Prioritize your mental, well-being

At Butler CC there is affordable care on campus for students, faculty and staff. Students get free services provided at College Health and Counseling, located on both campuses. Student health is important, and many students can receive free counseling for their mental and physical well-being.

Jaime Sharp, a nurse at Butler, loves the interaction with the students. For many students, this is their first time away from home, so helping them navigate that process is a neat experience. She loves getting to meet students from all over the world and learning about their different backgrounds and stories. Sharp has also even spent many years working in the hospitals. 

“I spent many years working in the hospital system (and) then went back to school to get my master’s in addiction counseling,” Sharp said. “I worked in the counseling/case management field for a few years but really missed the medical world. In my current role, I get to use my nursing and counseling degree, so it’s the best of both worlds.”

Sharp loves the job, the environment and the students. The position offers her a great work-family balance as well. The flexibility of the job allows her to do all the things she needs to do as a wife and mother. The hardest part about Sharp’s job is not being able to do enough for some of the students, whether that be from lack of resources, financial problems or the students’ lack of desire/motivation. She says that student health is incredibly important. A healthy student, mind and body, is a successful student, she adds. “For any emergency it’s always best to call 911,” Sharp said. “The on-campus police will be dispatched. If it’s during clinic hours and it’s a minor medical issue, they can walk into the clinic to be assessed.” 

College Health offers monthly programming on both campuses if they have the staffing for it. Such programming includes done flu shot clinics, sex education booths, mental health screenings (partnered with their counselors) and sleep hygiene. The most common health issues among students are sore throat, cough, congestion, UTI, STI, also known as sexually transmitted infections, testing and depression/anxiety.

“Eat healthily, drink plenty of water, six to eight hours of sleep at night and regular check-ups with the doctor (can help with some of these issues),” Sharp said.

Students can walk into the clinic anytime between 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., Monday-Friday.

Nancy Hamm, a mental health counselor/therapist at the college, had never worked at a college as a therapist before, so she was excited at the chance to work with college students during this time in their lives. She enjoys working with mental health and being an advocate. “I really enjoy working with young adults and getting the chance to help them early in their lives to learn about mental health,” Hamm said. “Stigma of mental health continues to be a challenge. Many people wait years or decades to get help, so I’m grateful to have this opportunity to help students.” 

Students have access to free counseling for as long as they are enrolled at Butler. Students can access counseling by calling/emailing for an appointment or stopping by to schedule. They offer periodic workshops throughout the semester related to well-being and stress. Some of these include stress management, reducing test anxiety and mindfulness.

College Health offers as many free services as possible to help with academic/personal stress including various student organizations, tutoring, career services, library assistance, food pantry and the clothing closet. Hamm adds that mental health can even affect academic performance.

“Mental health can impact academic performance because it relates to our thinking, emotions, and behaviors,” Hamm said. “Poor mental health symptoms can impact sleep, energy and motivation, confidence, concentration and relationships with others.”

If students are having health-related issues that are impacting their studies, she would encourage them to reach out for help to faculty or staff.  They might be eligible for academic accommodations through their office of disability services. She adds that to remember that it is okay to not be okay. Take a mental health day when needed. Talk to supportive people in your life to get advice. Be compassionate with yourself and treat yourself like you would treat a friend. 

“Some strategies would be to find something you enjoy and do this regularly,” Hamm said. “Spend time with your support person and talk about how you feel. Learn some basic mindfulness or meditation and do this for a couple minutes each day.”

For more information on College Health and Counseling, visit this link: https://www.butlercc.edu/info/201100/college-health-and-counseling