Photo by Eli Khoronov
Handling school while maintaining personal balance is a difficult task. Students are stressed more than ever due to the COVID-19 and the recent fires in the area. The stress and burden of everything can weigh you down, but know that you’re not alone in these tough times. Southern Oregon University has a wide range of connections and support groups to offer that students can access through zoom meetings without having to step out of their homes or comfort zones.
These support groups consist of the Anxiety Relief Group, where students can learn and practice skills in a small group setting to identify and change thought patterns to reduce anxiety. The Community Recovery in Education, a place where the group supports and promotes the academic success, recovery, and well-being of SOU students recovering from addiction by providing an authentic student-centered community and robust recovery support services and programming.
Fire Support Group, a space for sharing experiences and receiving support for all students impacted by the recent fires in Southern Oregon and the West Coast. LGBTQIA+ Sexual Assault Survivors Healing, a support group for LGBTQIA+ SOU students and community members to heal from recent and past sexual violence. Women’s Sexual Assault Survivors Healing, a support group for SOU Women and Femme students and community members to heal from recent and past sexual violence. As well as the Chronic Pain and Illness Support Group, a peer led group supports students who experience chronic pain, chronic illness, and/or frequent illness.
Students can contact these groups with the following information listed below:
Anxiety Relief Group: Mondays from 4:00pm to 5:00pm through Zoom. Facilitated by Joan Anderson, Office of the Dean of Students. Drop-ins are welcome. No regular attendance required. To access this group, contact Joan at andersj13@sou.edu.
Community Recovery in Education (CORE): Tuesdays from 12:30 to 1:30pm through Zoom. Facilitated by Student Health and Wellness Center Staff. To access this program, contact Anna D’Amato damatoa@sou.edu.
Fire Support Group: Tuesdays from 2:00 to 3:00pm through Zoom. Facilitated by Emily Holgen, Office of the Dean of Students. Drop-ins are welcome and regular attendance is not required. To access this support group, please contact Emily at holgene@sou.edu.
LGBTQIA+ Sexual Assault Survivors Healing (SASH): Wednesdays from 12:00 to 1:00pm through Zoom. Facilitated by Alex Sylvester, Social Justice and Equity Center. To access this group, please contact Alex at sylvestea@sou.edu.
Women’s Sexual Assault Survivors Healing (SASH): Wednesdays from 6:00 to 7:30pm through Zoom, by Lezley Sanders, Jackson County Sexual Assault Response Team. To access this group, please contact Lezley Sanders by email at lezleysanders@gmail.com or call/text at 541.840.6672.
Chronic Pain and Chronic Illness Support Group: Thursdays from 1:00 to 2:00pm through Zoom. Facilitated by Emily Holgen, Office of the Dean of Students. No regular attendance required. To access this group, contact Emily at holgene@sou.edu.
Reach out to these support groups to build connections with others and grow strong together. Have hope and don’t let the bad year cloud your mind!
