Rachel Gunselman, Student Wellness Counselor
Located in the Office of Student Affairs
Rachel.gunselman@achehealth.edu
479-308-2304
Offering coaching, individual therapy, and medication management
*Other resources are available upon request. Â
Stress is every where and ever increasing it seems. It is vital for students to be able to identify stressors, and address the stress in healthy ways: these include exercise, talking to friends or family, engaging in relaxation techniques, or seeking assistance to address the stress. It’s also very important to remember that graduate education is a very stressful time in your life with personal and external expectations, pressure to accomplish a lot in such a little time (and to do it well), and a lack of tolerance for a scary f-word (yes, I mean failure).
Our role in Student Wellness is to assist students in identifying their stressors and then provide the guidance and resources to help them address the stress in positive ways and protect themselves from the negative stressors that may overwhelm them and impede their progress. Our goal is to provide students with innovative, creative wellness services while also recognizing that our highly competitive academic environments are changing and becoming more and more challenging. Check out some resources below for help with alleviating your stress or reach out to our Student Wellness Counselor, Rachel, for more ways to anticipate and cope with stress.
Exercise has a myriad of benefits for college students, ranging from increased academic performance to decreased stress and improved mental health. For starters, just moving is beneficial for health. Fitness does so much more than just keep the extra weight off and prevent us from having to buy new clothes; it increases mental stamina and endurance as well. It helps one weather stressful events with style, and to keep one’s head when all around them are losing theirs. It is important to remember that it is possible for people to accumulate physical activity throughout the day without officially exercising for those worried about their hectic schedules. Just taking the stairs, walking for 10-15 minutes, or doing a few squats throughout your day can add up.
We want to encourage all our students to get physical activity throughout the day, even if it is not a structured workout in the gym. We offer aerobic classes at times and can provide you with inventive ways to get your heart rate up and your blood moving! Check out the resources below for more inventive ways to workout!
Please check with your health care provider before starting any physical exercise regime.
There is no one way to be LGBTQIA+ in graduate school. It is important to live your own identity in ways that feel safe and productive for you. A constant in the lives of LGBTQIA+ students is the need to decide over and over whether a context is safe and if so, whether or not to come out or let others know about their sexual and/or gender identity. We want all students to feel strengthened and encouraged while here at ACHE, as well as, ensure there are positive resources such as the ACHE Diversity Committee and social support groups. We offer RSOs such as LGBTQ+ Healthcare Alliance and have faculty, staff, and students that can provide connections and belonging. ACHE will provide facilities that ensures all students can access safely and that align with their gender identity. Students can contact the Office of Student Affairs for information on ensuring their preferred name is used for badges and other forms of communication. ACHE is committed to providing an educational environment that ensures equal opportunity for all students. For any other information please contact Office of Student Affairs and check out the resources below.
Higher education can be an isolating experience at times. However, for Black students this can be amplified by a lack of representation and lack of diversity in peers. For students who feel they are not part of the majority, there is a different level of belonging when they are on campus. Our goal here at ACHE is to ensure all students feel they can find a sense of community and connection towards others. We want to encourage students to identify any stressors early and work to alleviate them by finding resources on campus and utilize any other resources they may find beneficial. We have an RSO, Black Student Health Alliance and other groups that may provide a greater sense of community. For further resources check on the links below.
Our student’s mental health is an essential component of their overall wellness and is inextricably linked to their overall success on our campus. We strive to create and cultivate a campus community that supports mental health and overall well-being. However, we are aware that the next few years may be some of the most stressful, trying, and difficult years of a student’s life. Being proactive with mental health concerns and issues is key to preventing problems from arising and ensuring the students know who to reach out to if problems do arise. We have an on-site counselor that can provide individual counseling services, offers group counseling and other forms of mental health resources to ensure each student can be as successful as possible while here. Please reach out to our Student Wellness Counselor for further information and check out the resources below.
Each of us holds a unique set of identities and cultural backgrounds that impact our daily lives and can impact our interactions with others. Understanding your own identity, values, and expectations can significantly improve your overall experiences while at ACHE and provide a greater sense of belonging. There are many challenges that can come with pursing an advanced academic degree; not only are you expected to manage increased academic responsibilities, but additional challenges faced by students may also include relocation (to a different state), leaving supports such as family, friends, and significant others, forming new relationships, etc. We want to provide students with social support and encouragement, and we currently have an RSO, South Asian Medical Student Association to help students feel connected. We want to ensure there are other resources available as well to enhance students’ overall experience. Check out the links below.
At ACHE, we strive to create and promote a safe, inclusive, welcoming, and supportive space for our students. During strenuous life circumstances, such as graduate school. Being connected and having a sense of community can serve as a source of strength and reduce feelings of isolation and loneliness. Finding ways to encourage our Latinx students to connect and foster a sense of belonging is a key component in attempting to prevent depression or anxiety in our students. We aim to create more meaningful and enriching experiences that allow Latinx students to be active members on campus and in community life, such as being involved in our RSO, Latinx Health Profession Association. We have other resources available as well. Check out the links provided below.
All of us have felt down, blue or discouraged at times throughout our life but clinical depression is a significant disturbance in mood which persists for a minimum of two weeks at a time. Depression can affect people of all ages and ranges from mild to severe depending upon how many symptoms you experience, and how much of it interferes with your daily functioning. In milder forms, depressed moods are usually brief and may have little effect on everyday activities. Moderate to severe depression includes symptoms that are more intense, last longer, and tend to interfere more with school, work, and social functioning. We want all students at ACHE to know we are here to help them be as successful as they can be, so if you feel depressive symptoms are causing impairment in your daily life, please reach out to someone. Contact our Student Wellness Counselor, Rachel in the Office of Student Affairs and check out the resources below for ways to defeat depressive symptoms.
Suicide can be Prevented
Whether you have suicidal thoughts or know someone who has them, know that there is help and there is hope. We have a counselor on campus Monday- Friday 8:00-5:00 located in the Office of Student Affairs. Campus security can be reached 24/7 by calling 479-308-2222. There are numerous resources and hotline numbers to call if you are having suicidal thoughts. Unless noted, these phone numbers are available 24/7.
Text & Chat
Don’t want to talk? You can also get support through text and chat, available 24/7.
