STORY BY STEF CASERTA
Sheridan College’s Counselling Services office at Trafalgar Campus is changing the way students think about themselves so they can lead a happier life.
Being Comfortable In Your Own Skin is a workshop divided into four closed group sessions that educate students on how thoughts can impact their lives. During the sessions students will practice self-acceptance and receive feedback through group exercises.
“Arts and crafts activities may include making collages and working with clay and pastels. It’s a way for students to express themselves differently.”
“It’s for anyone who wants to be in a group where they’re getting feedback on their interpersonal skills, if they want to learn more about how their thoughts impact their mood and if they want to do it in sort of a fun way because we do different exercises with art, a bit of drama, things like that,” said Kanchan Kurichh, the counsellor at Sheridan’s Trafalgar Campus in charge of running the workshop.
Arts and crafts activities may include making collages, and working with clay and pastels. According to Kurichh, it’s a way for students to express themselves differently and they do not need to have any artistic skills to participate.
“And then it’s also just talking in a group, being comfortable expressing yourself in a group, especially if you’re not used to doing that,” said Kurichh. Being Comfortable In Your Own Skin offers students a safe place to talk, share experiences and realize they are not alone.
Sessions began on Tuesday, Oct. 8 and run until Tuesday, Nov. 12. Students do not meet during Reading Week.
Students do not have to be enrolled with Counselling Services to be eligible to join.
“Usually [students] will be referred if they’ve gone to see a counsellor. If they’ve seen the posters and they feel it’s a good fit for them, they can come into Student Advisement and ask to book a quick drop-in session with me and then I’ll assess if they’re a good match for the group,” said Kurichh.
The program has been available to students once a year for the past three years. Kurichh says she would run the workshop more often if more students expressed interest in participating, but she has received some very positive feedback.
When asked what was the most memorable feedback she’d received, Kurichh said, “There’s so many. Just like a heartfelt thanks because it changed something for them, it helped them feel happier and more connected. That meant a lot.”
Being Comfortable In Your Own Skin is currently only available at Trafalgar Campus but there are similar workshops available at other campuses. Davis Campus counsellors offer Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) groups, which is a therapeutic treatment that helps people understand the thoughts and feelings that influence their behaviour.
There are still a few remaining spots. Visit Student Advisement to make an appointment. For students who need to speak to someone immediately, call the Distress Centre in Oakville at 905-849-4541.