Back to wellness basics in the digital age

COVID-19 regulations have changed how we deal with our health and well-being. So how does the Loyola Schools Office of Guidance and Counseling (LSOGC) continue their services on and support mental health?

One of the primary services of LSOGC is to provide psychological support for LS students through counselling and therapy sessions. As early as March 2020, when a community lockdown was put in place, the office beefed up its online presence.   The LSOGC Wellness Toolkit Program, geared towards undergraduate students, is a self-paced program aimed at helping students find meaning and learn different life skills. It uses Ateneo’s learning program- the Ateneo BlueCloud on Canvas. And there is LSOGC’s Facebook account where students can send messages. The platform was also served as the office’s main artery in reaching out to students, posting online activities to connect, collaborate, and share with the LS community. 

Aside from their Facebook page, students can also contact them through email. A counselor is also assigned for each student to maintain an open and direct line of communication. Counseling sessions have also shifted to telecounselling, allowing students to continue with their sessions. 

LSOGC has recently concluded “Wellness Week.”  With the theme “Going back to the Basics: Staying Strong and Healthy during the Pandemic,” activities revolved around practicing self-care through doable activities. A total of 8 webinars were conducted attended not only by LS students but also other members of the LS community. There was a culminating activity to showcase the talents of the artists.

“Sometimes we tend to forget and remember that the very tools we need to be well is just within our reach. We don’t even have to look that far. It doesn’t even have to be expensive or sophisticated, simply basic tools and strategies to enhance our well-being,” says Marvin Christian Cruz, LSOGC’s registered guidance counselor.

Added Mian Villanueva, one of LSOGC’s registered psychologists: “When our students work on creating better daily routines, changing their intrusive and negative mindsets, clarifying their goal and purpose or learning skillsets that personally works for them, they become more responsible for their wellbeing. These are valuable life skills that they benefit them even after they have graduated from Ateneo.”

To know about the LSOGC, visit their Facebook  or email guidance.ls@ateneo.edu.  Set up an appointment with LSOGC counselors by filling out this form.