University of St. Thomas worked to bring attention to mental health throughout the month of September for Suicide Awareness Month.

St. Thomas’ Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) is available for students to find support for themselves and others.

“What we try to do is really try to affirm and normalize that asking for help is not a sign of weakness,” said CAPS Director Deb Broderick. “We really try to help students understand that piece, which is what I feel like that’s the hard thing for college students to really adjust to hearing.”

Students can also get involved with different groups on campus to learn more about mental health and how it affects students. For example, the Active Minds club is working to erase the stigma around mental health outside of the professional help of CAPS. Active Minds is a national group with hundreds of chapters all over the country.

While Suicide Awareness Month provided an opportunity to talk about this difficult subject, Active Minds and CAPS offer resources and ideas on how to cope year-round. Both places can direct students to off-campus resources.

“Everyone is kinda afraid to talk about suicide, its kind of a taboo thing, but if we don’t know how to talk about it, then we don’t talk about it,” said Lauren Frank, the president of the Active Minds chapter at St. Thomas. “So someone is just going to have to break that cycle and start talking about it, and I think that’s the most important thing.”

Both Broderick and Frank say communicating about mental health and suicide is something that will help change the culture surrounding the topic. Simply talking about feelings with friends, family and even coworkers lets people feel at ease and less alone.

“Students helping each other and helping themselves using our office to increase their skills, and their abilities to manage life’s adversities from the minor to the major,” Broderick said.

Within CAPS, certified counselors and therapists can help students overcome difficult situations. Counselors can help break down myths students may have heard about mental health and offer solutions to problems.

CAPS is merging with the wellness center, health services and violence prevention and awareness to create a holistic mental and physical health facility, projected to open this fall. CAPS will move from the Murray-Herrick Campus Center to the new Center for Well-Being on Finn Street, previously occupied by the Child Development Center.

The joining of these departments will be a way for students to go to one place for all their wellness needs.

Public Safety Phone Number: (651)-962-5555
Ramsey County Mental Health Hotline: (651)-266-7900
Hennepin County Mobile Crisis Hotline: (612)-596-1223
National Suicide Hotline: 1-800-273-8255

Mae Macfarlane can be reached at Macf7507@stthomas.edu.