Linfield College’s Student Health, Wellness and Counseling Center is offering multiple programs to help the college community find ways to manage their overall health during the weeks of high stress levels such as midterms and finals.

The goal of one its most popular programs, the De-stress Boot camp is to prevent and find ways to manage stress during times of high stress for students, according to Patty Haddeland, director of the Student Health and Wellness Center and nurse practitioner.

Other programs that look to benefit the overall populous of the college include the Food and Mood and the Women’s Group, also known as W.I.G.

The goal of all of these programs is to show students effective ways to manage their stress before it reaches a breaking point.

The Food and Mood Group is in its second year of existence and is a group open to anyone who wants to share how some foods make them feel.

Members discuss why they eat certain foods, and inform other group members of their good and bad experiences with food during challenging times.

They also discuss social eating, body image, and analyzing why people eat certain foods.

Haddeland added that all of these groups, “Don’t require that you come to every meeting, they are more there for you if you need them,” Haddeland said. “If you find that you enjoy coming to them often you are welcome to come to them as often as you need.”

Students have found by attending these “group” meetings or boot camps that they are more of a support group that helps one another through discussion and interaction, than counseling sessions.

Some of the strategies introduced in the De-stress Boot Camp were yoga, breathing techniques, and mindfulness showing students ways to reach calmness during a time of stress.

Haddeland also mentioned that they are planning on offering these programs during the spring semester as well.

Whether you are stressed out about a certain class, deciding a major, finding ways to get enough sleep or eat right any of these groups would be great places for college students to go.

The De-Stress Boot Camp will offer its third training session Wednesday Nov. 20 from 12:15-1:30 p.m. in Walker 302.

The Food and Mood Group meets on Tuesdays from 4:15-5:30 p.m. in the Student Health and Wellness Center.

Students at Linfield are more than equipped with resources during this round of finals to aid them in their personal health choices and to set them up to stay healthy during those challenging weeks.

-The Review Editorial Board