Metcalf offers support, dispels policy rumors

Sarah DeFilippe Assistant Features Editor

Sometimes life as a college student can become overwhelming. It is almost inevitable that, as students try to balance their schedules with classes, sports, extracurriculars, and relationships, problematic issues arise. Vassar students have a great resource—Metcalf House—which offers free and easily accessible resources and information for the entire student body.

Metcalf sees about 20 to 25 percent of the student body every year; and of the graduating seniors each year, an overwhelming 45 to 50 percent of the student body have used Metcalf’s resources at some point. This is a huge difference when comparing the highest usage rate at other schools, which rounds out at about 17 percent.

One of the most popular resources Metcalf offers are various discussion groups, which focus on a range of topics. For example, the “sense-of-self” groups deal with eating concerns and body images, while the highly attended relationship groups focus on the process of getting to know oneself in relation to one’s family, friends, and authority figures. Director of Psychological Services Sylvia Balderrama said that the idea of these groups is “really just getting to know yourself and understanding how you respond and react.”

General psychotherapy groups are also offered for students who have a broad interest in understanding how they interact in groups. All discussion groups are small in size, ranging anywhere from as small as five people to 12 people at maximum. Metcalf also offers workshops and time-limited groups, which help students deal with issues of stress management, time management, and also help in training Student Leaders how to be more effective in their leadership roles. Because the establishment of these groups really depends on the needs of students, Balderrama encourages students to speak up and inform Metcalf as to what they would like to be offered.

Crisis counselors are available for emergency situations day and night, to speak with students and help plan a course of action that will help them deal with emergency issues. If a student has an unexpected crisis during the night, all he or she has to do is call the Campus Response Center, and they will direct it to an on-call counselor. As always, all calls are confidential and, although the CRC does log the phone calls that come in during the night and on weekends, they do not record the exact nature of the call, so confidentiality is still maintained.

If looking for a more low-key alternative, students can also access information that Metcalf keeps in its waiting/resource room. Books, handouts, pamphlets, and journal articles can be easily borrowed by visiting Metcalf during regular weekday hours.

If you have a mild case of the “winter blues,” the best ways to combat those feelings, according to Balderrama, are regular exercise and sunlight. Yet another interesting form of alleviation from seasonal depression is a lightbox, widely used by people who are diagnosed with SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder). Metcalf’s lightbox is housed in its waiting/resource room; all one has to do is turn it on, sit down, and relax. The lightbox serves as a form of phototherapy, boosting the levels of serotonin in the body while helping to increase mood.

Metcalf also helps students with more serious psychological problems, including attempted suicide. If someone is a risk to him or her self, hospitalization is the safest and most successful way to protect the student’s life. If a student is not suicidal, but is still considered a concern, Metcalf can help include the student’s family while determining the best course of action, whether it be hospitalization (which Metcalf tends to avoid) or sending the student home for a time. Depending on the individual situation, treatment may be done on-campus at Metcalf or off-campus. “We are capable to responding to students immediate concerns,” said Balderrama, “but we then need to plan out the best course of treatment.” Because Metcalf’s services are free, students don't have to worry in these instances about insurance. If the treatment is being done off campus, Metcalf encourages student to use their insurance towards payment for doctors they are seeing on a private basis.

Some myths surrounding Metcalf’s policies were quickly reputed by Balderrama. “If you come to Metcalf and you are suicidal, we will not kick you out of school. That is a myth,” she explained. Nevertheless, if a student is hospitalized, Metcalf will notify the Dean of Students. Any future decisions regarding the student are not made by Metcalf. “Also, we would never ask friends or peers of a student to keep on eye on that person,” said Balderrama. “We are here for all students—anybody who has a question about their own development. We are certainly not a part of the disciplinary process.”

Besides offering a number of its own services, Metcalf co-sponsors numerous events on campus, including the Health Fair held in April, at which there are a number of health practitioners available. The facility also co-sponsors “All College Day” with the Campus Life Resource Group, at which they have an annual theme. Metcalf is also planning an event with the Massachusetts Eating Disorder Associatio, for the month of February (designated as Eating Disorder Awareness Month), with an all-campus presentation, coming up on Feb. 21 at 5 p.m. Balderrama said that Metcalf’s involvement with these events stems from that fact that “Metcalf supports inclusion and diversity on campus…we want students to feel that this is a place for students to come to talk.”

To schedule an individual appointment, join a support group, or for more information, contact Metcalf House at x5700.