Anxiety affects every facet of a student’s life, and stress is a significant roadblock to our success. There are deadlines and coursework in multiple courses, exams looming, home-life, and expenses and responsibilities to consider. Taken all in one day, we can burden ourselves into a massive anxiety attack. This attack can take hours to resolve, with or without medication, then all of the things we mean to do on that day are delayed. The worry about missing those hours compounds the problem, possibly ending a student’s career before reaching their degree.
But Athabasca University has created a strong support network to help students cope with day to day struggles. Through careful acknowledgement of the problems an online learner may face, Athabasca University has taken steps to assist us in all areas of mental health and educational counselling. There is help for students suffering from anxiety, whether due to exams or just the day to day pressure that may accompany online learning. Mental health and wellness services are essential, and Athabasca University continues to recognize the need for mental health services.
These services were first provided by Athabasca University Student Union; they offered the Student Lifeline counselling from 2015 to the 2018 transition to Homewood Health Services now provided by AU. The new service presents the support of qualified mental health personnel, with a 24-hour helpline, as well as web-based support. Sometimes, all a person needs is an impartial listener, but private counselling is available. AU’s site tells us that Homewood has service in 150 languages by certified staff with a minimum of a master’s level degree. Services are accessible by phone and any electronic device.
Homewood Health online topics include childcare and parenting, elder and family care, and grief and relationship counselling, with many other subjects available concerning our endeavours with online learning. Services cover all of the issues beyond school, because everything going on in life can intrude into learning hours. With online learning, our designated study hours are crucial, so it wouldn’t go over well to have work or legal issues distracting us. Moreover, Homewood Health offers everything from legal and financial information through to cognitive behavioural therapy online.
Along with mental health services, students will discover excellent counselling support in MY AU for other things such as academic progress and direction, because sometimes it is difficult to choose our educational path. Finding our way is more comfortable with qualified counsellors standing there at the entrance of the path, reaching out a helping hand to a suffering student. Take that hand! Information regarding Homewood Health is available on the Athabasca University site along with Athabasca career counselling, Career Cruising and Undergraduate Student Orientation. Furthermore, AUSU still offers support though forums, bursaries, and other essential services like discounts on dental and eyewear.
So, anxiety and stress in the way? Connect with Homewood or AUSU right on your computer or phone any time. Let nothing stand in the way of your academic success.
