For students who are feeling stressed and overwhelmed, Helping Kats C.O.P.E. workshops are here to relieve some of the stress and anxiety that they are dealing with.
Helping Kats C.O.P.E. is a series of workshops established to help students discover ways to become more centered, optimistic, productive and empowered (C.O.P.E.). Students can learn many quick tips to help deal with concerns such as low self-esteem, stress and test anxiety.
Workshops include Suicide Prevention Training, Expressive Arts, Self-Compassionate Living, Taming Your Temper and many more. Helping Kats C.O.P.E. focuses on a specific area each week for students to improve their well-being.
Dr. Danielle Sirles, Group/Workshop Coordinator and the creator of the C.O.P.E. workshops, discussed how important these events are to assist and improve students’ mental health.
“[The workshops] focus on what we call secular education,” Sirles said.
This means that those who attend will learn more information and have a more knowledge-based idea regarding certain types of coping strategies.
Sirles also talked about the Helping Kats C.O.P.E. workshop’s general mission.
“It’s all about getting a moment to relax,” Sirles said.
The workshops aren’t formal, and are structured to allow students to catch a much-needed break during the most stressful of times.
Sirles encourages all faculty and staff on campus to help persuade more students to attend the workshops. Even professors are encouraged to let their students know about the C.O.P.E. workshops as well.
“We’re actually at a point where some professors are offering extra credit or kind of weaving attending these well-being workshops into their class requirements,” Sirles said.
These workshops provide ample opportunities for students to decompress for the week and treat themselves.
As a clinician, Sirles believes the way she takes care of herself impacts how she helps students with self-care routines and tips at the Helping Kats C.O.P.E. workshops.
“Self-care is really a foundation for me to be able to practice as a clinician, so if I’m ever feeling stressed out or overwhelmed, I know I need to bump up my self-care or, if need be, to take a mental health day,” Sirles said.
The Helping Kats C.O.P.E. workshops are held in the Lowman Student Center every week for one hour. For more information, visit their website at www.shsu.edu/dept/counseling or visit the Counseling Center.
