What started as feelings of loneliness and withdrawal transformed into persistent social distress. A study released earlier this year showed that Nguyen was not alone, but that successful treatment was available. The findings, published in The Journal for Specialists in Group Work, showed that college students were most susceptible to the disorder, which often led to depression, excessive drinking and substance abuse, but that symptoms significantly decreased after an eight-week group therapy intervention.
"When you leave home for the first extended period of time, you have to adjust to a different environment and negotiate difficult interpersonal relationships," said Tracy Wechselblatt, groups coordinator and clinical psychologist at Watkins Memorial Health Center. "Group therapy gives them a place to talk to peers who share their problems or concerns in a spontaneous, honest fashion."
Wechselblatt said that most people had feelings of anxiety and nervousness that could be addressed in group therapy, even for those who had not been clinically diagnosed with the disorder.
GROUP THERAPY
OPTIONS ON
CAMPUS
KU PSYCHOLOGICAL CLINIC
ROUPSCHLEGEOLOGICAL CLINIC
WHERE: Third floor of Fraser Hall
PRICE: $10
PHONE NUMBER: 785-864-4121
Call for appointments or more information.
WATKINS MEMORIAL HEALTH CENTER
HEALTH CENTER
WHERE: Second floor
PRICE: $15
PHONE NUMBER: 785-864-2277
864-2277 Group therapy sessions every day on the second floor of the health center. But students are encouraged to call at any time if they feel they need immediate attention.
very anxious immediately, but eventually habituation brings your heart rate, negative thoughts and feelings of anxiety down."
"If you're anxious about a class that you have to participate in, your immediate response is to skip the class, which only allows the anxiety to build over time," said Sarah Kirk, director of the KU Psychological Clinic. "If you're forced to go, you're
"When you leave home for the first extended period of time, you have to adjust."
For people dealing with feelings of anxiety, group therapy works much the same way. Kirk said group therapy is scary for people at first, but soon
TRACY WECHSELBLATT Clinical psychologist
they understand those feelings are only momentary and will eventually decrease. For some people this will only take a few sessions, for others it may take several, Kirk said.
The KU Psychology Clinic group her-
apy sessions for $10 on the third floor of Fraser Hall. Watkins also holds group therapy sessions every day on the second floor of the health center, but students are encouraged to call at any time if they feel they need immediate attention.
OVER $7,500 IN PRIZES!
One entry per ballot box at participating sponsors of the sweepstakes.
Ballots must be turned in by 4 pm CST on 8/20/10.
Staff of The University Daily Kansan are not eligible to win prizes in the Hawk Ticket Sweepstakes.
Winners will be drawn on the evening of 8/20/10 at Abe & jakes. You do not have to be present to win. If you are not at the party you will be notified by e-mail. Winners must be able to present photo ID when claiming their prize.
x
1