DeKALB – NIU Counseling and Consultation Services will host virtual workshops starting Tuesday. These workshops will allow participants to learn coping mechanisms and how to deal with stressors and difficult emotions.

The workshops are open to anyone seeking skills on dealing with stress, anxiety, depression, procrastination and staying motivated, said Tim Paquette, director of counseling and consultation services. 

“We continue to see stress and anxiety as the No. 1 concern students are reporting,” Paquette said. “Depression, academic stress, financial stress, those things are concerns we see. The goals for these workshops will be to impart support and skills on dealing with mental health issues such as these.”

The series of workshops will cover four modules each week including stress and anxiety, mindfulness, resilience,self-compassion and self-care. These workshops will repeat after each cycle so those who miss one module can partake in the next cycle. 

It was decided to hold these meetings virtually in this way to reach out to as many students as possible, Paquette said.

Workshops will be facilitated by graduate students in NIU counseling programs and overseen by a full-time staff member.

Workshops will be from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. every Tuesday until April 25 and will be held on Microsoft Teams. Login information is available on the NIU Events Calendar. 

There will be no workshop on March 14 due to spring break.

Coping skills workshop meetings qualify as credit for Business Passport and Honors Engaged credit.

For more information contact Michael Langer, a graduate assistant, at [email protected].