Between balancing classes, jobs, and social lives, many students find their mental health taking a backseat. At Del Mar College, the Counseling Center is working to change that.

Located on the second floor of the Harvin Center, the center offers free services ranging from one-on-one counseling to wellness workshops. The goal is to promote mental health, emotional resilience, and wellness throughout the campus community.

“We’ve got several services available to students,” Counseling Center Director Jessica Edwards said. “We offer individual counseling, we offer couples counseling, we offer crisis intervention. Sometimes varying by semester, we might offer group counseling.” 

In addition to in-person sessions, virtual sessions are also available. Students can also walk in and relax in the Zen Zone whenever life gets overwhelming.

The Counseling Center also hosts mental health outreach events and stress-relief activities during finals. The next event is on Thursday, Oct. 30, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Harvin Center, the Spooktacular Mental Health and Resource Fair. At the event, students can learn about campus and community resources.

Looking ahead, the center plans to expand both in space and in staff to better meet growing demand. 

“We are definitely busy this semester…but that’s a good thing,” Edwards said. “It’s a good thing because we know that students are using and utilizing our resources and getting the help they deserve.” By continuing to adapt and grow, the counseling center hopes to ensure that every student knows where to turn when they need support.

As Edwards puts it, “Our mission for the counseling center is to continue to break the stigma for mental health.”

Students can schedule an appointment or learn more about the Counseling Center by going to www.delmar.edu/counseling.