Point Loma Nazarene University’s Counseling Center introduced drop-in and support groups in the fall semester of 2024 to instill healthy practices when facing mental health challenges.
Drop-in groups allow for students to come in at any point, whereas process groups emphasize consistent attendance. Certain groups focus on sharing resources and skills, while others focus on processing and support. There are currently five groups offered: Peace of Mind, Solution-Focused anxiety management group, Living in Color, Men’s Group and Grief Support Group.
According to Melinda Olson, a mental health counselor, two groups will likely be added later in the semester: Progress Over Perfection and a group focused on body image.
These communities hold importance for several reasons, Olson said. Students can receive support, work through mental health challenges and have a safe space that promotes connection. Students can be heard in their experiences and find others who may relate to their struggles. They can also gain clarity about their situation and learn useful mental health coping tools.
“I’ve noticed that students who attend these groups develop a lot more insight and self-awareness into what they’re experiencing, which is the first step to change,” Olson said. “They also leave with a lot more tools in their toolbox to cope with their mental health, and I think that feels empowering for them and gives them confidence, having even a little bit more of a sense of control in their lives.”
Olson said that these groups originated as part of the new Stepped Care Model, which is a model of therapy currently being implemented by the Counseling Center. She said they are also a response to the center’s goal to assist students by providing them with resources that can help meet their needs.
She also said that the counseling center recognized that while counseling is helpful for some students, groups can also tackle the same goals and create community on campus.
“I would recommend students get involved in these groups and workshops because they are so helpful in providing a space to process with other students and can help students to realize that they are not alone,” Olson said. “Hearing other students’ experiences which might be similar to their own can feel more encouraging and less isolating.”
Olson emphasized the importance of validating the fears a student might experience when attending one of the groups. She pointed out that asking for help can be vulnerable for a lot of people, and faculty are very aware of this, so they try to create a space where students can be open about their stories.
Different groups serve different kinds of purposes, so she said she encourages students to find a group that is best suited to their needs.
Varinia Peridon, another mental health counselor, shared the importance of the Living in Color group for female students of color on campus. She discussed the necessity of cultivating a community of shared experiences and sisterhood in a space free of marginalization, stereotypes and stigma.
“Female students who have participated in this group have reported feeling increased belonging, connection, self advocacy and self acceptance,” Peridon said.
She said she encourages female students of color to use this resource to be a part of a space that opens up discussions about the issues women of color face.
“Support doesn’t mean weakness – it means connection,” Peridon said. “This group isn’t about ‘fixing’ anything; it’s a space to simply be, alongside others who understand. Many students come in hesitant and leave feeling seen, heard and stronger. No pressure, no expectations – just a chance to experience community in a way that feels right for you. You deserve that.”
The grief support group offers a space for students to share their experiences and develop an understanding of how others process loss.
Tori Bustria, a second-year child development major, who regularly attends the group, said she did not have a support group during her first year as she was navigating the recent passing of her mother. The lack of community, she said, made her first two semesters more of a struggle as she was wrestling with her grief.
She said that after using the support group as a resource in her second year, she learned about others’ experiences with grief, which increased her capability to be vulnerable and connect.
“Having this support group opened up new avenues for me and helped me grow and find better ways to come to terms with my grief and to manage my grief,” Bustria said. “It also helped me be able to share it with people and be more comfortable talking about it and living with it.”
Bustria said that students can find the support and freedom to share their stories and have their voices heard by being a part of these groups. They can connect with their own experiences and have other people be able to connect with it as well.
“These groups form lasting relationships that help you get through circumstances better and help you to share that pain and the load of it so that uphill battle is a lot more manageable and you are not in it alone,” Bustria said.
The Point will continue to report updated information about the Stepped Care model and how it provides additional support for students on campus alongside these groups.
