LASA can be a pressure cooker. Assignments, tests, clubs, and extracurricular activities are always happening, some might get lost in the whirlwind. However, the school has resources to deal with the issues that might come out of the constant motion.
Two wellness counselors, two therapy dogs, and a calm space for relaxing are all helpful tools for those in need of a break. LASA Wellness Counselor Shanon Cardona stated that the school has a multitude of resources for students.
“You have options when you come in here,” Cardona said. “You can either speak to one of the two [wellness counselors], or you can have the ZenDen, or just pet the pups.”
Some students believe the therapy dogs, Bean and Juney, help them the most. Sierra Pena is a LASA junior, an officer of the Dynasty drill team, as well as a manager of three sports, who agreed with this opinion regarding dealing with the challenge of balancing her time.
“As someone who has dogs, I do think that the dogs here at LASA are very helpful just because being around animals can be calming for a lot of people,” Pena said.
The wellness counselors also work directly with students. Cardona mentioned the counselors are there for the extreme situations that might happen at school.
“We are here for crisis interventions,” Cardona said. “We are here for students who are struggling with either anxiety or depression, and we do short-term help, which means we’re not their therapists, but we, many times, support the students who do have therapists. We are the backup when they are in need on campus.”
Junior Etta Corn has used LASA’s mental health resources before. She believes some students may not use the offered tools as much as they could because they don’t know about the resources that are available to them.
“I think it probably could be publicized more around the school,” Corn said. “I think a lot of kids know it exists, but it kind of just feels far away and doesn’t feel like something they could go and do all the time.”
For some students, reaching out can be the hardest part of getting help. Pena explained how she also deals with this issue herself.
“I just am a really push-it-through type of person, so anytime that I struggle with mental health, I have a hard time reaching out,” Pena said. “This is for a lot of students, not just about mental health but about academics. I have a hard time reaching out just because I am a strong believer that I can fix my own problems, which is not the honest truth.”
For some, issues with mental health extremely impact their lives. Corn explained how many pressures are put on students, including herself.
“I’ve had decent struggles myself with stress from class,” Corn said. “Personal image issues and stuff with my family, and so I think it matters a lot to take care of your mental health.”
Corn’s concerns are not uncommon. When dealing with stress or other mental health issues, Cardona described how it’s important to see the signs before they get bad.
“Listen to your body, listen to your mind, listen to your emotions,” Cardona said. “You don’t want to stuff them down, you don’t want to pretend they’re not there, and you don’t want to avoid them.”